Habitat out loud

[Bowsnbucks]

Plots look good. Gonna have to try a test strip of plantain at our place.

 

[matinc]

SD so are you saying balsana should be replaced with plantain in the mix? Based on your comment above that it doesn't push through. On the flip side how much what I see already growing and what will grow will be mowed when the chow down begins in October???

 

[SD51555]

SD so are you saying balsana should be replaced with plantain in the mix? Based on your comment above that it doesn't push through. On the flip side how much what I see already growing and what will grow will be mowed when the chow down begins in October???

Keep everything in the mix.

I'm not sure what you're asking with your second question. Could you clarify that?

 

[matinc]

SD what I'm saying is when the chow down begins in October as you said previously will they eat that field to the ground or will you have greens left over?

 

[SD51555]

SD what I'm saying is when the chow down begins in October as you said previously will they eat that field to the ground or will you have greens left over?

It depends. I've had it scalped pretty hard in the good years, other years, there will be lots left over.

 

[SD51555]

This is my other big throw and roll plot. It got the press about a month ago.

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[Foggy47]

^ Well done SD!!

 

[SD51555]

I pulled back the residue on the jap millet plot to check for my perennials.

It’s under there. I’m still on watch to make sure it punches thru.

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[SD51555]

Now that the work is done. These are the last pics before hunting starts. I went back and looked at my 2023 clearing project. The deer are clobbering the stump sprouts all over, and all types.

Nothing century balsam in the center of this pic. This was a few days ago. That stuff is all 6-10’ tall.

This is what it looked like in May.

In there, I put in a super cage, about 6x12 feet. There are 50 ROD in there, and 2 white cedars.

This is the view from the tripod when I cut it in December of 23.

This is 5 days ago. Those tag alder clumps are 10’ tall, and there are deer trails thru all of it. Those brush piles are still in there, just engulfed by the regen.

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[matinc]

SD how large am area is that. Excellent regen work, amazing how the logs are engulfed

 

[SD51555]

SD how large am area is that. Excellent regen work, amazing how the logs are engulfed

It’s maybe a half acre. There’s another acre next to that I did the same way in 2021. I’ll probably do another half acre next to that this winter. I’m almost out of the tag alder area, so tactics are gonna change a little.

I’m gonna thin the black ash so some can keep getting bigger, but also let all the sun hit the ground. The black ash have a small canopy up very high. Also going to release all the balsam fir and birch. The ash campy should also help protect the balsams from taking 100% of the wind and risking being uprooted when the ground is soft and wet.

This should also make room for some conifer planting next spring.


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[matinc]

SD what kind of conifer plantings are you considering?

 

[Jerry-B-WI]

It’s maybe a half acre. There’s another acre next to that I did the same way in 2021. I’ll probably do another half acre next to that this winter. I’m almost out of the tag alder area, so tactics are gonna change a little.

I’m gonna thin the black ash so some can keep getting bigger, but also let all the sun hit the ground. The black ash have a small canopy up very high. Also going to release all the balsam fir and birch. The ash campy should also help protect the balsams from taking 100% of the wind and risking being uprooted when the ground is soft and wet.

This should also make room for some conifer planting next spring.


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You've still got living ash trees? Where are you at? EAB wiped all my ash trees out.

 

[SD51555]

SD what kind of conifer plantings are you considering?

Just a few clumps of white cedar and white pine. They’re mostly to restore the green in winter, knock down wind, and add back some diversity.


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[SD51555]

You've still got living ash trees? Where are you at? EAB wiped all my ash trees out.

I’m north of the EAB zone in MN. I don’t understand why it hasn’t hit yet. Loggers have been hauling chips and fresh logs past my place for years out of the EAB zone and it hasn’t hopped off those trucks yet. There’s a mill 10 miles away that takes ash from quarantine areas and also distributes grindings from those logs all around me.

There’s a line at hwy 200 that runs from east to west. There is a noticeable difference along that line when it comes to wolves, deer pop, winter kill, crime, property values and more.

The green areas are the EAB areas.

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[matinc]

SD if OM on a one acre field rises from 2 to 2.2 how much duff or organic matter do you think is added in tons to the soil using a roller or crimper?

 

[SD51555]

SD if OM on a one acre field rises from 2 to 2.2 how much duff or organic matter do you think is added in tons to the soil using a roller or crimper?

I’m not sure. It would change just as soon as you got the math figured. OM isn’t stored. It’s is built up and drawn down constantly.

Try not to get hung up in too much data. I used to myself, but doing so you lose sight of the simple analysis like “is the plot performing better?”

Don’t let the geeks suck you in with all their big words and sugar waters and fancy tests. You don’t need a team of NASA scientists and a podcast to tell you regenerative methods are gonna be far more indicative of success than iron, pellets, sprays, and potions.


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[SD51555]

My demo plot by the cabin is coming along nicely.

I planted almost a month ago, and it’s just now showing the legumes finally.

The grain is winter trit. The deer are starting to work on it. Their browse patterns are completely backwards right now.

Even looks like I may have radishes for a few more weeks.

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[Foggy47]

I’m not sure. It would change just as soon as you got the math figured. OM isn’t stored. It’s is built up and drawn down constantly.

Try not to get hung up in too much data. I used to myself, but doing so you lose sight of the simple analysis like “is the plot performing better?”

Don’t let the geeks suck you in with all their big words and sugar waters and fancy tests. You don’t need a team of NASA scientists and a podcast to tell you regenerative methods are gonna be far more indicative of success than iron, pellets, sprays, and potions.


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Well said SD. All too often we over-react to data and tests.....when a good look at the situation can provide everything we need.

That reminds me that I should really spread some nitrogen on my brassica as they look a bit yellow.....but I lack the time right now. Oh well, they will be tasty enough compared to what else is out there.

 

[SD51555]

Laid eyes on my new construction plot. This is the one that was Japanese millet rolled down. I was hoping the millet wouldn’t die. I’m counting on the deer picking up the seed heads in October.

The winter trit is punched thru. You can even see some of the beans pushing up too.

Looks like the legumes are starting to break thru too.

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