J-birds place

[sandbur]

I have walnut trees that I planted from seed just over 30 years ago. I also have shot deer out of trees I have planted. That means I am getting old... I mean mature.;(

I hope someone enjoys my trees just like your daughter enjoyed those.

Keep her interested. Ever plant any walnuts on your place, maybe with seed from great Grandpas place?


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Do you have to do anything "special" to plant walnuts? I was planning on simply clearing the area and then plowing a furrow to plant them in (green husk and all). Then cover. I was thinking about roughly 8 to 12 foot centers with the intent of thinning later.....if I live to see the need.

I planted my walnuts inside an upside down coffee can or soup can. Not the plastic ones, but the old tin cans. You cut an X with four flaps in the bottom of the can and just tip the flaps up a bit.(remember the can is used upside down and flaps should be tipped up when you are done)

The can rusts away as the tree grows and it worked for me. The purpose is to keep squirrels from digging up the walnuts.


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[j-bird]

I planted my walnuts inside an upside down coffee can or soup can. Not the plastic ones, but the old tin cans. You cut an X with four flaps in the bottom of the can and just tip the flaps up a bit.(remember the can is used upside down and flaps should be tipped up when you are done)

The can rusts away as the tree grows and it worked for me. The purpose is to keep squirrels from digging up the walnuts.


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OK - that is interesting..... But you didn't remove the husk or anything form the walnuts prior to planting?

My wife is gonna be pissed when I start collecting cans now.... I have a pile of 2 lite bottles for a project, as well as occasionally save milk jugs (to freeze cooler ice). I am always saving some sort of "trash" for something "stupid" as she puts it!

 

[sandbur]

I planted my walnuts inside an upside down coffee can or soup can. Not the plastic ones, but the old tin cans. You cut an X with four flaps in the bottom of the can and just tip the flaps up a bit.(remember the can is used upside down and flaps should be tipped up when you are done)

The can rusts away as the tree grows and it worked for me. The purpose is to keep squirrels from digging up the walnuts.


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OK - that is interesting..... But you didn't remove the husk or anything form the walnuts prior to planting?

My wife is gonna be pissed when I start collecting cans now.... I have a pile of 2 lite bottles for a project, as well as occasionally save milk jugs (to freeze cooler ice). I am always saving some sort of "trash" for something "stupid" as she puts it!

I don’t think I removed the husks. Can’t remember.

Do you have a high squirrel population?


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[j-bird]

I don’t think I removed the husks. Can’t remember.

Do you have a high squirrel population?


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The area I plan on doing this should be fine but there are other walnut trees in the area so they do draw squirrels as it is....besides the wife not letting me shoot them near the house (due to historical reasons).

 

[j-bird]

Got a little stupid with the picture taking saturday....but recent rains had warranted it to some extent.

It had been dry, but a few rain showers really caused the "weeds" to bloom. I know what some of these are, but not all of them....I was just surprised by all the color. Lots of Ironweed and golden rod.

Some milkweed, jewel weed and the vining honeysuckle is flowering as well.


With flowers come the pollinators....It sort of turned into a butterfly safari! The bull thistle seemed to be a favorite. Again not sure what they all are, but I got a monarch and some different swallowtail I think. This was just a sample of what was around. I was in my summer habitat cloths (flip flops and cargo shorts) so going "deeper into the bush" after my prey wasn't really in the cards!


The bean plots are looking good. I sprayed a week ago or so to address weeds and broadcast my turnips (no sign of them yet). I will add some wheat in a little bit. The soybeans are being browsed heavier than normal due to area fields being fallow but still seem to be making beans. This is my North corner plot area. My 2 chestnuts are roughly 10 feet tall but no burs. My persimmons where the graft died has bounced back nicely and is roughly 3 feet tall now. My sawtooth (catscratch) oaks are doing well and the best ones are taller than their 5 foot cages. They seem to be bushy and may need some thinning, but I will have to do some digging into their growth habit and form first. Clover plot got some overseeding as well. We will see how that turns out. In fact all the existing clover plots got some overseeding.


My north triangle plot in the woods. This seems to be holding it's own. I will have to address some smartweed and nettle in this plot, but that was expected. The paw-paw are fruiting and my chinkapin oaks are showing some acorns as well.

 

[j-bird]

Like I said...the picture taking got a bit out of hand....sorry all the "pretty" picture are on the previous post!

Here is my MG screen. The older stuff is 8 feet tall while the younger is roughly 4. I anticipate it will "fill out" at some point, but they are planted roughly on 3 feet center. The wire fence is supporting the honeysuckle well ( may need to help it spread some) and the transplanted cedars provide the next layer and then the MG. Hopefully I will use these MG plants to spread my screening efforts.


As we move to the SW part of the farm I have an apple tree that the coons have not found....yet. Not a banner year, but I have just started getting fruit the past few years so hopefully as the tree matures it will continue to improve. Don;t ask what variety....I was too dumb to label it when it was planted. It's "people" apple of some sort is all I know.

My once tattered chestnut tree recover project. It is responding well, considering it was reduced to a 12" stick. It's 3 feet tall now.


When I was up on the other side of the place I went to check on the water hole....and for any dead deer from EHD (since is seems to be an issue this summer in southern Indiana. Water hole is down about a foot and a little stirred up.....but the water being stirred up.....had some help! Maggie loves the water.....hates a bath!


My crabapples seem to be doing well also. I think I have a few that need some trimming as they are trying to form double leaders....I'll put a stop to that once they do dormant. They are above their 5 feet tall cages now. Pictured is my dolgos and their form seems OK....my chestnut crabs....are a little more "precocious" in nature.

 

[Mortenson]

Nice update and pics... good things happening there! I'm not brave enough to wear flipflops past my yard.

 

[j-bird]

Nice update and pics... good things happening there! I'm not brave enough to wear flipflops past my yard.

In the summer time....it's mostly tractor work on my place, so my summertime attire tend to be cargo shorts, my flip flops and a bucket hat or ball cap, with some sort of T-shirt that should have been thrown out a few years ago. The butterflies where in an area where the weeds where waist high or more and lots of things with thorns in there as well. I didn't get real adventurous.... When I get adventurous, I swap my flip flops for my mucks. If it get real bad, I have a pair of what I call "brush pants" made of a heavy canvas....but I avoid that sort of work in the heat of the summer! My kids just shake their head at my outfit choices!!! It's so bad I was once mowing and had to go get my son from his job at a fast food place ( I wasn't expecting to have to do that so I simply jumped off the tractor and into the truck and away I went). I jut went inside and sat down and waited on him.....the manager came out and asked if I was hungry and didn't have any money. At first it didn't dawn on me what was going on....then it hit me. She thought I was homeless! I explained to her I was waiting on my son as his shift ended soon. Everybody there got a good laugh over it.

 

[Mortenson]

Lol I remember that story. I thought it was funny enough to have my wife read it back then. Then sometime after that she made some bad remark about a hole in my shirt and I said it was no big deal, and she actually recalled this and said "yeah but this is coming from a guy who's friends are mistaken for homeless people!" That's you j-bird!

 

[j-bird]

Lol I remember that story. I thought it was funny enough to have my wife read it back then. Then sometime after that she made some bad remark about a hole in my shirt and I said it was no big deal, and she actually recalled this and said "yeah but this is coming from a guy who's friends are mistaken for homeless people!" That's you j-bird!

I guess I could be "known" for far worse things.

 

[Rit]

Maybe a 24” stovepipe on that apple tree 12” off the ground so the coons can’t get those apples. There is a thread somewhere that shows it but I don’t recall off hand who it was.

I am a die hard sandals guy myself. I wear them until my feet starting getting cold.

 

[j-bird]

Maybe a 24” stovepipe on that apple tree 12” off the ground so the coons can’t get those apples. There is a thread somewhere that shows it but I don’t recall off hand who it was.

I am a die hard sandals guy myself. I wear them until my feet starting getting cold.

I saw the stove pipe/flashing thing on the other thread....I may very well give that a shot. I tend to not mind other critters benefiting from my habitat work. But, them fat #$%@er's wiped out an entire tree in a week. Might need to implement a little triple S management.

 

[Mortenson]

How's the Battle Wagon coming along?

Edit I see your insulation thread, so things must be moving.

 

[j-bird]

How's the Battle Wagon coming along?

Edit I see your insulation thread, so things must be moving.

We are still in the planning phase.....it's on the list for the holiday weekend. I will certainly try to get started this weekend, but lots of variables. I still got other chores to do, not sure what the weather is to look like and not sure how much help I will have either. My goal is to at least get the platform and ladder (maybe temporary) done this weekend. I still have to buy windows and sheeting and the like....which prompted my question about the insulation. I also got to "cash flow" this project...so that means working a little bit at a time as well.... I will try to put a thread together on the "battle wagon" build once I actually start.

 

[Mozark]

I saw the stove pipe/flashing thing on the other thread....I may very well give that a shot. I tend to not mind other critters benefiting from my habitat work. But, them fat #$%@er's wiped out an entire tree in a week. Might need to implement a little triple S management.

Triple S is my favorite method: shoot, shovel, shut up.

 

[j-bird]

So the holiday weekend started off rough...

Friday afternoon I had to say farewell to the best dog I have ever had. Lucy was my companion for nearly 14 years. She wanted to be where I was regardless of the situation. Age finally slowed her down over the past year or so and Friday morning after a rough week she couldn't even get herself up off the floor. She HATED to show any signs of weakness around me. And as hard of a decision as it was....it was time. Lucy was part lab part healer and smart as a tack. She wasn't a hunting dog, but as with all our dogs was a true member of the family. I had never been hit by a loss of a dog like I was with her....


Saturday was mowing and the like but I did take a walk to help clear my head some. My beans in my plots are putting on pods and my brassica is just starting to germinate. Normally I plant my brassica on Labor day weekend, but I broadcast a week or two ago so hopefully I will see a bigger plant and hopefully warrant an increased interest in the deer. In the pic with the very small brassica that is a buckeye for reference. I did pull cam cards but nothing much to report there either (but no dead deer from EHD thus far either on my place). I think one of my cams is messed up as it reads the SD card as being full....when there is nothing on it. I'll have to dig into it further....it's just a cheap stealth cam, but we will see.



Sunday....I got me a new habitat "tool". It took some running and the like and some frustration, but it works well now. I got me a Stihl FS111 clearing saw. I only have the weed wacker head on it for now, but it's nice having a real tool to do some work. I historically have been too much of a tight ass to spend serious money on a serious weed wacker. I had used a tool like this back in my younger days and loved it...but 3 to 4 hundred dollars for a weed wacker just seemed like too much in the past. Well, I got my bonus check....and I was wacking weeds like a champ on sunday!

Monday....We officially started "project: Battle Wagon". I will post progress pictures here and then will post everything at once in the "projects" thread. So to start we got a gravity cart. It was recently repaired with all bearing replaced and 4 new tires....I think we paid $250 for it. The intent is to be able to move the blind when needed. I have a floodplain area where I want a shooting house, but I have concerns about what the water would do to a fairly fixed structure over time. With this....I can pull it into position a month or so before season....and once season is closed or we are done....I simply pull it to higher ground. We will be gun hunting from it, so the deer getting used to it I don't think will be a significant issue....and they see carts like this all the time as it is.


First real step was figuring out how to put a platform on/in it. I considered putting the floor down in the wagon.... But the more I looked at it....I wanted as much height as would be reasonable. So I put the "deck" on the top lip of the hopper. The "deck" is pressure treated 2x8's. I have 2 "stringers" that run the length of the hopper to tie everything together. The stringers are wedged in a way that they can not move fore and aft and they are also inside the "pockets" so they can not shift side to side either. The hopper is 76" wide, but I am not sure of how long it is. Doing it this way also means no modifications to the cart itself. That makes things simpler on me as I am not a metal fabricator.

I used a ratchet strap to pull all the boards together to reduce any gaps (they will be sealed with caulk or expanding foam if needed). And each is screwed in with 3" coated decking screws. The majority of the boards I had where already 8 feet long and I wasn't going to cut them first. I simply put them up and then would cut them off later. Which was a great idea....until the battery for my saw died (and my other battery seems to be on the fritz). So I improvised.....and used the chainsaw. Not really the best tool for the job and it sure isn't pretty, but it got the job done. We left the two pockets open in the front and put 2x4's in them as this will be where the ladder goes and I figured I might as well use those pockets. If I decide I "need" to use the other pockets....I'll make that happen. Hopefully this coming weekend I can get my battery replaced and some sheeting and we can get some walls framed up.

 

[SWIFFY]

Sorry to hear about the pooch Jbird... thats never easy! 14 is a lot of good years!

 

[j-bird]

Sorry to hear about the pooch Jbird... thats never easy! 14 is a lot of good years!

Thank you.

 

[pnulty66]

Bummer about your dog. Tears me up everytime.

 

[MilkweedManiac]

Incredibly tough loss that I’ve felt before. Heart goes out.