My little hill.

[Electrodigical]

Decided to start a thread here just to have all my photos together. I'll probably quote older posts from elsewhere to update.
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Sept 5, 2025
Went up this weekend and was devastated. Looks like I killed two on my apple trees. One of them I knew I probably did. Last time up I was in a brush cutting frenzy, sweat soaked and going mad from the bugs, whacking everything in sight that was overhanging the access trail. Did a heck of a job on it before I realized it was an apple tree. (had almost no leaves on it as it was)

The other one really hurt and I don't know what happened. I cleared all round it. Cut other trees to open up the sky, pruned some dead limbs the apple tree itself, even did a small practice graft from one of the other trees. Came back this weekend to find the leaves gone from 90% of the tree. One or two apples hanging on. The only chemicals I had around was glyphosate and I don't think I was anywhere near it with it. (I spray it all around the other apple trees with no ill effect). Confused and angry, hoping it might recover in the spring but I don't think so.

Last weekend I went up to turkey hunt and to do some clearing. Despite getting rained on 3 of the 4 days, it was a rather successful turkey hunt. No, I didn't shoot one, but I heard and saw them. Didn't even hear any last year. Hadn't seen any in 5 years? I heard gobbles every day, even if they were a long way off. Saw birds on two day, and called and interacted with males two days. Called one in and nearly got a shot, but the woods were just too dense. But all in all that's a really successful turkey season for us. (4 days being my season).

One of the other big pleasant surprises though was that the two apple trees I swore I killed (and a third I thought was dead), have all come back. (even the one I practically cut in half had a bit a buds blooming at the top.) Two of them were in pretty sad shape, but the one that upset me the most was fully healthy. But it must be over the shock and has come around.



I started to "release" two others last year, one of which I was pretty sure was gone. But it too has some life showing. Need to continue getting it some sun. Also found two more on the property still alive (there's a couple of drown out ones), need to get them some open sky as well. All I need is time.

 

[Electrodigical]

In the background of that picture above you can see my "baby forest" and acres of brush honeysuckle. 50 yards high by 240 yards wide. I call it baby, and I've even mentioned it here as being a sea of 3/4" to 3" trees. But it's not, that's just in my head. Most are much larger some are as big 5-6" now, though there are some dense patches of thinner stuff. Most of my life this was all grass and briars that later had started filling in with saplings. I guess in my head it still is. It's only when I get there that i'm reminded "oh yeah, this is actual woods."


(the "baby forest" is just one section of the property)