Hi everyone! Jillbo here-ya, I'm a Lord of the Rings/Hobbit fan.
I've been a lurker here and on other forums but this is the only one I've joined bc it had some of the best advice on planting trees from collecting seeds. I have been hunting since '08 (late starter-double nickels now), which while I enjoy, I don't enjoy nearly as much as habitat management and being a steward of the land. I've completed the old QDMA's Deer Steward course and I was hooked on habitat!
My husband and I have 80 acres in SE NE which are mostly (65) tillable acres, alternating in corn & beans, but joyously we border a large creek (where I found a natural freshwater pearl a year ago) and have numerous natural springs on the property as well. This property has been in his family for over 100 years and so the last 5 have been spent clearing out "junk trees" (ash, elm, locust, & hackberries) that have impeded the oaks and walnuts that are growing there, as well as cleaning up the "treasures" left by past generations.
Last year was our first year to try collecting acorns from different oaks than what we had at the time, stratifying them, planting, and successfully raising oaks that have now outgrown their cages. This fall we found chestnut trees and harvested from them. Got brave and ordered some persimmons and pawpaw seeds; they sent some extra chestnuts and sawtooth oak for me too. My RM18s came today as well. The addiction is real! ;)
We have plenty of deer coming and going, two does that fawn here, turkeys, and a decent sized covey of quail too.
Looking forward to learning more and engaging in topics here. Thanks for the add!