Auburn, Dean of Forestry

Yesterday, I went to Auburn to attend a Natural Resource Outreach Committee.  It was very productive.  We decided to make a forestry awards banquet a new thing where the top forestry awards will be presented.  This was a very good move on the part of the committee.  Awards such as Tree Farmer of the Year, W. Kelley Mosley Awards, Helene Mosley Awards and others will be awarded.  Also a plaque or wall of winners will be made and displayed in the forestry building at Auburn University.  This banquet will be in February and will be a nice event.

I was able to meet and talk to Dr. Shepard, the new Dean of the School of Forestry, Auburn University.  He met with the committee and was instrumental in helping make this awards banquet a reality.  Dr. Shepard was Mississippi State’s loss and a great gain for Auburn University.  I was impressed with what he plans to do at Auburn.

Tomorrow, fertilize round-up corn and possible cut more downed trees up on property.

Storm Damage

The last two Saturdays we went to Cullman County to help remove downed trees, and to our surprise we got to do it again over to the Bowden Grove property where we went to check roads for dead trees and found on the corner of the fourty where we planted longleaf and there were huge hardwoods on the ground where the winds came across the cut-over.  I only had a tank of gas not knowing we were going to have so many trees down so I just cleared the road to get through.  We had several large trees down in the SMZ.  I hate to see these 16"+ diameter trees on the ground. 

Road going into 40

Tree Damage

Planting Hot Weather Wildlife Food

Today it was hot.  We planted grain sorgham, browntop, and lablab.  We just need some rain now for it to get growing.

I sprayed our Roundup Ready Corn today.  This is a new experience.  We will see how this new experience is going to work.

I also sprayed the trail in the old railroad bed to keep weeds cleared back for easier walking.

Thank GOD for Pawpaw!  I could not get it all done if it was not for him.  When he kills a three point against the rules, I can't say anything to him.  I am so thankful I can work with my dad and he can help me out.  George always tells me it is a blessing to him to see us working and hunting together.  George is the man that lives next to the property and helps us watch after everything.

Corn Is Growing

Watching Hidden Heritage on RFDTV and the Native American is talking about rural people and how they have two things he respects: Closeness to the land and their love of GOD.  Glad I'm a country boy! 

Corn is looking good.  Today I spot planted some places where the doves had pulled it up.  Later this afternoon attended a Tallapoosa County Treasure Forest meeting in Alex City and toured an electrical generation plant there that I didn't know existed.  Tomorrow I hope to go to First Assembly and see the 5th grades AG Expo for the early grades.  Thursday will be in Montgomery for a State Treasure Forest Board meeting. 

Last Saturday was a good day running the chainsaw with the church family in the Fairview Community of Cullman County.  It was good to help those people but it was sad to see so many houses and trees destroyed but we live in Alabama and we will get it built back and our trees grow fast!

Busy Day Yesterday

     Yesterday was a busy day but productive.  I met Nic, with the Alabama Forestry Commission, to push firelanes and touch up those we put in the other day before they got called off to a fire.  It was thick, to say the least, where we were working.  As I led the dozer thru the woods I just didn't look down because I didn't have my snake boots on and I was always looking for the flagging marking the way.  The flagging was put in before the leaves put out.  It was tough seeing it in all the foliage and I had to stay close to the dozer so the operater could see me.  When we went south above the branch it was good.  The fragance of the sweetshrub was so sweet, the red buckeye was blooming along with many other wildflowers and the mountain laurel was budding on the steep bluff above Grandmother's Park.  It was beautiful!
     We finished cleaning up the firelane/walking trail in the old railroad bed.  Now I have got to get it planted and with a few touch-ups it will be ready to enjoy.  Plans are for a bridge, soon to be constructed, to cross the stream to make the trail even more enjoyable.
     We finished up at about 4:30pm and then I started replanting spots in the corn fields where doves had pulled the corn up.  I don't know how the doves see that grain of corn down in the soil?  Well I finished that up at about 7:00pm and I was tired.  It was a long day!

Weekend

   This weekend we went over to Bowen Grove property to do some metal detecting along the old railroad bed.  We found many spikes, bolts, plates, and other unknowns.  It is amazing those things are there and have been there for over 100 years.  We even found a railroad crosstie that was pretty much intact. 
   Before we went to Bowden Grove we had visitors to our Pine Grove property to fish, Matt, Cara, Preston and Garrison.  The boys enjoyed being out but were not into fishing very much. 
   This week we hope to get our some of our corn planted.  It is up to the weather as to whether this happens.  We also hope to finish putting in our fire breaks.

Washington D.C.

Last week we were in Washington DC for a legislative meeting with the Alabama Farmers Federation.  We met with Congressman Mike Rogers, heard from Congresswoman Roby, Senators Shelby and Sessions at breakfast and lunch.  We also heard from leaders with the American Farm Bureau.  One fact that was given that shows our country is headed down the wrong path was, "75% of the Farm Bill is nutrition and only 25% is farm programs".  Sad, sad. 

We were able to see some of the things we wanted to but have never been through so much security in all our life.  Washington DC is an expensive place to eat and visit!  We were glad when we could see Washington DC in our rear view mirrow!  We are not planning to go back any time soon.