Prescribe Burn

Got it done today all 130 acres.  When Nick with AFC called this morning and said we are going to try it, I was not too sure because the wind was blowing 25 mph but it was out of the northwest and that was the wind we had been waiting for to control the smoke.

We got a near perfect burn.  The under brush will be killed back and by next week the turkey and deer will be roaming through this area.  They love a new burn.  More food and less worry from predators. 

This property is well on its way to being a beautiful forest. 

Thanks Nick and Josh for a job well done!!!

Is It Spring?

These gobblers are ready for spring to get started!

It was a beautiful morning on Dewberry Lands, wouldn't you agree?

Visitors Today

Today we had visitors to our property.  They were working on a story for the Clay County Life Magazine about forestry in our county.  They made several pictures of different places on our Treasure Forest/Tree Farm.  I made a few pictures while we were out and added some below.

A new forest fifteen years from now.  These seedlings came from the cone laying in the old stump.

This tree is the parent of these seedlings.

I had to make this picture of this den tree.  Notice all of the acorn hulls and pieces falling out of the tree.  I know this is one fat squirrel or chipmunk. 

While writing this we are listening to James Spann talk about how every one in Alabama should be required to go and visit Cheaha.  He keeps talking about how beautiful it is up there.  I am glad we live at the foot of the mountain!

Young Farmers

Mobile Bay was busy this morning as ships and tugboats ran up and down the bay as the sun started to rise.  This was the view from our motel room on the 17th floor at the Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel.  I was asked to judge the Alabama Young Farmers Farm Family competition along with two other individuals.  It was a quick trip but it was very enjoyable meeting and talking with these young farm families.  It made me feel young after having a birthday this week.

Brandon Moore, Alabama Farmers Federation Young Farmer Director, briefed us on what we were about to do in the judging process.  Kirsten Johnson, Mississippi Young Farmer Director, and on the other side of me, Ray Hilburn, Alabama Poultry and Egg Association Membership Director, listen to the instructions we were to follow in the interviewing of the young farm families.

Attempted Prescribed Burn

Today was a day that stayed cloudy and the humidity was at times as high as 58 percent.  This made it almost impossible to burn.  We got a few acres to burn but we will have to go back and try again on the majority of the land to burn.

It looked funny where spots did not burn.  It just was not dry enough. 

Here you can see the flames were not very high and there was lots of smoke due to the high humidity.

Arbor Day

Friday of last week we, at the Clay County Forestry Planning Committee, gave away trees for our Arbor Day Project.  Darlene Lovelady from the elementary school was the first person to come by the Forestry Commission Office to get trees to plant.  Josh, Mr. Brown, and Nick worked hard sorting and identifying trees we gave away.

Today I drove to Centre to meet with the Alabama Treasure Forest Association Committee planning this years conference.  We are planning a great meeting providing good information to private forest landowners.

Centre Chamber of Commerce is excited about hosting the convention and are working to make this meeting a success.  The meeting was at the Gadsden State College branch in Centre.  Great facility!

After I got back from the meeting in Centre I went to Bowden Grove to get some pictures for Melissa Moeller with the American Forest Foundation in Washington DC and to planted some Beauty Berry plants on the property.  Tomorrow, hope is to burn 125 acres there if the weather will cooperate.

 

Forest and Clean Water

We are doing a major pre-commercial thinning of a pine stand right now.  This thinning will help the trees to grow faster and improve the habitat for wildlife.  Plans are two years from now thinning this stand again but this time it will be for money instead of costing money like it is now.  It cost $175 an hour to have this process done and it takes hours on several acres.  This machine is amazing how it eats through these trees.

You might ask why do you choose to do it this way?  The answer is on the ground.  The mulch acts as a sponge and helps purify the water as it goes through the mulch.  The mulch holds the soil in place and keeps the water clean.  The people of Clay County drink the water that falls as rain on this property then flows down the streams.  The picture below shows what the ground looks like after the thin.