December 16-17, 2011

Sally was in Harrison, so she met me at the farm. I came the shortcut, and for the first time since Spring the Warm Fork was running -- crystal clear as usual. (We'd gotten more heavy rain mid-week.) I wasn't in 4WD when I entered, got stuck and stalled the engine. I was a little concerned, but once I got 4WD engaged it pulled on out of all that loose gravel.

Puller Bear

I bought this tool back in the summer and pulled up some trees around the house in town with it before bringing it out. Not wanting to struggle with it in any heat or dry weather, this was the first time I used it at the farm. This is the largest version this Canadian firm makes, and it is suppose to handle trees up to 2.5 inches in diameter. The claw/clamp on it can get around that size tree, but after using it I am sure there is no way I could pull up anything that big.

I took it out back to tackle the scrubs along the top of the bluff. Most had been lopped (or cut) before and had just grown back. I bought this thing so I could get the roots and not have this problem, and because I didn't want to use herbicide. But with these re-growths and the bigger stuff, cutting and herbicide will have to be the solution. The ones I was able to pull up had some extensive root systems. Some were longer than the tree above ground and larger in diameter below ground than above. Others just broke off where it clamped on to them. I got about 50 or so along the bluff and just up the hill. It was quite a workout, and I was glad to quit once Sally showed up around 5pm.

Frost Flowers

It was in the mid 20s Saturday morning and there was a heavy frost in the valley. With all the rain we had received during the week I figured there would be some frost flowers out. Sure enough I found them down by the spring and in front and behind the barn – all below the bluff the house sits on.

Weed Garden

Saturday morning Sally was kicking herself for not picking the bock chow and chard she had seen the evening before, because now looked frozen. Later in the day though, it seemed okay.

I pulled up most of the dead spinach and then turned the soil in that bed with the shovel. The weeds are really really bad now. I suspect because we have had so much fall rain. I filled up a bucket back in the SW corner, and took the shovel to the bermuda grass and mint in the SE corner. Those roots are so deep. Sally also let me pull up some huge wild flowers that have survived in her wild flower mound. Still lots of weeding needed.

Crack Walnuts

I got out the cracker and started in on some of this years black walnuts. They are very dirty, me just using my boots to hull them. But, I cracked over half a box and only had 3 bad nuts. Last year I there were so many I would count them and keep the ratio of bad ones to good -- sometimes running 20 to almost 40%. And the flavor was good! This is the first year that my entire haul has been off our place.

Lop Cedars

I got out my loppers and tackled the cedars back of the barn -- at least those that were small enough for me to lop. I had gotten almost 300 when I broke the loppers on the tree pictured. I guess I'm a pretty strong dude to snap steel like that. I was disappointed that this Corona heavy duty lopper let me down this way -- after all, it did run me close to $45. I need to find out if the company will make right by me.

Sharpen McCulloch

Before leaving, I got out the McCulloch and tightened and sharpened the chain so that it will be ready to go next outing. It is hard to start, but it has been quite a work horse for me. Bought it in 1982.