Rain and Fire

My 99-year-old Mom was in town for a visit.  She always enjoys coming to the farm - especially for the wildflowers.  Unfortunately, she caught a rainy time period and didn't really get to tour the grounds this year. I used the wetness as an opportunity to burn some of the storm debris.

It wasn't easy to get it started - everything was soaking wet.  But that's the safest time to burn.

It burned mostly up thru the center but it was some progress.

Meanwhile I did some brush-hogging.

And I somehow broke a lift cylinder at the clevis on the 3 point hitch (again).

Firepit burning behind the buckwheat and (supposed to be) sunflowers.

While eating dinner, Mom got so see deer and turkeys in the buckwheat.  Here's a group making an exit.

The next morning, a group of males came to clean up under the bird feeder.  The mature Tom took up position right under the feeder and all the young Jakes circled waiting for a turn. Here a video of some of the action. Turkey Visit

I lost the one older apple tree in the storm but these look happy.

The peaches have a red tint.  I don't know if this is normal or due to "wet feet".  I sent pictures to Stark Brothers (where I bought the trees) and I'm waiting to hear.  Not sure if there's anything I can do about it if it is moisture.

Out for my morning walk in the drizzle.

Butterfly weed in bloom.

Black eyed Susan.

Warm season grass in the prairie plot.

Some of the clover is very weedy.

The buckwheat is being heavily grazed.

Some cowpeas in there (I think).

Probably my last shot of deer minerals for this year.

They do use them.

Lots of frolicking going on.

I'm not sure how many sets of twins.

Coyote has probably missed his window to catch fawns - they're pretty mobile now.

Bucks working on antlers.

And napping in the clover.

Turkeys also seem happy.  Haven't had a bobcat on camera in a few weeks.

Tornados and Rainbows

We've had some pretty severe weather in the area recently.  Early Thursday morning a storm moved thru and the power went out (4:31am notification).  Just by luck, my helper was headed out that morning and he told me no damage to the buildings and the driveway was clear. Our power came back on that afternoon (1:16pm) but many people were still out days later.

I made it out Friday at mid-day and this is what I found. The top of a large pine snapped off and took out 1/2 of a chestnut.

Surveying the damage.

I made a tour and found lots of downed branches.

Some trails completely blocked.

I did some clearing work on the trails near the barn but I didn't even make it to the further out trails.

Some trees just snapped off and left hanging.

Some uprooted.

My last surviving apple tree from a planting about 10 years ago snapped off.  It's trunk had been weakened by buck rubs before I put up the electric fence.

I found a panel from the pond stand out in the field.

I got a fire started in the pit by burning up accumulated cardboard.

I limbed the downed pine.

And smothered the fire with all the green wood and needles.

It turns out that it was an EF2 tornado just a couple miles from the farm.  The main damage was near where Laurel Ridge road dead ends into route 32.

A friend sent me this photo.  And I found some stuff online.  This is some drone footage of the path that was posted on Facebook. Drone of EF2 Damage in Elm Grove  And here's a news report.  News Confirmation

We were very lucky - sad for those in the path.

Meanwhile, I went about clean up and brush-hogging.  I heard something fall and was looking for it here - never found anything.

Finally, I got chased in by another rainstorm.

And as I watched it from the porch, this happened. You can just make out the 2nd ring.

When the rain stopped, I stepped out and got the full view.

The pond leak seems to be improved.  I gave it another shot of bentonite to see if I could completely stop it.

I finished up the remaining part of the marked timber stand improvement area (TSI).  The electric saw is handy for girdle and spray.  For felling, the gas saws work better.

The buckwheat is doing well in a couple of plots.

No evidence of the sunflowers in this plot.

Lots of evidence of deer browsing.

When I stopped at Tractor Supply on the way out, I was intrigued by this offering. A tactical propane torch.  I could use it for weeds.  I resisted.  Even though it was a flash sale.

The worms seem quite happy in my worm ranch.  The directions say that a little bit of mold is nothing to worry about.

I mentioned new survey markings on my one boundary in last week's post.  I've been trying to contact that neighbor without success.  There was a big white oak taken a year or two ago and this survey seems to indicate that it was mine.

I wonder how the wildlife does in these major weather events. Tree down in this plot.

The fawns seem unaffected.

Turkeys and deer in this photo.

Twins.

Check out the ticks in this unreachable spot on this buck.

I could see the turkeys from the porch.

Gotta love these shots.

Coyote.

Along the road on the drive out.