Spring Chores

We have another cold snap headed our way.  I took the opportunity to do some frost seeding.  First I did some spraying.

It's not optimal - would like to have more bare ground.  We'll see how it does.

The only shed antler found this week.

Lots of issues with downed trees.

This one had been dead and sheared off in an interesting way.

I didn't get this one finished.

I was working on de-limbing it before dealing with the major cantilever.

I was mostly dealing with field edges this week.

This is the frog pond.  It also has salamanders - here's a video.  Salamanders

It would be a good time to kill multifora rose.  It is one of the only things that has greened up.

Daffodils behind the shooting range.

The clover has greened nicely and there is a crowd of deer on it at last light.

I've had both UTV's out for a spin.

Bucks still holding onto horns - March 9.

And March 11.

There is no shortage of does.

10 I think.

Does do yoga.

A squirrel surrounded by crows. 

Coyote.

Bobcat.

On my drive in I pass piles of old telephone poles.  Multiple truckloads.

You think somebody is burning that for heat?

Shed Antlers, Asian Beetles and Downed Trees

I guess that it must be the start of Spring. This was my first trip to the farm in several weeks after spending some time in Florida. The clover is greening up.

The pond is full (and still leaking).

A few random daffodils are blooming.

I went for a long walk and picked up trash that had blown in.  At least a handy bag blew in with it.

The turnips have been nibbled to a degree.  Many remain and are rotting.

The electric fence seems intact and the orchard trees seem ok.

I burned old tax records in the solo stove.

In the cabin, the annual invasion of the Asian beetles is underway.  They concentrate on south and west exterior walls (sun warmth?).  I vacuumed swarms like this but when I came back an hour later, there were at least as many once again.

I got a couple machines off the battery maintainers and had them out for a spin.

Everywhere I went, there were trees down.

I'd clear one and advance only to find another one.

I really only drove about 1/2 of the trails.

But I just kept finding more.

When you find them...

...all you can do is get out and clear them.

I did find one nice shed antler.

It stood out nice and visible.  Bleached out white against brown leaf litter.  It had an interesting almost hole.

Here's a photo of a bucks still holding onto them on March 2.

Mid February.

Early February.

Late February.

One sided on Feb 24.

Early March.

And the does seem to be doing fine.

Not sure what brought on these boxing matches.

Interesting hawk pounce on the driveway.

Predators.

Bobcat.

Red Fox.

Gray Fox.

Four coyotes in daylight.

Cold weather turkey activity.

Strutting.

Look at all of these mature Toms.

It's hard to see but a bunch of turkeys are lifting off in this shot (for some reason).

It's been a long winter.

Greenup will be welcomed.

And then it will be fawning season.

Oh yeah, I flushed a woodcock on my walk.  That was cool.