We've been gone for two weeks and I wasn't sure what I might find on my return. The pumpkin rows were overtaken with grass and between the rows (where I had been rototilling) was full of vines. It's a weird year for weeds. Normally I'm fighting pigweed, ragweed, galinsoga, etc. But it is mainly grass this year.
Incidentally, on my travels I read Ted Kerasote. Interesting musings on hunt ethics etc. Worth a read for those contemplating man/nature interface.
Heart-Home-Kerasote
So, some of the pumpkins look ok but entire rows of stuff failed. And I only got it about 3/4 planted this year - ran out of time. So it may be a lean year.
Some fruiting underway.
Different varieties.
The tape was down in one area and someone has clearly been dining on buds.
Ian was doing some equipment work when we arrived so I drafted him to help with my latest mount. Elvis is now mounted along Ernie in the elk room.
Ernie (on left from Utah) is a little wider and taller. Elvis (on right from Montana) has longer tines on the lower part of the frame. They are pretty equivalent (and typical) 5x5 bulls.
I am trying to decide if this is Junior from last season or possibly a descendant. The general frame looks the same but I think Junior was bigger and had two stickers below the left base. This guy still has a couple of weeks to grow before the velvet comes off.
Junior in 2018. You can see one of the stickers. What do you think?
Trailcam progression of food plot that I planted in clover.
Not sure why this camera date was off but greenup in a week.
In two weeks, completely covered.
This is how I found it - a thick carpet of weeds.
If there's clover in there, it is well hidden. I'm not sure whether to try to save it (spray or mow) or just give up.
On the other hand, this strip of wintergreens (brassica) in the main field came in pretty well.
There's some weeds too but mostly brassica.
In the powerplant fields (that were basically lost to grass), I planted some brassica strips.
They appear to have come in pretty well.
I did this in two fields.
This one had an oats/brassica mix. I think it's pretty good.
Bumper crop of apples this year and the critters are hitting them hard. I moved a 2nd camera to monitor the activity here.
Lots of monarchs around this week. I saw several pairs "flying united". I guess that it is mating season.
Also some caterpillars on the milkweed now.
Lots of other varieties too.
By far, the swallowtails were the most common. Yellow and black.
I think that these are fritillary.
The thistles are popular.
Milkweed too.
For those who suspect that there are no bass in the pond - here's proof. I fished for 30 minutes and caught 5 bluegill and two bass (didn't land the bigger one).
I inadvertently destroyed a vine today so I had an early harvest of this pumpkin variety.
Sunrise on Sunday,
This is a couple weeks ago but I did a lot of it this weekend too.
Looking pretty dry now - going to make up for the excess earlier in the year.
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