New Orchard, War on Cedars, Fish, Etc

For Christmas, my Mom and Dad got me some fruit trees and they shipped this week.  The weather was nice so I decided to get them in the ground ASAP.  For the first time, I rented an auger to use on the Bobcat for the planting.  It worked great.

I managed to get the trailer to the farm, attach the implement, and then get ten 2 foot holes drilled (all within about 30 minutes).

I had previously obtained some peat moss, fertilizer, fabric disks, and mulch.

I got them all planted and staked.

This is the layout of the new orchard.  I'm putting it here so that when I forget what varieties they are, I'll be able to find it here in the future.

Four kinds of apples, two peaches, two pears and two pie cherries.

While I was out working on the orchard, I met with our forester, Brad Wireman.  He advised me on opening up the forest canopy to get some sunlight to the ground in order to stimulate cover and forbs.  In this shot, he marked a perimeter where I am going to take out all the trees inside it. 

While he was there, I asked him about the cedar/apple fungus that I have been reading about.  We went over to a cedar tree in the field and he pointed out these galls that are due to that fungus.

I have been working to clear cedars in a radius from the orchard.  While Joan, Violet and I were riding around today, I looked up at this cedar that is 400 yards or more from the orchard.

Sure enough, there they were up there.  I have more work to do.

Here's some of the ones that I took out this weekend.  The Bobcat with the bucket is pretty good for uprooting them.

Then I put the forks on and drag them to the fire pit.  I've been saving the cedar trunks for firepit wood.

Also this week, we stopped at Jones Fish and picked up our annual forage stocking.

I got 5 lbs of fathead minnows and 3 lbs of shiners.  I also got a couple hybrid grass carp.

I hope that the bass and bluegills enjoy their sushi.

Meanwhile at the salamander pond, the eggs are pretty obvious now.

You can see the little tadpoles developing.

Over in the frog pond, I could see some salamanders suspending in the water. Video of salamander (in)action.  Salamander Suspended

And more eggs along the edge.  I saw small frogs jumping in - peepers?

Violet and I were out for a walk, came around the corner of the barn and found this possum at the bird feeders. Here's a video of the action. Violet Meets Possum

Violet scared it and it took refuge behind the A/C.

Eventually he came back out to feed and we watched him from inside.

It was pretty obvious that someone had taken a chunk out of his back - coyote, bobcat, hawk?

Violet was on full defensive alert.  Chloe napped.

From the cameras this week - turkeys.

Bobcat.

Fox.

Coyotes.

Coons.

The deer have been in the clover each evening.

Joan and Violet helped with the camera tour this week.

And the daffodils are starting to bloom by the pond stand.

Some have a ways to go yet.  Won't be long now.