First Farm Visit in a Month

After retiring from work, we spent a month in Naples, Florida.  The weather was perfect - sunny and about 80F every day. It's not hard to take.

But it is great to be back at the farm.  While I was gone, Van put up a new gate.  The old one was rusted out and wasps liked to nest in the hollow pipe.  Made gate closing exciting.

Also while I was gone, The power company has been working on clearing brush under our power lines (which I appreciate).

They even pruned the big old oaks hanging over the lines.

But they also had to cut down some trees that I liked.  I planted this pine as a 12" seedling 20 years ago.

And some cherry and walnut trees were sacrificed.

This was mostly scrub along the front fence line.

I walked the camera tour and kept an eye open for shed antlers (didn't find any).  

The pond is full.

It's fun to follow deer trails at this time of year.  I didn't have much time for that but I did a little along the way thru prime antler territory.

They always rub up a bunch of trees every year - including orchards that I planted.  They also browse off the buds.

Never any shortage of evidence - poop of the week.

I continue to be amazed at the mylar balloons that I collect. Either my neighbors have an affinity for releasing them or my property is a magnet for them.

And the wind-born trash is really obvious at this time of year.  My property front always has a ton of it.

I had previously ordered more fruit trees and they came in just as we returned from FL.  My new strategy is to put up an electric fence to protect them.  I had hoped to get the fence up and get them planted this weekend.

These are bare root trees and they are shipped with wet newspaper around the roots while they are dormant.

I've done this twice before over 10 years and I have lost all but two of my previous 20 trees.  The two remaining are not in good shape and likely won't survive.  Contributors are deer rubbing, deer browsing, drought, and lack of care/attention.  I think I have a strategy for success now - retirement, electric fence, and a water tank on the Ranger.

The fence install took longer than expected but I got it done and energized.

It's almost cruel but, to train the deer, you put little metal cups full of apple scented stuff on the rope/wire.  They come smell it and get a jolt in the nose.  Deer can jump a six foot fence (need 8' for certainty).  This system uses depth instead of height.  There is a single strand on the outside with a double strand 3' inside it.  It's supposed to create "landing anxiety" to prevent them from jumping over.

This is my last try (last investment) in replacing the legacy orchard that came when I bought the farm 20+ years ago.  I really like having the fruit but getting the trees to the point that the deer won't kill them isn't easy.

I ran out of time and didn't get any trees planted.  The weather is supposed to be glorious this week so I plan to be back to finish the job.  Maybe I will have more time for shed antler hunting too.

I have a month's worth of trailcam activity on SD cards.  I hope to get thru them and do another post in the next day or so.