Feeding the Hungry

This year I decided to plant some wildlife food plots to attract more wildlife and enhance photography and hunting opportunities. Work began several months ago with site selection and brush clearing, even soil testing.

In May, I chemically killed the sod.

I purchased a disk harrow and in June began trying to cut up the 60+ year old sod. It proved difficult. I resorted to burning off the remaining residue.

Adding weights (logs) to the disk, I was finally able to begin effectively tilling the soil.

Then, I broadcast buckwheat seed with a bag seeder and lightly disked it in. Six different areas were planted ranging in size from .04 acres to .4 acres. The buckwheat serves to help break up the sod further with its fibrous root system and its vigorous growth suppresses weed competition. And deer like it.

Note that the last two photos were taken with the trail camera.

In future years I hope to plant other types of food sources and perhaps ones that are perennial. Now, bring on the wildlife and get my camera ready!

Floyd Morehouse May 1920

In the year of his 21st birthday, Floyd Morehouse (my grandfather) kept a written log of his daily activities. My intent is to post them here through the year.

For previous posts, see:

January
February
March
April



1 Plowed, drew 8 load straw, put straw in barn
Cut wood went to Elkland with Leon Quick.
2 went to Elkland with Quick
Floyd Marlatts people were up here.
3 Leveled oatground drilled in 7 bu. oats.
4 sowed 6 bu oats with drill, leveled oatground.
went to school meeting at night, papa was voted in Clerk.
5 went to town with calves,
sowed 4 bu. oats.
6 Leveled oatground, sowed 6 bu oats.
finished side hill
7 Leveled oatground, finished sowing oats,
rolled oatground drew 10 load manure.
8 rolled oat and corn ground, drew 10 load manure.
plowed 2 gardens, drew load hay,
went to woodhull at night with car.
9 went down to see Clarice, we went riding in
evening. My folks went down to joe Champlains.
10 Rolled oat ground, plowed corn ground
sold Clem Jordan 8 bu. potatoes $2.25 per bu.
11 Rainy day. Fixed car, shod horse.
went over to willies got Mothers medicine.
12 plowed corn ground, drew 11 load manure
went to woodhull.
13 Drew 8 load manure scraped out manure
plowed corn ground drew load hay.
14 plowed corn ground, rolled up wire
dragged garden, drew up one load hay.
went to dance at night. at smiths.
15 Finished plowing corn ground, and rolling oat ground,
built garden fence, put in some garden,
went to woodhull at night.
16 Joe's folks were over, went down to cemetary at night,
and over to willies, over to quicks
Barney Baker drew last batch of milk for us May 16, 1920.
17 Dragged and rolled corn ground, went to Knoxville after seed corn.
18 Dragged corn ground, drilled corn,
rolled corn ground.
19 Dragged corn ground, drilled corn,
rolled corn ground, washed car
put in garden.
20 Fixed fence, drew 1 load hay, started cow shed.
21 Tore down fence, cleaned out fence, rainy day.
22 Skinned calf, white heifer freshened.
Went to knoxville, to cownesque hunted up
and found lumber.
23 went to woodhull to see flood damage
and went on down to addison.
24 Commenced laying wall for shed drew
stone layed wall
25 Drew stone worked at laying wall.
26 Drew 10 load stone drew 1 load manure
worked at wall.
27 Drilled 6 rows corn, returned drill,
picked up papers, rags and rubber.
28 Drew 13 load stone 1 load manure
Finished stone wall,
29 Drew 13 load stone, polished car, went after
flowers. Went down to Cemetary at night
30 Clarice and I went to austinburg to Cemetary
went to knoxville, and to Little Marsh in evening.
will resue was over got 5 bu and 30 lbs of oats.
31 Dragged potato ground planted potatoes
planted 6 rows beans, hoed in garden, dug out
spring holes, commenced plowing buckwheat ground.

Tree House: Phase 1A

The bigger the boys, the bigger the toys.
When siblings regroup, they often regress.

Armed with this enabling knowledge, Loren and I set out with our cordless tools and laser levels to build a tree house. Why? See above. Officially, the justification is for the children and grandchildren. That’s our story and we're sticking to it.

Loren cleared a trail from the house, across the old stone dam, through the brush to a tree near the pond. The first day consisted of the requisite environmental impact assessments (can we throw a stone from the tree house to the pond) and site preparation (removing dead branches and bees nests).

The architectural design and bill of materials was completed (yellow sticky note), and purchases made. The beams and joists started going up.

Nick dropped around and helped with some chainsaw work and lumber tossing.

Yes, from the tree house you can see the water, and the wildlife (Not me, the deer behind me.).

The nearly finished decking.

Here’s the big picture, the grand scheme, the pie-in-the-sky dream.
Phase 1: The Great Viranda. This will serve as the main entertaining and play area. Will provide access to main living quarters.
Phase 1A: The deck – is nearly complete.
Phase 1B: Access – ideas include everything from a ladder to a spiral staircase.
Phase 1C: Railing – probably will consist of small logs and strategically and artistically placed branches.

Phase 2: A fully enclosed shelter with access porch located in central part of the tree 5’ – 10’ above the level of the Great Viranda. Will include sleeping and dining area. Equipped with a reversible clubhouse sign, “No girls allowed/No boys allowed”.

All ideas are welcome and contributions of labor and materials will be accepted.

Trail Camera

Jann gave me a trail camera as a gift and after finally figuring out how to operate the thing, I was excited to put it out this spring. A road kill deer carcass provided the exciting potential to get some great pictures of scavengers and predators. I was thinking coyotes, foxes, even bears!

After a week, I retrieved the camera and found lots of dark pictures, with multiple glowing eyes of unknown origins peering out of the darkness. Oh, and my apologies to my Army son, Adam. The military time is off by 12 hours.

This pic is interesting though. Bottom two corners show something very black in definite form. Presumably a bear, very up close and personal.

It did take this picture of a doe in the morning dew and dawning sunlight.

But overall, I still prefer the pictures of wildlife I have been able to see and take myself.

Like of this deer trying to hide in the grass.

Or, this mama and baby bear!

Elena's 1st Birthday

Last weekend we traveled to Port Huron, MI, to celebrate Elena's 1st birthday.

Rachel's family were incredibly warm and gracious hosts. Here are just a few pictures.

Too many grandma's all at once!

Who, me?

Yeah! Another book!

Vacation

Loren was able to visit BH for a week and I was lucky to be able to take some time off as well. Finally, someone came to play with me when I had the time to play. Pat & Butch visited, Tim stopped in a couple of times, and Mike and Doris stopped by for visits. Nick spent several days with us. A couple of days were spent 4-wheeling and here are some highlights of those excursions.
Mike, Loren, Nick

Um, which way is North?

Nick and Loren at Moffett Hollow cave

Loren and Nick explore cave entrance

Nick looking up from shaft opening

A glance in to the main cave entrance, complete with guard spider.

The return trip from the cave lent us some spectacular views of Knoxville, and the Troups Creek and Cowanesque Valleys

A stop at the “Big Rocks” in PA

Nike New York Shootout

Last Saturday, 7/25, Jeff (#15) participated in the Nike New York Lacrosse Shootout in Syracuse.

The tournament represents the best of the best of lacrosse players in NY and served as a showcase for college coaches as they recruit their future players. Each team consisted of the top 24 lacrosse players from each of the eight sections in NY.

Jeff is making a move against the defense as he blasts past the Head Coach of Syracuse, John Desko, sitting in the chair with the blue shirt. I was too busy taking the picture to notice, but Jeff told me later that when he caught a glimpse of Coach Desko out of the corner of his eye watching him, he gulped, and promptly threw the ball out of bounds.