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My home 2 acres

Started by Osric, November 19, 2007, 04:36:22 PM

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Osric

I have a couple acres out here in 'can't maintain-an-internet-connection-land' (aka SE Ohio) and since we moved down here I haven't really spent any time in to wooded part of our land (maybe an acre and a half.)  Went strolling around today and was amazed at how poor most of the trees seemed.  I'll try to get some pictures in the near future, but I'm was just wondering how common it is for small plots to be nearly dominated by multi-floral rose and vines that just seem to swallow up an entire tree.  It was sad how many young trees I saw literally chocked off by vines constricting around their trunks. 

Should I be active this coming year in cutting these vines and briars down or is it all part of the 'survival of the fittest' process?

I also saw a couple of cherry trees that are still standing, but god knows how since it looks like the bugs have been eating away at them for a decade.  The bark doesn't even go all the way around the tree.  I'll take a couple pictures next time I"m out, but I generally haven't cut down trees..just tried to harvest the ones that have been blown down (and mostly near the non-forested part of the land.)  They are a fair size at the trunk...maybe 18" or so at chest high (but damage goes up 15' or so.)  Would it even be worth taking these down?  It would be a little tough getting them out of where they are, but I imagine I could cut them into 8' pieces and drag them out one way or the other.  Just not sure at what point I wouldn't be getting any useful lumber out of them.

I know...this thread sucks without pictures  ;D

beenthere

I cut all the vines growing on my trees, as fast and as soon as I find them. I'd also cut the mf rose too. Neighbor has let the rose grow on his old pasture, and it is 25-30 tall now and so dense nothing or no-one can get through it.. Disappointing, as I mowed that pasture for the ailing farmer back in the day, to knock down the thistles and a bit of brush..New owner doesn't run any cattle, and just lets things grow. Would like to encourage him to plant trees, after knocking out the mf rose.

Look carefully for young seedlings growing in the low brush cover.  Now will be a tough time to identify them.

Would like to see the pics.. :)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

mike_van

I cut 'em too - everyone I can, even if you can't pull them all down, make 'em stsrt over. They will too!  Bittersweet too, it may look nice now, but those vines are the worst tree chokers I have.
I was the smartest 16 year old I ever knew.

submarinesailor

Down on my place there are several areas where the grape vines are many and large.  I love taking a chain saw to them, but because they make it so thick, it's hard to get to the base.  I cut a few the other day that were over 6" in diameter, yes over 6".  They are encompassing many large poplars that are in the 30" DBH range.  If I can ever remember to do it ::), I need to keep a small bottle of heavy bush RoundUp with me to spray these cuttings.

The bad thing about going after them, the squirrels, turkeys and bears just love to eat the berries.  And I love to eat them. ;D ;D ;D

Ironwood

We have two small woodlots, one 4 acre and the other about 6. I actually got in there a few years ago w/ Frickmans skidder (he made the mistake of encouraging me to use it), and I used the thing like a dozer knocking down the nasty underbrush and scrubs that were there as well as the DANG vines. We have soem rather large old growth along the property lines that the vines were in heavy. I actually had the whole back of the skidder in the AIR from so many vines entangling the thing. It got pretty interesting there for a few moments. It is a little top heavy compared to some and it got a little tippy. I am in the process of finally buring the last pile of trees I pushed into the hay field.

This years "free" equipment was from an out of state construction crew working nights in town on sidewalks, they used my nieghbors place to dump the debris and they kind of creeped down onto my acreage over time, so i called tham and they said "sorry, we didn't mean to but it was the only flat ground around. Help yourself to the equipment anytime we're not using it,"  ;D ;D ;D. Late model Cat 4x4 backhoe and Bobcat trackhoe w/ thumb.  ;D ;D.

  With these kind of offers it pays for me to take tiime from my business to do property improvements. I just can't afford to own this type stuff, and I can't pass up a deal like that.

           Ironwood
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

submarinesailor

Reid,

Wish someone would do something like that to me.  I need the use of a D5 for about 3 days to push out the mountain road that washed out in the big flood back in 96.  Probably have to rent one.  #$%^&*

Bruce

mike_van

Another thing I've seen is the trees whose tops are covered in vines are more apt to break/uproot when covered with ice or wet sticky snow. There's just more "area" there to get coated.
I was the smartest 16 year old I ever knew.

Ironwood

Submarinesailor,

Their creeping was only a pile of gravel (later given to me) and the equipment. So, no concrete was on my place.

I have found there is opportunity around every corner, one only needs to recognize it and find out how to benefit from it. The deal w/ Frickman was due to me refering him to my nieghbor to log his property, I could have tried to do some "cherry picking" of the big stuff over time but I am big on "things have a way of working out when you think beyond yourself" in the end Frickman turned down the logging but left his skidder here.

The construction equipment was just a fortunate turn of events, I have helped the crew when in a pinch in the middle of the night with various needs. Good group of guys. As they departed after 3-4 months I was ELATED to find out they might be back NEXT YEAR. I did so much just out of respect for their generosity and now if they come back it will be another summer of projects around the house!!! ;D

I think good luck is all about creating opportunities and recognizing them when and where they exsist. I could go on and on how this philosphy has manifested itself throughout my life. As my mentor used to say, "make your own breaks"


                  Ironwood
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

Osric

well, after about 20 minutes of trying to get my file size small enough to upload, yet large enough to show some detail, I gave up.  I don't know if the cherry is worth trying to salvage or not, but I think I'll give it a try this spring.  Maybe once I get above the damage I can get some wood, but I have a feeling that it'll be a lot more work than it is really worth.  Will be spending a good bit of time back there with a machete too to see if I can keep the vines/briars at bay.  If I can get a decent canopy up above everything, maybe it'll shade out the briars.

beenthere

Don't give up.. :)  just reduce the border size first to no more than 450 pixels, and then save it. Check what the file size is to see if it isn't already below the max allowed. Prolly pretty close.

Reducing the file size first is not going to make for anything but a pic too small to see anything, like you know already.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

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