Forest management case study

Getting more sunshine to red oaks remains the primary forest management goal on Hardwood Hermitage. Work with an axe after a long walk down the hill should bring a sunnier future for several young oaks. Previously, a balsam fir cast much shade, while an ash crowded the western side of one oak while also covering the preferred tree's crown. The work is hard, but very pleasant conditions this week helped move things along. The large coastal storm has brought some wind gusts today, but no measurable rain has fallen yet.

Fall color continues to pop out, with birches really showing their yellow.

Season's final beet and onion harvest

Wow! What great color today from the final beet and onion harvest. We'll have the lowest temp of the late summer overnight, but will probably avoid frost. 

 

Tomato soup: Before/After

With all the main ingredients grown on the hill, some excellent veggies were roasted yesterday. They became the best tomato soup ever after a day in the crockpot.

90 minutes of splitting

We had another wonderful morning for our favorite exercise in the woods: Splitting!!! We've been processing some white ash, paper birch, and hop hornbeam.

Beautiful morning for work

The first two pics from today are a before/after of the cutting we completed, mainly yellow birch. Then there are two more pics of our wonderful wood. The conditions were splendid. Low was 52 degrees.

Harvest color variety

Joy arrives with every harvest, regardless of the colors involved. We recently got some corn and cucumbers from the neighbors. This green and yellow looks spectacular!

How about the beauty of these very tasty, albeit small, onions from our raised bed?

The last bit (and biggest wood) from the yellow birch project came up the hill today. This harvest won't deliver taste, but rather wonderful heat from an excellent firewood.

Recent activities

These photos show some of our recent activities. Temps and humidity haven't been too bad for this time of year.

Craft color planning

Wood cutting/moving

Berry picking