November Trapping, Hunting, Lettuce and Garlic

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It has been a long time since anyone has trapped these woods, maybe even ten years or so. Raccoons have been a problem for the last five or so; you just can't leave any food item whatsoever outside without a mess the next morning.
Several years ago, a raccoon tested positive for rabies taken from the farm property next to me and the State dropped pellets to immunize the over-populated animals from the deadly disease. Then last summer, a raccoon killed one of my favorite Koi.
I got to know my neighbor, Kyle over the summer and he enjoys and is just starting out in the trapping profession. We agreed to trap in this neighborhood and , well, since October 27, it's been a learning experience, a lot of miles walked in all sorts of weather, and a lot of good conversations. One conversation, for example was about the number of furs taken ever since the early days of settlement in North America and shipped throughout the world. That is just amazing when one stops to think about it.
What I found amazing also was the number of animal trails which could be seen particularly in the golden rod fields. The trails appeared to be well used by a variety of animals.
This is the biggest raccoon we trapped (pictured above); 37 inches and about 24 pounds. We've also got an array of rabbits, possums, and a fox squirrel, but no wolverines, just yet!
We pulled all the coon traps within the last several days. Mink and muskrat season opened yesterday on November 23 but the weather has been snowy, windy and very cold. In a few days, the weather will get better and we will be able to get out again.

Rifle Deer Season Opens December 2 in Pennsylvania

This year seems to be poised for good harvest for rifle deer season. Many archers were able to harvest some nice deer. And there are plenty more out there. There re plenty of nice buck rubs. The rut seems a tad late coming at the end of the archery season which is now closed.
A large snow storm could make the opening day on the second, well, interesting. A coastal storm is expected to bring up to a foot of snow to the local region beginning on Tuesday evening, November 26 and continue through the 27.

The Garden

Garlic should be in the ground for next year's harvest. Garlic enjoys the snow and the bitter cold and does just fine. November is also a good month to dig, divide and re-plant horseradish roots; it seems to do better after a few visits from Jack Frost; the same is true for sunchokes.
Planted some romaine lettuce plants about two weeks ago given to me by a neighbor. The plants will continue to grow and produce lettuce throughout the winter he told me. as long as they are protected from the heavy snow. Trying old window frames and see if that works. It's a little difficult to make out the dozen or so plants in the picture.

On the Wild Side

A few all  black wooly bear caterpillars have been seen all  November along with the wooolies with more common ones with the reddish tan stripes. According to folklore, the stripes on the caterpillar foretell the upcoming winter's mildness or severity. In the spring, the caterpillar wakes up hibernation, eats for a few weeks, spins a cocoon, eventually to break free as an Isabella Moth.

The woolies were more evident on the warmer days in November when even a few dandelions bloomed. Somewhat strange to see the common dandelion blooming a week or so before Thanksgiving.
A small creek we discovered one day trapping, just November Nice.

To everyone, have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!







Good Blogs to Read

Step by Step in the Kitchen

Corning, New York

Uncle Sam's History

Old Fashion Vegetable Salsify Mock Oyster Winter Vegetable Uncommon Vegetable by Greg Spinks | Living Space 360

Old Fashion Vegetable Salsify Mock Oyster Winter Vegetable Uncommon Vegetable by Greg Spinks | Living Space 360

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Winter Predictions, Fall Gardens, and 1859 Just Doesn't End

As September enters the calendar, thoughts turn to the upcoming winter. The Farmers Almanac is forecasting a particularly nasty winter season for most all regions in North America. For northwestern Pennsylvania, a good weather weather site to stay tuned into is CrawfordWeather on Facebook which published the above picture. It is a good site for southern Erie County and all of Crawford in the western Pennsylvania area with up to the minute weather updates (after all Mother Nature doesn't pay particular attention to political boundaries).

Other Forecasts:

In many regions in the western areas of Pennsylvania, there is an abundant apple crop, the oak trees are loaded with acorns (think about planting America's Tree), the wasp nests are high in the trees and there was plenty of fog during the month of August. According to weather folklore, all are signs of an impending snowy and cold winter.

Personally, I haven't seen a wooly bear caterpillar yet this year and the above picture is from last year. But they will make an appearance shortly and we'll see what they have to tell.

The Once Upon a Time Oil Capital of the World

The history of much of the western Pennsylvania region revolves around oil. It was on August 27, 1859 when the oil  began to flow at Drake's Well near Titusville. The success spurred developments in many communities besides Titusville. Oil City, Union City and Corry come quickly to mind as communities which thrived with the oil boom days following the American Civil War.
Pithole, a once thriving oil town, is almost legendary for it's rapid rise and fall. Pictured above is a coffee can filled with crude oil and set on fire for light (a primitive lantern of sorts), something I learned one day at the now famous ghost town.
For those readers not very familiar with the world's first commercial Oil Well and Pithole, Rock Oil.

Canadohta Lake initially received a tremendous boost from Drake's discovery and became something of a luxury resort community for many rich oil tycoons. The lake, once known as Washington Lake and then Oil Creek Lake was renamed Canadohta after a Seneca Chief, named Canadaughta.  The oil men formed their own club, the Canadohta Club and claimed the lake as their own.
Enter local resident, Ben Ruggles who took them to court after he was charged with trespassing. Ruggles won his case and the lake was deemed state or public property to be enjoyed by all citizens. On the downside, the legacy of the case remains even today with property disputes, paper roads, public and private road questions and countless disputes over docks, titles and ownership.
Throughout the upcoming winter, we'll take a look at Ben Ruggles (who was he) and the Canadohta Club (who really were they) .
Follow Koyote Hill or add as an RSS feed and stay up to date with some fascinating and informative series starting the next post. There is some intriguing little known information from Spartansburg and Riceville and all the way to Florida.Ben Ruggles: 1868 -1960.
 If you have something to contribute to this story, please contact. Thanks.

There is still time to plant a Fall Garden. But you need to hurry it up now. Lettuce, swiss chard and kale can all be successfully harvested before the heavy snow and bitter cold arrives. Some varieties even enjoy and taste better after a light frost.
Peas and red beets are also a good choice for a Fall Garden but time is just about out for beans. The earliest bean varieties are about 55 days.
October is the month in our region to get the garlic in the ground. It laughs at winter.It is also time to bring in the herb Rosemary if you have it planted, it is a nice houseplant.
Or if your in a gambling mood, plant now and enjoy a spring harvest when the snow melts.
Sunchokes, or Jerusalem artichokes can also be harvested after a light frost. They can be planted in the fall or the spring in the garden, or harvested in the wild. For more on Sunchokes, Indian Potato.
You may also be interested in:

Sunflowers - These fascinating plants have a long history filled with symbolism.

Perennial Fruits and Vegetables

Build a Bat House this Winter 

Sun Medicine - some cool facts about Goldenrods


Good Blogs to Read -

Step by Step in the Kitchen - Kathleen has a great recipe for Butternut Squash

Uncle Sam's History - This is one of Sam Hossler's history blogs

Go Crawford - well, that's me and news and events in our region. Learn more about the mystery snails in Canadohta and Pymatuning.

    

August - Some Fall Projects and Winter Predictions

 

 

There are always some common comments and questions raised in August. One frequent refrain this month (besides when will the rain stop?): “Where did summer go?” For the most part, it has been rainy and cool; and now it's almost back to school time. The last week has even seen temperatures dip into the forties and wood stoves lit.

Another common question these last few weeks regards the upcoming winter and predictions. Granted, there are a lot of apples this year on the trees and the acorn crop is heavy. Both are viewed in weather folklore as signs of an upcoming harsh winter.

Another weather saying used in August regards fog. If there's a lot of heavy fog in August, it predicts a snowy, cold winter ahead. There has been plenty of fog around the first 15 days of August, although who really has kept track of the number of fogy weather days?

How high in the trees the wasps are making their nest is another indicator of the upcoming winter, but there's a lot of leaves on the trees and it's hard to see the wasp nests. And it's a tad to early to see how frantically the squirrels are gathering nuts.

Mid-August begins the weather lore and for gardeners begins a new planting season. It is time to plant more beans, peas, lettuce and some root crops such as red beets and turnips. Some vegetables just don't worry about and can handle a light frost. For some thoughts and ideas about what to plant, ExtraHarvest.

Returning back to the weather for a moment, no Wooly Bears have been seen yet, but it won't be long.

It's Almost Sunchoke Time

The native sunchokes will be ready soon after the first frost. Also called inaccurately, Jerusalem artichokes, these tasty and healthy tuber can be used like potatoes or eaten raw in salads.

The sunchokes, members of the sunflower family, are about ready to bloom. The flowers are attractive and enjoyed by many bees, yellow finches and hummingbirds.

For more details and information on these native plants and when and where to plant them.
GoldenSunchokes.

A Sunny Window to Keep the Mediterranean Diet for Winter

The healthy Mediterranean Herb, Rosemary, can be brought inside and placed in a sunny window when the weather gets colder. It really can't take our severe and cold winters. It does make for a nice houseplant and can be harvested all winter for kitchen uses. It is a no nonsense, healthy and flavorful plant which doesn't require a lot of upkeep.  Explore more about this Herb, Rosemary.

Some Fall Projects

If you don't plant healthy garlic, now is the time to consider and get a garden bed ready. Garlic is normally planted in late September or October in northwestern Pennsylvania. More details and information at, GARLIC

Bats are in trouble with White-nose syndrome, a deadly disease. Bats strike terror into nightime flying insects, mainly the pesky and disease carrying mosquito.  Build a bat house this fall or winter and help the bats. For more information, Batty for Bats

Getting firewood together for the upcoming winter is a typical past time in northwestern Pennsylvania. Consider building brush piles for wildlife when your cutting wood. Learn and see what animals come and go from pile and learn how to make it attractive year round. Brush Pile.

Good Blogs to Visit

Step by Step in the Kitchen 

Kathleen always makes me hungry when she publishes this blog.

Uncle Sams History

Sam is a great historian and writer; always a fascinating story about local northwestern Pennsylvania history. 

Go Crawford - features events in southern Erie County and Crawford County

August a Month to Harvest and Plant - and Enjoy the Pickerelweed

 Pickerelweed is blooming in many wetland areas of northwestern Pennsylvania. It is an impressive and important native plant to North America. It has blue flowers on a spike which can rise three feet above the water level. Native bumblebees and honey bees are attracted to this water plant as are species of butterflies and even an occassional humminbird.

Amazingly, there is even one species of native bee which lives simply on this plant. Pickerelweed also provides a habitat for several aquatic species. It is generally accepted the plant, well unofficially, get it's name from the pickerl fish or more commonly called, the water wolf or the northern pike.

It can be purchased in many garden centers and is a great addition to any water garden or pond.

For more information on this important native species, Pickerelweed.

Think Mediterranean

Rosemary is one of the most healthy herb in any garden. Once a native of the Mediterranean regions (think healthy diet), it is now grown around the globe. It is a flavorful herb and an easy plant to grow, best of all, it can be harvested at just about anytime of the year.

In northwestern Pennsylvania, it needs to be brought indoors during the winter months because, well, winter's can be a little brutal. But, no worry. The herb does just fine in a sunny window sill. Another plus, it really doesn't like a lot of water or fertilizer. The herb goes well with fish or wild game and there's something special about rosemary roasted potatoes.

It is a well known and respected medicinal herb and recent research indicates it could help brain power and memory. 

Rosemary also makes a good tea and other garden herbs, honey or maple syrup, can be added to it to personal tastes.

What I just write?

For more details and an overview on this ancient plant, Herb for All Seasons. 

Home Garden

June and July were really, really, wet months. Hopefully August will see drier conditions. August is a good month to re-plant many crops for a later fall harvest. The growing season is far from over. For some hints and tips, August Garden.
NOTE: Cyclospora is the latest food illness making headlines. Hundreds of people have fallen sick after eating infected packaged lettuce. While not present just yet, in NW PA, the warning lights are once again flashing about foods we consume. For some medical info on this parasite, Cyclospora.
Lettuce is one of the simplest crops to grow in the backyard and it's very healthy. There is plenty of time to plant it in August to enjoy in late September and August. 

Garlic, at least in my garden, is ready to be dug and dried for winter, and re-planting again in October. It is best to take the largest cloves in the garlic bulb and save them for planting sometime before Halloween.

On the Wild Side

Both blackberries and blueberries are ripening fast, both crops seem to be good this year. Here, the apple crop is also very heavy as are the acorns. I have heard it said several times now that those heavy crops are a sure sign of a bad winter. I'm not so sure, all winters get hard after the first few storms.

But back to acorns and oak trees, grow your own this fall. It's a fun, easy and cost free family project which could last for hundreds of years. Plant an Acorn.

Good Blogs to Read:

Uncle Sam's History

Step by Step in the Kitchen

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Bats, Bees, and Mid-Summer Stuff

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2013 has been a rather unusual growing year in northwestern Pennsylvania. Some events were early, while others were later than usual. Following a relatively mild winter for this region, the spring was cool and wet. Those conditions persisted until last week when a heat wave settled in the area – finally.

Perhaps, the weather influenced the honeybee swarms which normally begin in May. Many beekeepers expressed concern over the lack of May swarms. What happened to the bees?

However, with June, the swarms began and beekeepers throughout the region were busy chasing bees. A swarm is a natural division of a bee hive. A beekeeper can control the swarming instinct in a domesticated hive. However, control over a feral hive is a whole other story.

Swarms, contrary to popular folk lore is actually a very peaceful gathering of bees. The bees are not aggressive whatsoever, unless they are provoked.

If your lucky enough to see a swarm, you are witnessing a yearly, natural ritual not seen by many folks.If the bees land in an unwanted area or pose a safety hazard, simply call your local beekeeper, don't reach for a poisonous can of spray. Most respectable beekeepers will take care of the bees and get them to safe quarters.

Sometimes the bees decide to settle in an area where it's hard to capture them. Many beekeepers have a special vacuum sweeper, like the one pictured below.

The special vacuum sweeper will not harm the bees and they can be safely re-located.. For more information and details on honeybee swarms, Silver Spoon.

Little Brown Bats

One of the plagues of the wet conditions and soaring temperatures, are the mosquitoes. The insects seem to be enjoying the weather much to everyone's dismay. Worse than being a plain and simple nuisance, is the fact that mosquitoes can carry any number of serious diseases such as West Nile Virus. For some ideas on mosquito control instead of reaching for a can of pesticides, Mosquito Free.

Normally, the bats would help to keep the mosquito population under control. However, this past winter, White-nose Syndrome (WNS) appeared in northwestern Pennsylvania and many bats were lost to the fatal disease. No bats, more mosquitoes.

There are some actions homeowners and property owners can take to help the bats. A good bat house is one of the most important steps to take while researchers study the mysterious fungus.

Consider erecting a bat house to help. For some details and an overview of WNS, little brown bats.

Home Garden – Get Ready to Plant.

While the heavy rains caused some problems, most everything in home vegetable gardens seem to have recovered.. Tomatoes and peppers seem to be doing well, although there are some cases of early blight being reported. Beans, watermelons, and the squashes all seem to be doing just fine.

In late July, the garlic should be ready to dig. Garlic is rather easy to grow and, in case you haven't planted any in the past, October is generally the month to plant the garlic cloves. August – September are the months to get an area prepared for the fall planting. If a hardneck variety is planted, the first garlic harvest happens in mid-June when the scapes develop on the top of the plants; the garlic bulbs underground will be ready in a about four weeks or the end of July. Keep the largest cloves from the garlic bulb to plant in October.

There are other greens and vegetables which can be planting now and into August. Lettuce does just fine, as do peas, red beets and broccoli.

  

        
    

  

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Get the Blues – It is Blueberry Season

Blueberry season is here. Try to buy local if you don't have any of the healthy berries growing in the yard. Consider planting several of the bushes this fall or next spring. They are hardy and attractive bushes, For some more information: Get the Blues.

A Sad and Strange Political Week 

 

There was an uproar this week from some folks over the picture of Boston Bomber Dzhokhar Tsamaev on the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine. I'm not too sure I can understand or agree with the complaints. Personally, I wonder how many bothered to read the accompanying article which was very well done. It is a tragic story about a very horrible action and innocent lives lost. Justice will prevail. The Photo.

Justice will also prevail in the ongoing tagic saga regarding George Zimmerman and the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. A jury last week acquited Zimmerman, however, federal charges may be filed. But the incident did raise, once again, racial issues in the USA. It is a crucial debate which, both urban and rural citizens, should re-examine. It is time to move forward.

Move Forward  

Justice

 

Good Blogs to Consider:

Step by Step in the Kitchen

Uncle Sam's History

Crawford County, PA

Garden Harvests

Get the Blues for Health

 It is now the Blueberry Harvest season in much of the northern areas of the USA and Canada. It's no secret that blueberries are one of the top rated native foods for health and flavor. As a native American bush, the blueberry has quite a long history both in the kitchen and in the medicine cabinet.
They are hardy bushes and can be used attractively as a hedge row in the yard or as a garden border. Why not grow your own?
For some more information and details on the medicinal benefits and how to grow blueberries, Get the Blues.


Mid Summer Harvests

Borage is a beneficial herb to have in any vegetable garden. The dazzling star blue flowers are attractive to the eye and attract many pollinators. The bees enjoy the herb so much it is often call the bee plant. It is hardy, easy to grow, and readily self sows. More details and information on Borage, Get the Blues.

The first Garlic harvest also is ready for harvest in mid-summer, from late June to mid July. The twisting scapes on the hardneck varieties of garlic are flavor and healthy. For more on the scapes, First harvest.
Garlic is usually planted in the fall, usually during October here in Northwestern PA. Check with local growers to see what grows best in your neighborhood. Many roadside stands and farmers markets will be selling garlic bulbs soon. The largest of the cloves in the bulb can be planted for a future harvest in 2014. Gardeners should be aware that the supermarket garlic is generally a softneck garlic which does not produce a scape.

 

    

        
    

    

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The md-summer fish kill - the bad blues

Northwestern Pennsylvania had a lot of rain during June as well as some powerful storms, one in Union City and the other in Canadohta Lake. Thankfully, there were no injuries reported in either storm.
The fish in French Creek just below the spillway at the Union City, however, were not so lucky. The rising waters of French Creek trapped hundreds of fish in a hole about 200 feet downstream from the spillway.
When the water receded, the fish died.
The picture above was taken by Brandon Ploss Canadohta Lake who was fishing the spillway area the afternoon of June 17. It is unclear if there have been previous kills in the past and the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), responsible for the dam, was unaware of the kill until contacted.
Jason Bowers, the newly appointed USACE manager of the Union City Dam, said he will look into the matter after being informed on July 13.
For some more information and details on the Union City Dam, Flood Control

Political Blues at mid-summer

Last week, food stamps were removed from the 2014 Farm Bill. Food Stamps help to provide nutrition and food to many of the poor, the elderly and the sick. The action is the result of several conservative members of the US House of Representatives.

Many of these same politicians work very hard for special interest groups who don't like paying taxes and have the money and the votes to fund rich American loopholes. Many of these same conservatives preach the Bible – well, the verses they can twist that benefit their agendas. Disgusting.

Please forward a copy of the New Testament Beatitudes to your favorite Representatives.

Farm Bill minus Food Stamps

The Beatitudes

 
Good Blogs to Follow
 

unclesamshistory

Step by Step in the Kitchen

Crawford County, PA

 




























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A Grin and Bear It Growing Season

 Spring 2013 was wet and rather turbulent in NW Pennsylvania. The wildflowers, however, haven't seemed to mind the soupy conditions. With the summer solstice on June 21, weather conditions haven't changed much locally. It is like everyone is in a Grin and Bear It attitude.
However, for home vegetable gardeners and commercial farms, the wet weather has created some setbacks. Some corn was not able to be planted because of the wet conditions and some farmers did switch to soy beans and other crops. In some cases, the corn fields were washed away. Very few corn fields were even knee high by the Fourth of July.
Hay, another important crop, has been growing nicely, however, it has been a chore to try and get it off the fields.
Grin and Bear IT time.
Some strawberry fields were simply just lost due to the cool, wet weather.
At home, gardeners without raised beds, are literally sinking up to their knees in mud. There is a developing problem locally with black leaf spot blight in many regions because of the wet conditions. Mulch, such as cedar or grass clippings from lawn mowing helps to control this blight, but be sure to destroy any blighted leaves. There are also copper based sprays which can be used. These sprays need to be re-applied every time it rains.
There is one bright spot in the home garden: Scaps

Like clockwork, the last week of June or so, the scapes begin to develop on the flower stock of fall planted hardneck garlic. By the end of July or thereabouts, the underground garlic bulbs will be ready to harvest.
Scapes are very tasty and are a powerhouse for health.
The odd and twisting scapes are a sign that the underground bulb is nearing maturity. Grow your own and learn more about the benefits of scaps,click Eat Healthy.

Bees

It is no secret that the honeybees, both domesticated and feral colonies, are having a tough go lately. There are mites, a mysterious disease dubbed CCD and pesticide sprays.
Nor is it any secret that the bees are essential to agriculture. Scientists claim the bees are responsible that nearly one third of the food we consume.
The bees are also essential for wildlife. The insects help to pollinated many wild nuts, wild apples and other fruits used as food by native wildlife.
Earlier this spring, at least in the NW PA regions, there was a growing concern about the lack of honeybee swarms. A swarm is a natural division of a honey bee hive. Kirk Johnson, the president of the Northwestern BeeKeepers Association was worried and concerned around Memorial Day.
However, the bees started swarming, according to Johnson, and by July 4 he had answered the normal amount of swarm calls and captured his normal amount of swarming bees.
But the recent heavy rains, according to Johnson, have washed much of the pollen and nectar needed by the bees out of many flowers.
Here's a few steps that can be taken to help these important insects, HoneyBees.

Borage is a good herb to help the bees and the vegetable/flower garden:

Get in on the buzz about borage in more detail, Good Herb.

Boneset

Another valuable herb, Boneset will soon start to bloom. Once used widely before aspirin were available, it is generally used as a medicinal herb. As always, before using a home remedy, check the facts and a medical professional.The herb works wonders for me. For more information, Boneset.

Additional links to what is happening in NW PA:

 Fish Cribs

Bats in Trouble

Well, it's raining again here, Grin and Bear It,  but the water lilies seem to enjoy it.

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Coyotes and Groundhogs - Open Season

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Saturday, Feb. 2 is Groundhog Day. There is some interesting history about the day such as the Groundhog Meat Packaging Company which was located in Punxsutawney, PA. For a brief overview of some lesser known facts not made known in thousands of magazine and newspaper articles or movies, Groundhog.

What many people may not know, and not included in the link above, is that in Pennsylvania, there is an open season on groundhogs - basically, see one, go shoot it.

Another creature which has an “open season” placed on it's head, is the coyote. Now certainly, theeastern coyote, which is a different animal than the western coyote, can be troublesome. They are secretive and opportunistic; they can and will attack small farm animals, deer and other wildlife, as well as small household pets.

Last weekend in my neighborhood was a coyote hunt which was sponsored by a local organization. In my neighborhood, the hunt attracted a rather large number of hunters and dogs. They traveled in a 12 pick-up truck caravan up and down the back roads to hunt.

It was a nice, mild day in the woods after a week of bitter cold and blowing snow.

No one (landowners, residents) were informed, or even asked, if the property could be used for the hunt. That January thaw day, I was walking my dog, talking to several loggers when shots rang out and dogs began to howl. A white pick-up truck raced up my driveway as the driver was talking on a walkie-talkie.

The somewhat excited driver stopped, jumped out of the truck and told me and the loggers to “Get out, our dogs are chasing a coyote back in those woods”.

Needless to say, the hunter was asked to leave immediately, which he did after a short discussion about, landowner rights, safety and guns. This event was not government organized, nor a government regulation – it was done by a private group of so called citizen “sportsmen”.

I'm a hunter, I enjoy hunting, I don't post our property. But this coyote hunt made me “coyote mad”. This hunt was totally unsafe, a gross violation of the rights of those who pay taxes on the land, and of questionable value to anyone. Now, I like hunting with a dog for birds or rabbits, but I am uncomfortable with using dogs to hunt dogs – why not just leave the dog home and actually “hunt”?

There is a nice hill back where they were hunting where we often take small children to go sledding. Thankfully, that activity was planned for that day. There is also a popular trail for snow mobiles in the immediate vicinity, thankfully at that moment no one was using it. Over the last several days, I have discovered some neighbors were not impressed with this coyote hunt either largely because of safety issues and an apparent lack of respect for others.

I suspect next year's hunt will be properly conducted for the safety of everyone.

Oh, (on the lighter side of things), did you know it was the coyote who made the stars? It's a fun story.

Hay Shortage

Last year wasn't a good year for growing hay in this region. The weather just did not cooperate. The temperatures soared and the rains never came. Then came the army worms. These small caterpillars are rather uncommon in this region and survived in greater numbers because of last year's mild winter weather.

The shortage has led to some pretty high prices for a round bale of hay. Those bales last year sold for $35 - $45, today those same bales, if they can be found, cost $70 to $100.

While most large farms, such as dairy and/or beef, will be able to skimp through until spring, hobby farmers are beginning to feel the pinch. Many of them buy hay from the larger farms for horses and cows. However, there is no hay available. For additional information, Shortage.

February Garden

Planning during the dead of winter helps for a more successful garden. Like many others, I like to try something new every year. This year it just may be sweet potatoes.

February is also a good month to prune fruit trees and bushes such as blueberries. In the woods, this is a good month to be building brush piles on a mild days. Brush piles give the rabbits and other small animals a place to hide when the unexpected coyote hunter comes blazing away unannounced except for his dog howling. In a few short weeks, the peepers could be singing, last year, the chorus started on March 15.

While it seems like the dead of winter, there are signs of spring approaching besides Groundhog Day. It won't be long before maple syrup buckets are hung to collect the sap and sugar shacks become hubs of activity as smoke billows into a cloudless, sunny sky. Maple syrup season is a fun time of the year with many family opportunities to enjoy.

 

Links

Groundhog

Eastern Coyote

Hay

Maple Syrup

Blueberry

Brush Pile 
 

Good Blogs

Step by Step in the Kitchen - Pear-Cranberry Pie

Go Crawford

The Hidden Kingdom of Subnivia

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It was a nice day for a woods walk Sunday, January 20. There were just patches of snow on the ground and the temperatures were in the upper forties, maybe lower fifties. Subnivia had all but disappeared. 

Christmas Ferns (pictured above) were about the only green in the woods, except for some moss growing on old tree stumps. The Christmas Ferns, however, are hardy, carefree and native plants which have a lot of possibilities for homeowners who have shady and wet spots in the yard - Christmas Fern.

On the mid-January walk, we discovered the newest woodpecker tree. It appears the holes were all freshly made, particularly the bottom hole.

The following day, 1.21.13, there was about six inches of snow and it was coming down hard – Subnivia was thriving once again.

The forecast are predicting upwards of two feet of snow within the next 48 hours. More pictures of the woodpecker tree after the storm passes; currently on 1.22 it is a mere 2 degrees, there is about two feet of snow here and another foot expected tonight and tomorrow.

Dead trees are an important resource and provide both food and shelter for many insects and small animals. Some birds, such as blue birds, will use the cavities pounded out by the woodpeckers for nesting. Squirrels will also use the holes to store food. A dead tree in a woods is actually a hub of activity and can improve the quality of life in the hidden world of Subnivia

Nearby, we are building another and the newest brush pile. A brush pile provides even more protection, shelter and serves as a food source for many small animals, insects and birds particularly in the winter months. The plan is to finish the pile before spring weather arrives and then to plant wild grape vines along the edges and maybe some other flowering vines that can take some shade.

The brush is from a tree that blew over last summer and was cut for firewood. The ashes are then used in the vegetable garden and around a variety of trees, shrubs and perennials. Wood ashes are a valuable resource.

Brush piles also enhance the “under-the-snow” existence of the inhabitants of a hidden world, called “Subnivia”. This hidden and somewhat temperate kingdom exists underneath the snow and the dead brush, fallen branches and trees, as well as old stumps and rocks help to form an under-the-snow passage system for many small animals such as shrews, moles, mice, and a wide variety of insects. Learn some more about Subnivia.

 

Full Wolf Moon

The first Full Moon of 2013, called the Full Wolf Moon, will be on the evening of January 26. Six days later, the groundhog in Punxsutawney, PA ((Phil) will make his official forecast about the end of winter. Perhaps, wolves will eat woodchucks when they venture out of their holes, but so did people. Learn more about a groundhog meat company and that famous groundhog, Phil.

If your searching for some good winter reading, go to http://www.samhosslerwriter.com/authors-page.html

Sam's books are enjoyable and while fiction, are based in historical facts in northwestern PA. Special note of thanks to Sam for the permission to use his wolf picture which is actually the book cover for a three part series the Silversmith Chronicles. The series is about werewolves – naturally.

Good Blogs to Read

Corning New York Step by Step

GoCrawford

Uncle Sam's History

Links

Brush Pile

Christmas Fern 
Groundhog Day

Subnivia

Wood Ashes