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Posted: 3/18/2017 5:27:56 PM EDT
[#1]
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This side didn't have nearly as many trees as the other side, but it still took a few hours. This will make it a lot faster when I get out there with the tractor. The front axle is leaking on the right side. That's a known issue with these tractors, but JD won't admit fault. I'm going to go ahead and have them do the 500 hour service too because they'll wave the $200 pickup and delivery fee if I have them do it. The service is $325, so it's only costing me $125 more than what I'd have paid to just have them fix the axle. I needed to do that service anyway, so it worked out pretty well. |
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Posted: 3/18/2017 10:19:52 PM EDT
[#2]
Unfortunately, we've also had a cold snap with several nights of sub-freezing temperatures that have ruined all the early growth on the fig trees. Not sure how badly that will affect the overall annual production. I'm sure it's going to affect the pear trees too, although they are much better leafed out than the figs were.
Here are a couple pics of the poor fig trees.  
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Posted: 3/19/2017 3:11:53 PM EDT
[#3]
Damn I think they will pull through
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Posted: 3/19/2017 3:13:26 PM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Unfortunately, we've also had a cold snap with several nights of sub-freezing temperatures that have ruined all the early growth on the fig trees. Not sure how badly that will affect the overall annual production. I'm sure it's going to affect the pear trees too, although they are much better leafed out than the figs were. Here are a couple pics of the poor fig trees. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/339551/IMG-1736-169561.jpghttps://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/339551/IMG-1735-169558.jpg |
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Posted: 3/24/2017 12:47:41 PM EDT
[#5]
If I can ask, what county is your place?
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Posted: 3/24/2017 1:48:28 PM EDT
[#6]
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If I can ask, what county is your place? |
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Posted: 3/24/2017 11:36:59 PM EDT
[#7]
I have heard that Russian olives and kiwis do well in ga
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Posted: 3/26/2017 11:38:58 AM EDT
[#8]
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Twiggs |
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Posted: 4/2/2017 7:26:58 PM EDT
[#9]
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Small world, I grew up just south of Twiggs in Bleckley Co. I live in Upson County now. |
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Posted: 4/2/2017 7:29:03 PM EDT
[#10]
I got one of my future dove fields planted in sunflowers this morning. I wanted to do more clearing, but didn't have much time.
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Posted: 4/8/2017 2:56:38 PM EDT
[#11]
And the fig trees are making a recovery! I'm not sure how well they'll produce this year, but they're starting to leaf out again.
We also had a few of the neighbor's cattle decide to go on walkabout on our property. They meandered all over the place, but Ytka finally managed to run them back onto their own land. I don't think they did much damage in their meanderings. Here lately, we've been spying a little hen turkey on our daily walks. We think she may have a nest over near the area Ytka is preparing for a sunflower field, so he's had to curb back the size of the field a bit. We want to encourage wild turkeys, so it wouldn't do to smash her nest and run her off. Cows on walkabout 
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Posted: 4/9/2017 12:28:07 AM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
And the fig trees are making a recovery! I'm not sure how well they'll produce this year, but they're starting to leaf out again. We also had a few of the neighbor's cattle decide to go on walkabout on our property. They meandered all over the place, but Ytka finally managed to run them back onto their own land. I don't think they did much damage in their meanderings. Here lately, we've been spying a little hen turkey on our daily walks. We think she may have a nest over near the area Ytka is preparing for a sunflower field, so he's had to curb back the size of the field a bit. We want to encourage wild turkeys, so it wouldn't do to smash her nest and run her off. Cows on walkabout https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/339551/IMG-1846-182752.jpg 
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Posted: 4/17/2017 8:30:24 PM EDT
[#13]
Nice piece of land!
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Posted: 4/17/2017 9:51:34 PM EDT
[#14]
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Nice piece of land! Hasn't been much going on lately. We've identified a couple catalpa trees, so we'll definitely have a supply of fishing worms this summer. Ytka also took down a few sweetgum trees on Saturday, but we have about 90 million of the things to eradicate. We also got some tree and vegetation identification manuals to help in determining what flora we leave be or encourage to grow, and what we go wholesale death and destruction on. Unbeknownst to us, apparently crabgrass of all things is an eminently useful plant that feeds numerous types of wildlife. I guess we'll just leave that be! |
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Posted: 4/17/2017 10:39:59 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Thanks! Hasn't been much going on lately. We've identified a couple catalpa trees, so we'll definitely have a supply of fishing worms this summer. Ytka also took down a few sweetgum trees on Saturday, but we have about 90 million of the things to eradicate. We also got some tree and vegetation identification manuals to help in determining what flora we leave be or encourage to grow, and what we go wholesale death and destruction on. Unbeknownst to us, apparently crabgrass of all things is an eminently useful plant that feeds numerous types of wildlife. I guess we'll just leave that be! Or maybe we're not talking about the same plant. I'm talking about Liquidambar styraciflua Up here we plant the males as landscape trees in parks, gardens, etc. |
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Posted: 4/18/2017 4:16:19 PM EDT
[#16]
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Y'all don't like Sweetgum down there? Or maybe we're not talking about the same plant. I'm talking about Liquidambar styraciflua Up here we plant the males as landscape trees in parks, gardens, etc. |
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Posted: 4/18/2017 5:57:32 PM EDT
[#17]
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Same thing. Down here, they'll take over a place if you let them, and pretty much no wildlife actually uses them. Once one gets established, it sends out runner roots and you'll have them popping up everywhere like (the much more useful) crabgrass. Then they'll crowd out useful but slower growing trees like oaks and maples. |
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Posted: 4/18/2017 6:15:27 PM EDT
[#18]
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What are you doing to kill them? Just cutting them down? I'm looking at some land that has them all over the place, and they need to go; but I'm not sure what I'm about to try to undertake. |
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Posted: 4/18/2017 6:30:03 PM EDT
[#19]
Congrats! Any plans for a range?
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Posted: 4/18/2017 8:03:21 PM EDT
[#20]
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Cut them down, soak stump in Crossbow, Roundup and blue dye (for identification purposes). Should do the trick. And here are some pics to show why they're a menace:  
My really good panorama pics showing the future pastures just covered in the stupid things won't load because the file size is too big. 
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Posted: 4/18/2017 8:14:19 PM EDT
[#21]
Have you tried spraying them with that concoction before you cut them down, or just after?
The place I'm looking at looks very similar in it's sweetgum coverage.... I was thinking of using roundup and then maybe rent a bush hog after it does it's work. |
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Posted: 4/18/2017 8:15:59 PM EDT
[#22]
And here are some pics of other, more welcome vegetation starting to leaf out.
Wild Muscadines 
Wild blackberries 
Wheat grass along the roads 
Sweetgrass 
And clover 
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Posted: 4/18/2017 8:18:44 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Have you tried spraying them with that concoction before you cut them down, or just after? The place I'm looking at looks very similar in it's sweetgum coverage.... I was thinking of using roundup and then maybe rent a bush hog after it does it's work. The nice thing is Crossbow won't kill grass so depending on what else is around you could hose down the area with it then bush hog after the fact. |
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Posted: 4/18/2017 8:20:06 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Have you tried spraying them with that concoction before you cut them down, or just after? The place I'm looking at looks very similar in it's sweetgum coverage.... I was thinking of using roundup and then maybe rent a bush hog after it does it's work. |
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Posted: 4/18/2017 9:12:49 PM EDT
[#25]
Here's a pic of progress. I'll try to find some Crossbow/Crossroads next week. I mowed this area today.
 Attached File |
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Posted: 4/18/2017 9:45:29 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Here's a pic of progress. I'll try to find some Crossbow/Crossroads next week. I mowed this area today. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/222790/image-190448.JPG |
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Posted: 4/20/2017 5:57:17 AM EDT
[#27]
Small hijack but what is a good forage that will grow under the GA canopy? We're looking at some land that's pretty heavily wooded but I think if I get all the ivy and brush out of it I can get enough light to the dirt to grow stuff. Can't and don't want to remove too many trees due to the terrain/erosion possibilities and they are all healthy species anyway.
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Posted: 4/20/2017 8:06:25 AM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Small hijack but what is a good forage that will grow under the GA canopy? We're looking at some land that's pretty heavily wooded but I think if I get all the ivy and brush out of it I can get enough light to the dirt to grow stuff. Can't and don't want to remove too many trees due to the terrain/erosion possibilities and they are all healthy species anyway. |
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Posted: 4/20/2017 9:08:37 PM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Same thing. Down here, they'll take over a place if you let them, and pretty much no wildlife actually uses them. Once one gets established, it sends out runner roots and you'll have them popping up everywhere like (the much more useful) crabgrass. Then they'll crowd out useful but slower growing trees like oaks and maples. I mean they do NONE of that. The sweetgum balls can make a mess in the fall, but that's as bad as it gets. Amazing. |
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Posted: 4/20/2017 9:11:23 PM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Crossbow or it's generic Crossroads would work better than Roundup. Using one of those on the live tree then bush hogging after would work but I would guess it would be less effective than treating the stump after cutting them down. The nice thing is Crossbow won't kill grass so depending on what else is around you could hose down the area with it then bush hog after the fact. |
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Posted: 4/20/2017 10:28:46 PM EDT
[#31]
Awesome property, congrats!
You mentioned full-time jobs. I'm curious how much of your week is spent doing things around the property? Seems like you two have quite an ambitious list. I'd like to buy a large property soon, but am not sure how much time needs to go into it? |
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Posted: 4/20/2017 10:38:26 PM EDT
[#32]
Right now it's just a few evening hours during the week and usually a full day's worth of work or more on the weekend, mostly mowing, bush hogging, and cutting down trees, and almost all done by Ytka at this point. I'm busy managing our infant daughter for the time being, but as she grows, I'll have more ability to chip in on the actual labor. As it is, I think Ytka thinks he has the easier of the two tasks.
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Posted: 4/21/2017 9:32:56 AM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Awesome property, congrats! You mentioned full-time jobs. I'm curious how much of your week is spent doing things around the property? Seems like you two have quite an ambitious list. I'd like to buy a large property soon, but am not sure how much time needs to go into it? The time required really all depends on what you want. If I was worried about a beautifully manicured lawn, it would be a lot tougher. Instead, I keep the grass mowed and focus on the stuff that really matters to us. |
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Posted: 4/21/2017 4:41:58 PM EDT
[#34]
Great thread, a pleasure to read the new posts.
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Posted: 5/6/2017 10:13:02 PM EDT
[#35]
Been a while since we updated, but things are progressing. Baby birds are hatching everywhere right now. We have one nest on our front porch with 3 little babies in it, and Ytka found another nest in the engine compartment of his tractor today. We fished it out and relocated it while the mama bird watched and screamed at us. The babies flew out when we moved it, but hopefully the little family gets back together and survives.
Ytka did a lot of clearing today down in an area I've dubbed Quail Meadow (because we startle Quail nearly every time we walk through there). He said something about planting a dove field, but I don't know what wall he got in the ground.  
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Posted: 5/6/2017 11:29:56 PM EDT
[#36]
I planted sunflowers and brown top millet in the area above. There's still a little of both left, so that will get mixed in with my other foodplots. Deer will eat sunflowers, but they leave millet alone. It will be something good for the doves, quail, and I think turkey will eat it too.
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Posted: 5/7/2017 11:58:07 AM EDT
[#37]
That's awesome y'all!
Good to see you moving along with your new place! 
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Posted: 5/23/2017 9:18:53 PM EDT
[#38]
Things are really starting to come along. I've got two places planted in sunflowers and millet and another spot with buckwheat, sunn hemp, iron clay peas, soybeans, sunflowers, and millet. I'm going to plant one more spot with buckwheat, iron clay peas, and soybeans this weekend. The spots I've planted are all sprouted. Some of the first sunflowers are a foot tall already. There is winter rye planted around them, so I'm hoping that will act as a nurse crop.
 Attached File Attached File |
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Posted: 5/23/2017 9:32:18 PM EDT
[#39]
The kids have been loving this place. My son has discovered the blackberries and is a fiend for them. I've nicknamed him The Spaniard because he tries to claim any berries I find. My daughter, who is 7 months old, lights up as soon as she sees us getting ready to go for our evening walks. She has discovered the blackberries too and looks like Mrs. Pacman chomping away.
There are a ton of muscadines that look like they'll be loaded with fruit. We also found wild blueberries earlier this week and maypops today. It looks like there will be plenty of food on the trail to keep us occupied for a while.  Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File |
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Posted: 5/23/2017 9:39:46 PM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
The kids have been loving this place. My son has discovered the blackberries and is a fiend for them. I've nicknamed him The Spaniard because he tries to claim any berries I find. My daughter, who is 7 months old, lights up as soon as she sees us getting ready to go for our evening walks. She has discovered the blackberries too and looks like Mrs. Pacman chomping away. There are a ton of muscadines that look like they'll be loaded with fruit. We also found wild blueberries earlier this week and maypops today. It looks like there will be plenty of food on the trail to keep us occupied for a while. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/222790/image-215135.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/222790/image-215136.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/222790/image-215137.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/222790/image-215138.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/222790/image-215139.JPG Passion fruit has the prettiest flowers. |
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Posted: 5/23/2017 9:55:24 PM EDT
[#41]
Once the pecans start producing you'll be manning the area full time to keep the squirrels killed out of them, if you want the nuts that is. I remember my uncle shooting them out behind his house in SC when the pecans were getting ripe/ready to eat. An old guy that used to work where I did had such a problem with them that he went to Lowes and bought some stuff to set up electrocution traps on the tops of his fences the squirrels used to stay away from his dog.
No creek? My mom and dad had ducks for years without a pond, they just waddled down to the creek and splashed around when they weren't eating up the bugs/worms around the yard and gardens. I used to spend some time looking for a "retirement property" a few counties west of here but eventually gave it up when it got to the point that I couldn't even really keep up with the 2.5 acres we've got now like I need to. Looks like fun. No ticks or chiggers down there? Man, the ticks are bad up here. Got to dust the yard a couple times a year or you'll get a tick on you just walking around in the grass far from the brush/woods. |
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Posted: 5/23/2017 10:11:24 PM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Beautiful photos, awesome kids. Passion fruit has the prettiest flowers. |
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Posted: 5/23/2017 10:15:23 PM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Thanks! It's a great feeling to see your child out there foraging for wild berries on your own patch of dirt, learning what wild plants are edible, and experiencing the joy of "treasure hunting" delicious snacks. That immediate, tangible reward makes the whole exercise that much more fun. Y'all are doing something right. 
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Posted: 5/23/2017 10:45:33 PM EDT
[#44]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Once the pecans start producing you'll be manning the area full time to keep the squirrels killed out of them, if you want the nuts that is. I remember my uncle shooting them out behind his house in SC when the pecans were getting ripe/ready to eat. An old guy that used to work where I did had such a problem with them that he went to Lowes and bought some stuff to set up electrocution traps on the tops of his fences the squirrels used to stay away from his dog. No creek? My mom and dad had ducks for years without a pond, they just waddled down to the creek and splashed around when they weren't eating up the bugs/worms around the yard and gardens. I used to spend some time looking for a "retirement property" a few counties west of here but eventually gave it up when it got to the point that I couldn't even really keep up with the 2.5 acres we've got now like I need to. Looks like fun. No ticks or chiggers down there? Man, the ticks are bad up here. Got to dust the yard a couple times a year or you'll get a tick on you just walking around in the grass far from the brush/woods. And there's a wet weather creek, but it will dry up if we go a few weeks without rain, plus a pond will help attract migratory ducks too. As for ticks and redbugs (chiggers), we have worlds of them. We have to do a tick check every day, and I just took our son to the doc today for a tick bite that developed a pretty gnarly rash. The tick hadn't been on him for but a couple hours, but two days later that rash was the size of a half dollar, raised, and angry looking, so off to the doc he went. Ytka keeps the main walking trails mowed pretty well, and we'll use bug spray too, so thus far the redbugs haven't been terrible, but we haven't reached the height of summer yet, and I know they're just waiting for the opportunity to tear us up. |
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Posted: 5/24/2017 11:58:31 AM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Squirrel hunting is half the fun of having pecan trees! And there's a wet weather creek, but it will dry up if we go a few weeks without rain, plus a pond will help attract migratory ducks too. As for ticks and redbugs (chiggers), we have worlds of them. We have to do a tick check every day, and I just took our son to the doc today for a tick bite that developed a pretty gnarly rash. The tick hadn't been on him for but a couple hours, but two days later that rash was the size of a half dollar, raised, and angry looking, so off to the doc he went. Ytka keeps the main walking trails mowed pretty well, and we'll use bug spray too, so thus far the redbugs haven't been terrible, but we haven't reached the height of summer yet, and I know they're just waiting for the opportunity to tear us up.  Most we've lost were hens that went broody and were taken laying on their nests before we found them.
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Posted: 5/25/2017 10:35:20 AM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
We've got a bunch of Guinea's that do a great job of keeping the ticks down...but letting them run on their own you have a lot of loss. In two years we've bought 20, hatched 13 and have 7 left Most we've lost were hens that went broody and were taken laying on their nests before we found them. |
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Posted: 5/25/2017 10:35:50 AM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Once the pecans start producing you'll be manning the area full time to keep the squirrels killed out of them, if you want the nuts that is. I remember my uncle shooting them out behind his house in SC when the pecans were getting ripe/ready to eat. An old guy that used to work where I did had such a problem with them that he went to Lowes and bought some stuff to set up electrocution traps on the tops of his fences the squirrels used to stay away from his dog. No creek? My mom and dad had ducks for years without a pond, they just waddled down to the creek and splashed around when they weren't eating up the bugs/worms around the yard and gardens. I used to spend some time looking for a "retirement property" a few counties west of here but eventually gave it up when it got to the point that I couldn't even really keep up with the 2.5 acres we've got now like I need to. Looks like fun. No ticks or chiggers down there? Man, the ticks are bad up here. Got to dust the yard a couple times a year or you'll get a tick on you just walking around in the grass far from the brush/woods. |
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Posted: 5/25/2017 4:54:35 PM EDT
[#48]
Great thread, and a really nice place. We bought about 100 acres in to NE Georgia a few years ago when we retired. Great feeling working your place and watching the grandkids enjoy it (the country as they call it).
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Posted: 6/14/2017 12:25:52 AM EDT
[#49]
We're still getting backberries, although the crop seems to be tapering off. I think our daughter's first favorite food (besides mother's milk, of course) can officially be declared as blackberries. She gets downright irate if she thinks you should be feeding her berries and you're negligent in your duties! We've also stumbled onto several different wild blueberry bushes around the property. Most of them are in the areas we're planning on fencing in for pastures, so we're wondering about the idea of transplanting them to other areas or just trying to fence them away from the goats and sheep. We definitely want to encourage their growth, though.
The ticks have been a nightmare this year too. They don't seem to give a damn about DEET or permethrin, and we're having to pull ticks off on a daily basis anyway. We're also hoping to be bringing home a new puppy in late July/early August. The litter was born a week ago, but there was only one boy, so we'll have to see if he'll end up being ours. He has 6 sisters, but we were specifically hoping for a boy. Here's a pic of the pile of pups. 
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Posted: 6/14/2017 2:18:58 AM EDT
[#50]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
We're still getting backberries, although the crop seems to be tapering off. I think our daughter's first favorite food (besides mother's milk, of course) can officially be declared as blackberries. She gets downright irate if she thinks you should be feeding her berries and you're negligent in your duties! We've also stumbled onto several different wild blueberry bushes around the property. Most of them are in the areas we're planning on fencing in for pastures, so we're wondering about the idea of transplanting them to other areas or just trying to fence them away from the goats and sheep. We definitely want to encourage their growth, though. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/339551/IMG-2188-230342.jpg https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/339551/IMG-2194-230344.jpg The ticks have been a nightmare this year too. They don't seem to give a damn about DEET or permethrin, and we're having to pull ticks off on a daily basis anyway. We're also hoping to be bringing home a new puppy in late July/early August. The litter was born a week ago, but there was only one boy, so we'll have to see if he'll end up being ours. He has 6 sisters, but we were specifically hoping for a boy. Here's a pic of the pile of pups. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/339551/IMG-2179-227834.jpg What are they??? Girl dogs are often best dogs (once spayed of course). I can't split hairs. My two best SAR dogs were one of each, male and female. I'm just sayin that a girl will win your heart too.
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