Thanks, Burra. The English Shepherd and the Welsh sheepdog may just be 2 different local names for the same dog. They look so very similar and would be the Border Collie predecessor. I absolutely agree that a guardian and a herding dog are 2 separate type of dogs. I thought I was responding to another comment about that but I can't find it. Totally possible I was imagining things.
I am really enjoying seeing these pictures and her commentaries on the dog's progress.
One of the Arbor Day Foundation goals are to find a strain resistant to that Eastern Blight.
My dog loves chasing squirrels like it's his job. Oh, wait... It is. He has even tripped over them as they zigzag and looked at the crazy animal in wonderment until it gets going again. This particular dog seems to have a low prey drive (at least as far as squirrels go) and strong herding instinct. Those squirrels belong in the trees! And squirrels being squirrels can't resist looking on the ground for fallen nuts so they are less likely to live near a dog. I have watched squirrels tease a cat by climbing halfway up a tree and look back to see if the cat was following. They don't do that with dogs.
The picture in the welcome shows you (Robert) holding a woody plant root. Roots naturally all function similarly and I understand that certain types mycorrhiza prefer certain types of plants. Is this a matter of quantity or species? Will my apple tree grow vigorously in the middle of a former bean field? What methods would one use to efficiently convert a meadow into a forest? (Other than time?)
Also, I have planted a heartnut which has been doing fairly well now for the past couple of years then decided that spot would make a much better annual garden (for multiple reasons). I am concerned about the juglone inhibiting my annuals. Would you recommend going to the expense to have a backhoe move this tree or are there options to have my tree and annuals, too?
I have never heard of the term before this. Fascinating. This growth pattern is new to me and I would be interested in hearing if it occurs anywhere else.
The dogs in the above photos look very much like English Shepherds and from what I have read are an ideal breed for herding. A very intelligent dog with a strong farming instinct intact. Not a very large dog though, and not suited to be a solitary guardian. Border Collies and Australian Shepherds are descended from them. Anyone know where a Welsh Sheepdog would fit in there? An English Shepherd would be my idea of a perfect homestead dog.
I have always thought of this plant as a scourge and trying to clear some land, chopped down a whole patch of it. The patch said, "Thank you very much," and is even thicker than ever after leaving it for a couple years. Now that I have read all of these great ideas I am making a list to keep. Who knew!? I shall see it as more as a largess now.
Here's another use -- They spread through underground runners which will turn at an almost perfect right angle to send up the trunk. The runners are only a few inches deep below the surface. I live near a Renaissance Faire and saw a craftsman there who used the natural shape of the young tree to make walking sticks. Knowing how they grow it was clear to me that he had to have pulled them up to keep that shape.
For those who express concern about them "taking," I would say don't worry. Yes, deer like them and they are important browse for them in the winter. Alpacas like them, too.
And if anyone would like some, come on over to my place and help yourself.
As Michael pointed out, Hazelnuts are technically a shrub, not a tree, and as such can be planted a bit deeper. As you may notice from the directions, they recommend only putting a half inch of soil over the plug to inhibit moisture from wicking away from the plug and drying it out.
I also take issue of them sending out the tiny trees so late, even though fall is a favorite time to plant trees. Some trees can only be transplanted when they are dormant, therefore, autumn. If your ground is frozen, though, you will do seedlings no favor by putting them in a deep freeze without their roots having any chance to get established. My suggestion would be to pot them up, keep them watered and in cool place until you can get into the ground in spring.
You could build it out of styrofoam but paint it to look like big heavy oak and build in breakaway hinges or neodynium magnets to hold it on. Then when you go to open it you grab it and go GAARRR!!! like an ogre and tear it off the hinges and throw it to the side, like you are going in to eat the hobbits.
Only cool if somebody sees you do it, tho.
Of course styrofoam is out of the question but why not some kind of veneer to make it look massive with some wool insulation inside to keep it lighter?
Question for David Kennedy - What are your strategies for getting us notoriously reluctant Americans to eat more greens? Are there novel ways to prepare them? A new way to approach fitting greens into the typical menu? Green disguises? It seems I should eat more (every day?!) but they are still a bit of a mystery to me.
Thanks for everything!
This will be a single build and the instructors - Ernie & Erica - will instruct on choosing the type of build. (Sorry I can't tag them here like on facebook but you could PM them if you have more specific questions.)
Hi!
I am unable to do that but if you pay in full before March 20, 2015 each will get a 15% discount. Remember this includes all meals, camp site, and the terrific instruction from Ernie and Erica. The view of Lake Ontario we throw in as a bonus.
I just tried to register and got the message that it is officially over. Sounds like it would have a lot of good information, but it is inaccessible now?
You can learn from top notch instructors - Ernie and Erica Wisner - and learn how to use very small amounts of wood to efficiently and cleanly heat your home.
Details in first post of this thread or message me for further questions.
Ok, just talked to my local bee guy (who was out of town when this happened) and he says those are most likely drones I saw, not queens. And he concurred - those bees are doomed. He guessed that some local colony got damaged or threatened somehow which initiated the swarm.
I have no existing hives and couldn't find anyone to come and get them.
I went to check the branch they had swarmed on today and I am pretty sure I saw at least four queens with a few workers (?) climbing around. Most of the swarm of Tuesday was gone. Any guesses as to what happened?
I happened across a swarm on my farm. I don't keep bees yet myself and am not aware of anyone in my neighborhood who has hives. I actually drove up the driveway as a cloud of bees was moving across it so I stopped and got out to watch. They flew another 50 feet or so then gathered on a branch about a foot off the ground. Does anyone know why they would be swarming now? Are these poor misguided bees doomed?
This workshop will be presented by Ernie and Erica Wisner ( http://www.ernieanderica.info ) and hosted at a small farm in Sterling, NY near the shores of Lake Ontario from April 24 - 26, 2015.
Rocket Mass Heaters:
* Build with Cob, Masonry, Metal, & more
* Burn wood smoke-free and super-efficiently
* Explore great designs, methods & materials (historic & modern)
* Enjoy massive heat with a handful of wood
Cost: $350. covers instruction, meals, and tent campsite. Ask about other housing options available. $50 non-refundable deposit secures your spot in this limited enrollment workshop. Early bird discount - $299. if paid in full by March 20, 2015. Limited work/trade arrangements are available.
Payment deadline is April 3rd, 2015.
Send payment through PayPal to healgaia@yahoo.com.
I am in the Oswego area. There is sure some happening stuff in these parts. We are in the planning - soon to be installation - stages of a permaculture living lab on the Oswego campus of the State University of New York.
I just 'spoke' with an arborist friend of mine who said coppicing won't work to keep the EAB away as it is very small itself and attacks small branches. So forget it for that reason. But maybe it would make it easier to spot... ?
I can attest to ash coppicing well, too. I have one growing near my foundation that I have to cut back every year. Just can't seem to kill it but I am only half hearted in my try. Ash is good to focus on in the northeast for another good reason -- the emerald ash borer. We might just want to keep the ash trees small to foil this insect. Stacking functions, eh?
Yes, I am intrigued with the RMH with a fire view? Has anyone ever devised a RMH to heat a hot tub? Looking forward to seeing Erica and Ernie in New York in October!
Hi Erica -
The article you found covers the same basic information but with a much different view. The article that Paul linked to is written by Martin Holladay and he mentions the writer of the article you found. Mr. Holladay was quite harsh in his criticism of earthships.
There is a huge copper beech just around the corner from my small urban site. I will take a tape measure, too, and measure the girth of this gigantic tree. I wouldn't know how to get the whole thing into one frame, but I'll try. Trees are marvelous creatures and are to be nurtured. Without them we would be gone. Ever read the Easter Island story in Jared Diamond's Collapse? Here he is in a 2003 TED talk where in addition to trees, he even mentions Montana. http://www.ted.com/talks/jared_diamond_on_why_societies_collapse
Sounds like a great idea for which there seems an interest. As a seamstress and one who has also worked in leather, I offer an advisory word. You mentioned taking apart a shirt to use as a pattern for leather. (Reverse engineering) Certainly you could do this but leather is not going to have the same "hand" as a woven (or knit) fabric. As well as giving considerations for fit, you will need to make allowances for the weight of your leather. Supple deerskin will lend itself better to some garments than others, but will still need to consider the weight of the leather, as Peter Ellis mentioned with footwear.
Good luck with this!
What conditions are optimum for a successful start with a new hive? Appreciating that bees live in a variety of climates and assuming we have a choice, is there a 'best' temperature, humidity, or other weather conditions that will ensure a favorable outcome?
Thanks!
I really would like to keep bees but have no confidence with any sort of livestock. I've had a couple of dogs and they've done all right and I take seriously the responsibility of caring for another living being. I've read a lot and have a beekeeper friend (conventional) but I still am unsure how to proceed. Are there any step by step instructions on how to prepare for beekeeping? Is there a small way to begin?
Thanks.
