Tim Lutz

Great topic. Lack of communication tends to break down into types of control and violence.  
I get to engage in expedited team driving with strangers 24 hours a day for week trips of planned chaos. Like to start discussing foundational directives that sets the course of what we believe. Doing so in a none religious fashion takes some logic and philosophy background.
And I like to present the ideal of the goal of a nurturing community. What I have seen of such, and how to get there by personal peaceful giving efforts.

First full season with 6 developing hives. Much of their energy went into drawing comb. And swarms. Was able to "bee" generous with some established and new beekeepers. Not much honey. Did win the best of show in county fair. And am registered with Bee Check.
Next year plan on selling.  Went and bought some jars from Blue Sky, drove over during fall get away. Now the catch. Checked a few sources for labels. Um with the price I am fixing on doing  some creative printing with cellphone and  HP printer/copier, and a little home made paste.  Any reasonably priced sources out there?

On moles and  voles.
There are some times less is more😎😎😎.
Plan on adding mole plant
(Euphorbia lathyris)
to my strategy list.
A. Wire screen ring 4-6 inches deep 18 inch diameter at transplant/direct seeding spot.
B. Mints and pot marigold "Calendula officinalis".
Was given some seeds for "mole plant". It is supposed to work great on giving off a scent underground to send the moles and voles away. Would like to interspace in garden. But, (and there always is one) is there any problems with the "companion planting " or health risks? 🐸🌎☣

Our problem adds to the deer. Have found bear scat in orchard...😲 Bear sightings common running the draw next to garden.😟
Keeping bees and having a garden (fenced 5 feet high chicken wire) to keep out small critters. The apiary has 6 feet tall chicken wire with solar powered electric wire every foot starting at 6 inches. Orchard and grapes are open.
Will collect urine and let set for a week. And ring around apiary and garden. Am willing to sacrifice orchard and grapes (mainly a wild turkey feedlot).  So fart, soooo....good.😎😎😎

Usually use cheese melted onto the trap release. And will dab some nut butter on to freshen. But will try the pistachio hull.

Nathaniel Swasey wrote:I work in the tree industry. Fairly new at it, but I've noticed that I can easily point out poison ivy after seeing so much of it (and getting completely covered in it). What I have noticed, however, is that when I go to a property with wild grape vines growing in the trees, I hardly see any poison ivy. In fact, I can't remember a location that had grape vine and poison ivy growing in large amounts. I asked my co-workers if they recall grape vines and poison ivy growing together, they cannot recall.

I think the question is significant. Is it possible that grape vines and poison ivy share a common nutrient that they compete over?

Has anyone else noticed this?

Yes you are right. Worked in woods firewood, logging, hunting ,and hiking.

Wish that I had gotten to this thread earlier. But there is always next year.  We were losing many of our cucurbits to tunneling varmints. Of course we let our snakes have their way.  Have a pair of 6 foot black snakes and a pair of 4 foot garters.  Still no real hope of keeping up. Had an inspiration to try a ring of window screen, 18" ring and 4 to 6 inches deep. Works. Doing it for year two. Very happy with the results. We do clean the screen before storage.

Trying to get the best efficiency for my limited spray window.
Petal fall.
BT, + CalMag, + Fish emulsion.
Trying to get as much done in a short time. On a ridge in south central Virginia. Get a lot of wind. Have bees. And drive truck doing what is not wise to earn a living.  So get home once a week. Wife is already burdened with sizable garden and stand in swarm wrangling. So it is mine to do or it is not done...🐝🐝🍎🍏

Ok pro probably am butchering this response. But would make sure you get some good  organic fertilizer  around them. And mulch with shredded hardwood to mimic forest floor. Find other good Apple trees nearby and get some soil sample to transplant some symbiotic fungus. Keep looking at possibly getting some more calcium magnesium into the soil. Dolimite should help. A bit slow. But saving and soaking 30 egg shells in 1 gallon of water for a couple weeks until a bit cloudy. Then use 1 to 4 gallons of water a couple times a year.  See what you can do. Looks like they are starved and crying to me.

Angus Macaulay wrote:Hi,  new to the forum and looking for some advice wrt my two apple trees.  We just moved and on our yard are two very overgrown/ poorly kept apple trees.  One has very much out competed the other.  There is still a lot of clean  up to do on both trees and I'm still learning about appropriate care.  The big concern I have is in the pictures attached.  The smaller tree which is being out competed has a few large wounds.  I took off some dead branches that haven't seen much sunlight and there seems to be some healthy tree still there.  I'm trying to determine if the smaller tree can be saved.  If yes, then I'll take some more drastic action towards the bigger tree that is over growing it. If not, the smaller one will come out and we will be sad.
We are striking out with local arborists consultations (understandable with the covid) but would like to get a better idea of what we are dealing with.
Would greatly appreciate any advice.  

Best,

Angus

Many third world are getting free Facebook accounts. And are open. And noticed nothing new up on Paul's twitter acct. So until someone babysits it. I will make funny about Paul. Well not too nasty. Oh and see those first utubes on promo page for the book. Shoulda practiced. Gonna see how long it takes the peeps at LinkedIn to run me out.....