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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? While puttering around the house, a few of these flowers caught my attention, as they do each year: Flowering dogwood, horsechestnut, azalea, and lilac. The horsechestnut seemed to be a bee favorite as a loud hum from bees could be heard all around itsContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? The flowers of this small tree that finally appeared belong to North America’s largest tree fruit–pawpaw (Asimina triloba). It is the only local northeastern member of the mainly tropical family–Annonaceae. The flower forms a fruit that resembles a small green potato. The taste isContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Well, guess who’s back out in the woods after his winter sleep? That’s right. The black bears are back in full-force. I noticed a line of garbage pales knocked over in Accord a couple of days ago. The bear in the photo I sawContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Here is one tree that really has caught my attention the last 2 springs–flowering cherry. This tree seems to do really well at the lower elevations of the Catskills. Between their wide-spreading branches and form and beautiful white flowers, they are ornamentally hard toContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? And the newest additions to the family are my daughter Magnolia Marie and this magnolia tree planted last fall. The magnolia tree was purchased from Manza’s Family Farm in Montgomery, Orange County. Let’s see how they both do this spring. Hopefully the site isContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? After looking at hundreds of planted and wild apple trees over the last several months, I’ve noticed something consistently about bear damage. Damage to the branches–regardless of where the fruit is–seems to mostly be at the top. Maybe it’s because bears feel most comfortableContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? I spent the weekend in the Adirondacks on a Wilderness First Aid training in order to satisfy both 1st Aid & CPR in case an unfortunate event should occur in a remote area. In any case, I haven’t been in the Adirondacks in quiteContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Recently I got to see one of our pear grafts from 2017. The original pears–or “rootstock”–were ornamental or Bradford pears. The member wanted something fruitful and we grafted an Asian pear onto it at about 6 feet. We have learned that once pears unionize,Continue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Well, you don’t see this everyday. While driving around High Falls, Ulster County, I saw this peculiar tree; It’s an accurate representation of a pruning technique called “pollarding.” Pollarding is where a tree is kept small by pruning back each year to one spot,Continue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? The maple sugaring season is full-steam ahead right now. I better enjoy it while it lasts. Looking at the 10-day forecast in central Ulster County shows the day-time highs creeping into the upper 50s/lower 60s and evening lows above freezing. Freezing nights are aContinue Reading