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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? April 24th marked our first outdoor cookout as temperatures approached 80 degrees in central Ulster County. Peach, ornamental cherry, and pear flowers are popping, grass and kids are growing like weeds too. It’s nice to see the green permeate the lawn and forest afterContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Saw something funny while driving around the Upper Beaverkill a few weeks ago. Now that’s one pinched chainsaw. I’m no antique chainsaw expert, but that looks like a saw prior to the 1980s or so. It’s also stuck about 10 feet from the ground.Continue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? 2025 Maple season is a wrap. I finished with about 6.75 gallons from 17 taps or 0.39 gallons of syrup/tap. My average is somewhere around 0.45, so this year is slightly below average. The season was pretty short, but furiously busy during one week.Continue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? I learned this simple technique from Jim Waters–former Executive Director of CFA–back in 2007. It works great to make simple bookends for your firewood pile. Just use line or rope and tie from upright pallet on the side and then to the bottom pallet.Continue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Sometimes it can be so frustrating to keep trees alive and vigorous, no matter how careful we are. Other times, trees seem to stay alive despite gross negligence. This eastern redcedar tree–growing on private property near my house–refuses to die, despite this cable wrappedContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Finally got my hands on a moisture meter for measuring my firewood. Dry or seasoned firewood is considered to be 20% or less. I couldn’t find any firewood that was more than 10%. As many of you know that burn firewood, dry firewood isContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Went for a hike up on Sam’s Point–Minnewaska State Park Preserve, Shawangunk Ridge–last weekend. Haven’t been up there in a while. One photo shows the aftermath of a fire, leaving behind pitch pine and lowbush blueberry; 2 species highly adapted to frequent fire. TheContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? It’s been a cold winter, at least compared to what we’ve experienced in the last few years. Last year this time, I was wrapping up my maple sugaring season. Today (February 22nd) marks an “old-fashioned” start time. The older residents of the area tellContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Saw this tree growing far up the mountain in the Town of Olive doing great. It looks like an American holly tree (Ilex opaca). Despite being a broad-leafed tree, it keeps its leaves all year round. You can also see its attractive red berries.Continue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Seeing trees like this near one’s house is what keeps tree guys in business for sure. The ash trees probably began growing as “volunteers” or from seed and let go over the past 40 or so years. Now they have been infected by emeraldContinue Reading