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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Bud Eckert is gone, but his memory lives on. Found this tree in the middle of nowhere inscribed by the famous mountain-man himself from West Shokan–Bud Eckert. Bud was a character & I got to know him briefly while stopping by at Snyder’s TavernContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Well, it’s already happening; Fall is settling in despite what the calendar says. Nights are getting cooler and the deer’s red summer coats are growing darker and longer for winter. I noticed this black gum leaf turning it’s beautiful scarlet red. It was theContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Now you see ’em, now you don’t. That’s how it goes with oak “regen” or seedlings growing on the forest floor. This year seems to be a bumper year (in some areas) with baby oak trees growing. Unfortunately, many of these tiny guys won’tContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Finally found a good place to take 4 small children and my wife camping that isn’t too far to get to, while still being able to offer a few “natural amenities” such as a small stream, fire-pit, decent flat to pitch a tent, someContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Coming Soon–A Magnolia Tree. Before planting a tree, I like to prepare the site for about a month & kill that well-established grass using a rubber mat. Once the grass is real dead, I cover it with wood chips for a mulch. Last weekend,Continue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? I’m not sure if this year is better than prior years, but there does sure seem to be a lot of thyme out. Thyme grows on its own in many people’s yards, especially mine. It seems to grow best where the grass grows theContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Finally got some time to take the fishing pole further upstream where colder waters abound and find one of my favorite forested creatures–the brook trout. He was just a tiny little guy, but nice to see. Down below on the same stream, I normallyContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Well, it happened again. I almost stepped on a rattlesnake. It’s been awhile since that has occurred, thank God. This time, I wasn’t bushwacking, but walking down a forest road or trail, coming back from fishing. Loudly in front of me was a soundContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? I found this little sycamore about 2 years ago down the road and transplanted it in the front yard. This year it seems to be “warming up” to my place and beginning to put on some growth. I love American sycamore. They have thatContinue Reading

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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? I live in Samsonville, central Ulster County, that was hit hard by the emerald ash borer earlier than other areas of the Catskills. Most of the time, ash is a smaller component of the forest; Roughly 4 to 10%. However, in some areas onContinue Reading