WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Recently, I revisited a “bald” or naturally open area on a ridgetop in Ulster County. What makes this place special is that it offers a view or opening in a dense sea of forest where few openings exist. I guess it remains naturally openContinue Reading

WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Finally got away & went for a good ‘ole bushwack in the woods & up a ridge. You never know what cool stuff you’ll find; It’s what keeps the woods interesting to me. Found this really unique and large “burl” growing upon an oldContinue Reading

WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? This beautiful sugar maple recently “failed” in the Town of Shandaken after a storm. We have covered “structural” issues before, but this tree really sends the message home. Open-grown sugar maple are especially susceptible of codominant leaders and can fail miserably. Co-dominants are whereContinue Reading

WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Now is the best time to find white and red mulberries, especially in the Hudson Valley. Kingston seems to be a hot spot for finding wild ones. My favorites are some of the white ones that are actually “white” when ripe. They taste kindContinue Reading

WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Shortly after Memorial Day or so & into August marks the best time to peel bark from hemlock trees. Hemlock bark was traditionally used in the Catskills–and many parts of the eastern US–for making tanning liquor from. Bark is grinded up and water addedContinue Reading

WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Last week I had about an hour to kill before sunset and didn’t feel like going for a walk. Instead, I grabbed my camera, climbing line, and harness and found the tallest nearby tree in order to snatch a photo of the sun settingContinue Reading

WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? Well, it’s at the point now with this tree–white ash–that in some areas, the only ones alive are the few we chemically inject to kill the larvae of the emerald ash borer. June is a full month spent “saving” ash trees via CFA’s TREEContinue Reading

WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? It’s not perfect, but if you’re looking for an all-around pesticide to apply to your apple trees, perhaps Surround WP might work. Surround is mostly kaolin clay and is far less toxic than other pesticides. It forms a barrier or film that protects theContinue Reading

WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? I mostly plant fruit trees around the house. People are often surprised that I don’t grow vegetables. The fruit trees, chickens, chasing deer, and tapping maple trees are enough. Besides, the forest has some good vegetables already growing in it. Trout lilies are oneContinue Reading

WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST? More charcoal. While walking off-trail near Cross Mountain, I came across some charcoal hidden on the forest floor. Another place that must have experienced fire in its past. Charcoal doesn’t really breakdown & will be there for a long time. Often these tiny littleContinue Reading