10/21/2026
This fall our neighbor asked me try and plant around his old Avery thrasher on a gravel k**b behind us. He had originally placed it there in 2022. The site is one he has mowed and baled in the past. it was now being buried behind 10 foot Elms; amazing how fast these trees can grow! He can hardly see his "prize" possession from the road now...the Elms are beginning to block it completely.
So, I have a mission. We are collecting seed for the neighbor and spent a few days back cutting out the smaller trees around the thrasher. Then I mowed tall brome all around the Avery and partially down the side of the k**b...we'll just plant maybe 20-25 feet down the slope and directly around it. I'll go back and cut tighter in a couple weeks - we can't burn there, so we need to expose as much dirt as possible. We'll plan for a late fall or early winter planting and do some brome spraying come spring...with follow ups.
We still had some larger Elms to cut down and many 6-18 inch clumps of volunteers that we'll spray if possible. Yesterday the chain saw came out for the big trees. Georgie cut dozens of hand pruning sized trunks and cleared around the larger ones, so I could use either the pole saw or the 18" chain saw on them.
I should have taken some shots before we started this project...I only have some showing after much of the work was already done.
We spent all afternoon yesterday cutting and hauling out Chinese Elms! Still an untold amount of small saplings and elm and ash clumps to take care of...that will be ongoing as long as we live here...its that way in our adjacent pasture as well.
Seed collection continues and a lot more work ahead!
