Hand Tools and Machinery for Country Living

[Too Tall]

WRT the mult-flora...when I arrived at the camp there was an 8' wall along most of the eastern exposure trails. No kidding it was 8 feet deep and hundreds of feet long. I started with a gas powered Stihl pole saw than moved on to spray. It's taken three years to get them down to ground level. This year, I'm able to zap poision ivy that warmed the multi-flora's feet as well :) Oh, there are posion ivy vines as thick as my leg that I dispatch with a hand saw and eye protection. It ain't pretty.

The optimistic goal is to get rid of the invasive tree species leaving one good native every 30' feet and ground surface that I can maintain with a DR brush hog....I'm soooo close to that goal.

I'm no arborist but I love to play one on TV. Last yr. I planted a genetic survivor American Elm that is aloready 8' tall. Also, a zone 7 hardy Granddflora. The elm will someday be the largest tree on all 90+ acres and the Magnolia should top out at 50'. We have mature Chinese Chestnuts which produce countless pounds of nuts. The deer love it and some of my pals actually make flour from that. I could go on, I'm following in the footsteps as they say.

By this time next year I'll be looking at pretty manageable slopes for the first time in many many years before my arrival.

#d#mnstraight