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2017 reforestation project. |
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littlemarv
Orange Level Joined: 10 Jun 2013 Location: Wisconsin Points: 1829 |
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Posted: 04 Jun 2017 at 10:56pm |
I have some very large silver maples in my yard. Great shade trees. And they throw down thousands of helicopters this time of year. By the end of summer, there are seedlings growing in my gutters, flowerpots, the lawn, flower beds, you get the idea. So, I have a never ending supply of seedlings.
Up at my Dads place, in the field across the creek, there is about a 1 acre corner that a gulleywasher washed out years ago and really isn't accessible to farm anymore. Its so small that even the Mennonite equipment won't fit in there anymore. So, we worked it up years ago with our small machinery and planted Ladino and let it go. Well, years later, I have decided to do something with the now weed patch. We had an early storm that knocked down some helicopters about a month ago. I had the kids gather up a cupfull, went and bought a bag of potting soil and some food spikes. We pushed the helicopters into the dirt a little, shoved a food spike in next to them, then took them up to my dads and set them on a table in front of the south facing patio door. He has the room, it gives he a little project, and he has well water. Ain't nothing gonna grow with the bleach city water we have in our house. Since then, the helicopters have started falling on their own, and are a little brown. I think they are ready. So we planted another batch and took them up to Dads today. Come to find out, in the first batch, in the red cups, some of the seeds that were laying on top of the dirt have sprouted nicely. The ones we pushed into the dirt aren't showing anything, but I pulled one up and it had a big root going down. So, on the new batch, I pulled some up and laid them on top of the soil. Figure that's how they land when they fall from the tree anyways. So, we will see how this goes. If nothing takes off, I'm out a bag of potting soil. But if it works, my kids and I can plant a patch of trees for their children to enjoy. The plan is to plant several seedlings, and put chicken wire around them to keep the rabbits away. Then put a bigger wire fence around that, to keep the deer away. More to come, eventually! Edited by littlemarv - 13 Aug 2017 at 9:58pm |
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The mechanic always wins.
B91131, WC23065, WD89101, CA29479, B1, Early B10, HB212, 416H |
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GARY(OH/IN)
Orange Level Joined: 19 May 2010 Location: Findlay,Ohio Points: 917 |
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How about this idea? Just gather up all the helicopters you can find and have the kids scatter them by hand and see what happens.
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DiyDave
Orange Level Access Joined: 11 Sep 2009 Location: Gambrills, MD Points: 51674 |
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OK, if you like stick dropping, surface root producing, nasty silver maples. Just kidding, I mow lawns for a living, and just hadda vent...
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littlemarv
Orange Level Joined: 10 Jun 2013 Location: Wisconsin Points: 1829 |
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Dave, you hit the nail on the head for sure.
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The mechanic always wins.
B91131, WC23065, WD89101, CA29479, B1, Early B10, HB212, 416H |
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shameless dude
Orange Level Joined: 10 Apr 2017 Location: east NE Points: 13607 |
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soon there will be a "arbor day Marv"!
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littlemarv
Orange Level Joined: 10 Jun 2013 Location: Wisconsin Points: 1829 |
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Well, I've been fixing my Photobucket cursed posts as I work on them, time to continue this one.
Pa picked out the best seedlings and transferred them to pots and set them outside in partial shade. They seem to be doing quite well, and with the incredible amounts of rain we have been getting, I figured this would be a banner year for stuffing trees in the ground. Years ago, a small section of the field across the creek was cut off by a washout. I seem to remember it happening a few times when I was younger, and we always went and filled it in. This last time was a bit too much and Pa said forget it. We just tilled it up and planted some Ladino grass and let it be. Well, it didn't take long for the goldenrod to take control. SO, I got to fire up the old Simplicity walk behind tractor with handy 30" sickle attachment. Man, that thing is wicked. And fun to use! Grabbed some cow manure and compost, some fencing and some fenceposts, and off we went. Dug four good sized holes, chopped up the dirt, threw a bag of manure/compost in each one, and put four seedlings in each hole. Set some posts in, used chicken wire around the bottom for smaller critters, and some 6 foot wire fence for the split toes. Figured a little mulch would help with weeds and moisture control. So there. The only hitch in our giddyup was that it stopped raining at least once a day. Seedlings need a lot of moisture, especially when first planted. Well, back to town, junior, to remedy said situation! Pa has enough firewood for oh, two or three years. He's kind of running low on stuff to keep him busy, and he has that fancy Gator that he patrols the property with.....how can we put him to work??? Went to Fleet and bought a 12 volt transfer pump. Grabbed a 35 gallon barrel from the back shed. We can pump water out of the creek and haul it up and water the trees. The holes on the suction thingy were pretty small, but I still wrapped it in a couple layers of nylon screen to filter out all the crud from the creek water. Mounted the pump, ran a hose up to fill the barrel, then installed a boiler drain valve and another hose to gravity feed the water out. Junior got to learn about drilling and tapping holes, PVC and primer and glue, all sorts of handy stuff. (And momma says we are wasting time!!!!) So there, time for a mockup, because I'm not sure how high that little pump will lift water. The green bucket simulates sucking it out of the creek, the barrel should be about the same height when its in the gator. Works good. It pumps about 5 GPM, so it takes 7 minutes to fill the barrel. The pump has alligator clips on it, so we can attach it to the gator battery. So there, back up to the farm. Got it all mounted in. Pa started watering them religiously back in July, he says they are doing well.
Edited by littlemarv - 13 Aug 2017 at 10:51pm |
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The mechanic always wins.
B91131, WC23065, WD89101, CA29479, B1, Early B10, HB212, 416H |
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littlemarv
Orange Level Joined: 10 Jun 2013 Location: Wisconsin Points: 1829 |
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While Pa was busy tending to this years seedlings, I found three from last year hiding out in the bushes on the north side of the house. These guys are over a foot tall, and are looking good. Might as well stuff them in the ground too, and check on the little ones.
Well, the mulch doesn't slow the weeds down much, that's for sure. Some of the seedlings haven't done much, others are thriving. I guess if we get one nice tree out of each batch, that's good enough. So, we dug three more holes and planted three more. I hope these take off, they are quite nice. Hmm, didn't get a picture of the other two. Oh well. Finally, our turn to try out the water barrel. Mother nature, take it away! Pa said he would probably water them into October, and lets see what happens. For crying out loud, they grow EVERYWHERE here in town, I would think that up there, in that rich soil, protected from the deer, they should thrive. I guess time will tell. Thanks for looking. |
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The mechanic always wins.
B91131, WC23065, WD89101, CA29479, B1, Early B10, HB212, 416H |
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DiyDave
Orange Level Access Joined: 11 Sep 2009 Location: Gambrills, MD Points: 51674 |
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Best and cheapest way to water 'em is to make some 5 gallon buckets with a couple holes in the bottom, so water seeps out, put 1 or 2 next to sapling, fill from tank on truck or gator, using gravity and 1 inch or bigger ball valve at tank. That takes most of the wait time out. If the buckets blow around, drop a bar bell weight or something heavy, in each one...
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jaybmiller
Orange Level Access Joined: 12 Sep 2009 Location: Greensville,Ont Points: 22460 |
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I appreciate the 're-forestration' project ! It gets everyone involved, in your case THREE generations or is that TREE generations ?..
Best thing I did was plant a Manitoba Maple across the street, roadside in the 'bare filed' that later sprung up a concrete monster of a house. That was 15 years ago,+-. NOW I don't see that place once the leaves come out. Nice to hear the birds squaking for 'nest rights' too ! That sure is some tall grass! I'm guessing it's not good feed for barn critters ? If you want a great ground cover, toss down some 'purple Basil'. It's pretty, chokes out almost everything AND selfseeds for next year ! I'm hoping it'll do away with the field bindweed that's magically come back near the veggie garden. Jay |
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3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112
Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor) Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water |
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Butch(OH)
Orange Level Joined: 11 Sep 2009 Location: Lucerne Ohio Points: 3834 |
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Nice work, I have never started a tree from seed but we would dig up seedlings that sprung up and transplant them, mostly Maples. We had a huge crop of Black Walnuts last year and must have had perfect growing conditions because I have never seen so many spring up in the yard. Moved a few around and wow they grow quickly! Some are waist high already.
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littlemarv
Orange Level Joined: 10 Jun 2013 Location: Wisconsin Points: 1829 |
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Well, here we are, a year later.
Junior started this years batch... Last time we were up there, I mowed with the bush hog, But along the edge, the goldenrod rules. Went up today to cut it all back so the trees can get some sun. Lifted up all the cages, chopped out the weeds, and threw in some grass clippings for mulch. Got the area cleaned up pretty good for a little while anyways. Gave everybody a drink and called it good. Apparently, 4 days of camping, a triple header Saturday, and staying up late eating Smores every night catches up with a guy. |
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The mechanic always wins.
B91131, WC23065, WD89101, CA29479, B1, Early B10, HB212, 416H |
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shameless dude
Orange Level Joined: 10 Apr 2017 Location: east NE Points: 13607 |
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that's a great thing to be teaching your boy! he'll remember that for ever! maybe it'll be a start of a career for him too! good job! I also have them coming up all over on my place too!
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Ted J
Orange Level Joined: 05 Jul 2010 Location: La Crosse, WI Points: 18821 |
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I don't know how I missed this thread, but I did. Now that I see it.....
I'll have to send you a couple of pics of the maples that I started. One of em has got to be close to 18-20 feet now. For the small critters (and the weed wacker) I use this plastic wrap stuff they sell for wrapping trees. It is made to expand as the tree grows. My biggest problem is the deer. They just LOVE the tops of these soft trees. A REAL PITA!! |
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"Allis-Express"
19?? WC / 1941 C / 1952 CA / 1956 WD45 / 1957 WD45 / 1958 D-17 |
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truckerfarmer
Orange Level Access Joined: 26 Jan 2013 Location: Watertown, SD Points: 3217 |
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Hey, where were you guys last Thursday! I could have used the help. I got called into work to plant 100 bare root maples by hand. Still have about that many left over. Got a feeling that's what I'll be doing today.
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Looking at the past to see the future.
'53 WD, '53 WD45, WD snap coupler field cultivator, #53 plow,'53 HD5B dozer Duct tape.... Can't fix stupidity. But will muffle the sound of it! |
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john(MI)
Orange Level Joined: 12 Sep 2009 Location: SE MI Points: 9262 |
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I have a row of them across the south side of the house. Hardly ever need to use the ac. I have those baby trees growing out of the cracks in concrete! I don't care about the sticks or seedlings when that cool breeze comes thru the windows.
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D14, D17, 5020, 612H, CASE 446
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Stan IL&TN
Orange Level Joined: 13 Sep 2009 Location: Elvis Land Points: 6730 |
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Love the pictures! My next door neighbor has a gorgeous Japanese red maple and each spring small ones spring up in my yard and I always dig them up before spraying the weeds. I have three now that are about 8 feet tall and also gave one to my daughter to put in their front yard and it's maybe 5 feet tall now. I have a flower bed that has about a dozen seedlings in it right now. I'm going to let they stay until next year and then pot them up.
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1957 WD45 dad's first AC
1968 one-seventy 1956 F40 Ferguson |
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CrestonM
Orange Level Joined: 08 Sep 2014 Location: Oklahoma Points: 8391 |
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This is really neat! I'd never seen this thread either. Wish I could do something like that, but our "creeks" only have water after a big rain.
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B26240
Orange Level Joined: 21 Nov 2009 Location: mn Points: 3860 |
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Marv you and your son make the best videos !!
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SteveM C/IL
Orange Level Access Joined: 12 Sep 2009 Location: Shelbyville IL Points: 8239 |
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Silver Maples grow fast and make great shade.They also bust off limbs in bad storms and in 50yrs they're hollow rotted and start falling apart. Don't have them close to anything important. Got one WAY to close to the house now. It's about 38 and I planted it.
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fixer1958
Orange Level Joined: 13 Feb 2010 Location: kansas Points: 2434 |
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I have 7 silver maples but they aren't what you are describing. Mine are like these and don't have copters. Planted them when they were pencil size and now I can't even get my arms around them.
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littlemarv
Orange Level Joined: 10 Jun 2013 Location: Wisconsin Points: 1829 |
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Went up today to plant this years batch. We potted 40 helicopters just like last year. Last year, we got about 30 good seedlings. This year, we got 8. The only thing I did different this year was I forgot to put a food spike in each cup with the seed. I can't imagine that would be the cause, who knows, maybe its just a bad germination year?
Started to rain. Unfortunately, I am too busy, I don't wait for the weather. Good thing I made the kids bring umbrellas. The old weed patch sure looks different from last year. I guess bush hogging it once sets the goldenrod back quite a ways. Lots of milkweed now though. At any rate, I think the first trees we planted are way too close together. This time we spaced them out quite a bit. Had the young uns mark it out and get the supplies out. Peeled the sod back, dig down a ways, dump in a bag of manure and mix well. Kind of neat. At Farm Technology Days, they dug a big trench and put the soil and conservation tent over it. It was neat to see the layers of soil. There was only about 2 or 3 inches of topsoil in that field. When I dug the holes today, there was a good 8" of topsoil, before I hit the clay. I suppose, years of the weeds growing and dying really builds up the soil. That is some damn fine dirt up in that corner, dark brown and loaded with earthworms. Stuck two seedlings into each hole. This is what life it all about, being out in the fresh air working in the dirt to grow something. Hope it stays with the kids for the rest of their lives. Last year was the off year for acorns. This year there should be plenty, so we will be growing some oak seedlings as well. Thanks for looking. Edited by littlemarv - 25 Jul 2018 at 11:09pm |
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The mechanic always wins.
B91131, WC23065, WD89101, CA29479, B1, Early B10, HB212, 416H |
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Dakota Dave
Orange Level Joined: 12 Sep 2009 Location: ND Points: 3938 |
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No you got to start sending out envelops of seeds to everyone. My kids picked acorns and we planted them several years ago had about half come up and make it through the first winter. I didn't have the for thought to fence around them in the third winter the animals got all but one. I'm still babying it but after 6 years it only 6 feet tall. The Canadian choke cherries I planted at the same time are 25 ft and producing berries.
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mdm1
Orange Level Joined: 12 Sep 2009 Location: Onalaska, WI Points: 2634 |
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I have collected white swamp oak acorns from the river bottoms and planted some at our cabin. They are growing. I will never see an acorn on one but I hope someone will. I am too far away to really tend to them. Good luck.
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Everything is impossible until someone does it! WD45-trip loader 1947 c w/woods belly mower, 1939 B, #3 sickle mower 1944 B, 2 1948 G's. Misc other equipment that my wife calls JUNK!
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jaybmiller
Orange Level Access Joined: 12 Sep 2009 Location: Greensville,Ont Points: 22460 |
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You're doing your part to battle 'climate change' ! Planting trees !! That's the easy SOLUTION, commone sense too !!! Trees take in all that 'bad' CO2 and give us O2. They also grow and store that 'bad' C ( carbon). Hopefully you and your 'crew' will be able to carry on this 'tradition' for decades. Jay
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3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112
Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor) Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water |
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chaskaduo
Orange Level Joined: 26 Nov 2016 Location: Twin Cities Points: 5200 |
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Dug this up quick on the net if your curious. A human breathes about 9.5 tonnes of air in a year, but oxygen only makes up about 23 percent of that air, by mass, and we only extract a little over a third of the oxygen from each breath. That works out to a total of about 740kg of oxygen per year. Which is, very roughly, seven or eight trees’ worth. Really not a large number of trees.
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1938 B, 79 Dynamark 11/36 6spd, 95 Weed-Eater 16hp, 2010 Bolens 14hp
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Ray54
Orange Level Access Joined: 22 Nov 2009 Location: Paso Robles, Ca Points: 4524 |
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This very interesting report on the maples. Thanks for showing the progress of your seedlings.Are maples that tasty to the deer,or just one of those things that if you plant it the deer must eat it?
I know I am from a different climate and stuff, but found acorns grow really well were I have sprayed simazine. I am cheap and LAZY so not having go and mow or hoe around little trees is big help. Right now all my weeds are dead and just a bigger fire hazard,so clean ground has other benefits as well. But I cannot buy simazine anymore cause off the Fruits and Nuts running this place.
I can understand if you want to stay organic and all but the years I sprayed simazine I had acorns sprouting everywhere. The gophers also stayed away from them as well when nothing else was growing close and in my dry climate all the water was there for the tree as well. |
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littlemarv
Orange Level Joined: 10 Jun 2013 Location: Wisconsin Points: 1829 |
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Deer are like rats around here. They eat everything that's green, pretty much. But the main problem is the horny spike bucks that take out their frustrations on little trees. Seen lots of nice saplings destroyed. I'm going to have to leave the fences up for a long time...
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The mechanic always wins.
B91131, WC23065, WD89101, CA29479, B1, Early B10, HB212, 416H |
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littlemarv
Orange Level Joined: 10 Jun 2013 Location: Wisconsin Points: 1829 |
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I was looking through all the photos on my phone, and realized I never updated this post.
Late summer, found some acorns up in dads woods. Brought a handful home and floated them. All junk. It was way to early anyways. One day after we got done painting the football field, picked up a batch at the school. They have a nice stand of oak trees. Floated them as well. Skimmed off the junk ones, and had a pretty good pile of good ones. Planted some in some pots right away, and put the rest in a bag of potting soil in the fridge downstairs for storage. Made a squirrel proof cage, and set them out behind the shed where they get mostly sun. Watered and watched them all fall, haven't seen hide nor hair of anything going on there. I guess we will just see if anything happens come spring. So, kind of gave up on the project for the winter, but then, a few weeks ago, I got the itch again. Grabbed a couple acorns out of the fridge downstairs and planted them in some plastic cups and set them on the kitchen windowsill. Didn't really expect much, I was watering them with our fluoride/bleach water. But, lo and behold, on Christmas day.... And only three days later... Well, that one sure is doing good. I guess we will see if any other ones pop up. And once we get rid of the dang Christmas tree, looks like I will be building a shelf on the ledge of the big picture window in the living room on the west side of the house, lots more good afternoon sun over there... Thanks for looking. Edited by littlemarv - 28 Dec 2018 at 5:46pm |
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The mechanic always wins.
B91131, WC23065, WD89101, CA29479, B1, Early B10, HB212, 416H |
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littlemarv
Orange Level Joined: 10 Jun 2013 Location: Wisconsin Points: 1829 |
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Back when we used to see the sun, anyways. It has been cloudy here for weeks, seems like.
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The mechanic always wins.
B91131, WC23065, WD89101, CA29479, B1, Early B10, HB212, 416H |
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mdm1
Orange Level Joined: 12 Sep 2009 Location: Onalaska, WI Points: 2634 |
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We picked up some swamp oak acorns a few years ago while duck hunting and planted them in one area as a small nursery. They are now about ready to replant by the creek. I doubt I will ever see an acorn fall off of one but someone might I hope. Fun thing to do with the kids. Enjoy!
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Everything is impossible until someone does it! WD45-trip loader 1947 c w/woods belly mower, 1939 B, #3 sickle mower 1944 B, 2 1948 G's. Misc other equipment that my wife calls JUNK!
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