Winter Woodland Maintenance
Winter chores are in full swing at my Bedford, New York farm. In fact, a lot of outdoor tasks are best done during this time of year.
My outdoor grounds crew has been very busy with woodland maintenance and clean up around the property - clearing dying or broken trees, knocking down weeds, brambles, and thorny barberry bushes, and picking up the many fallen branches. The brush is then collected, chipped and spread right back into the woods. Any desirable tree trunks are set aside and cut up for lumbering, and rotten or irregular trunks are reserved for the tub grinder - everything is always put to good use.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- This is one of the most popular views of the farm – the carriage road leading into the woodlands. In winter, it’s nice to be able to see through the woods to the hayfield beyond.
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- But such views wouldn’t be possible without some general maintenance work. Every year, my outdoor grounds crew spends several weeks “cleaning” the woods. “Cleaning” the woods allows us to reuse and repurpose a lot of natural materials – and it makes the area much prettier.
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- Here is an area that is not yet cleaned. Clearing this area, removing dried twigs and other branches will help reduce the chance of fire by creating a natural firebreak.
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- There are many brambles, weeds, vines, and useless seedlings growing in all the woods. These must be whacked down so there is room to plant and cultivate seedling trees that will be beneficial in the woodland. I often ride my horse through the woods to see how my trees are doing – clearing makes this much easier to do.
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- Here are some of the brambles already cut down to the ground.
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- I instruct my outdoor grounds crew to clear really well and to remove all the underbrush to be composted or chipped. These are piles of thick invasive thorny plants that are also cut down.
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- The crew is also careful not to whack near any of the young seedlings – easily identified by the stakes planted next to them.
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- Tight areas are better accessed by our trusted Polaris ATVs. These vehicles can carry quite a bit.
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- Here is Pete unloading the Polaris Ranger at one of the designated spots. This pile will be chipped at a later time.
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- Here by the pond, the crew also removes branches that have fallen into the water. On this cloudy day, one could see the reflection of the tree in the freezing pond.
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- Here, Fernando carries a large piece of bark to Polaris. He pulled his mask down to smile for this photo.
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- Pete also pruned some of the trees. Here, he is removing the suckers – those small sprouts or stems that stick up around the base of the tree and prevent its trunk from growing more elegantly from the ground.
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- Pete uses this STIHL battery operated chainsaw. This tool uses a strong 36-volt Lithium-Ion battery. It is significantly quieter than the gasoline-powered chainsaws and starts instantly with the squeeze of a trigger.
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- Several trees needed removing because of old age or damage from storms, etc. In this area, one tree fell during a storm, knocking part of another one down. Thankfully, it did not cause any structural damage. It all contributes to the ever changing appearance of a woodland.
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- The fallen trees are cut into smaller, more manageable pieces. Here is Domi carrying one of pieces to the pile.
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- We try to be very neat when doing any chores on the property. It is easier to stack all branches for removal or chipping in the same vicinity, so when the big machinery is brought in, these piles can be chipped right back into the woodland.
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- The crew also cleared both sides of this beautiful stream.
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- Here is an area that has been cleaned – look how pretty it is. One can really see the beauty of the landscape.
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- Clearing out dead or overgrown vegetation will also allow remaining plants to receive better access to water, sunlight, and other nutrients necessary to thrive.
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- Here’s Pete taking another load away to the designated spot for pick-up. The woods look so much better already, but there is always a lot to do through the winter if the weather cooperates.
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- And driving back out of the woods, one sees the grove of beautiful weeping willows I planted at the edge the hayfield. What winter chores are keeping you busy? Please share your comments below.
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