Hi from Montana

Hey Ed, Welcome. Got snow? Hope to hear about some of your exploits, Carl

Some say just dreaming, but we’re working at it. Now in the process of returning 30 acres to pasture that my grandfather planted to pine 50 years ago. Our primary initiative now is to develop sustained lines of livestock for on-farm production for meat, eggs, and milk, and a land-base to sustain feed, food, fiber, and forest products. May take a few years, but that’s what dreams are all about.

Welcome, Carl

Overstory removal of trees I’ve been thinning for twenty-five years. Not pulling stumps, going to transition entirely with livestock rotation, pigs, cattle, poultry. We may burn some brush, but most un-merchantable material will rot back into the site. We’ve been doing that in small patches for years, but finally decided that we couldn’t keep borrowing land, and need to improve the proportion of woods to open land here. Trees are 60 years old 12 – 24″ DBH and 70-80′ tall. I plan to post some pictures of the progression in another thread.

Carl

Yep, Ed!

Still hoping to have it the week after Father’s Day. Not sure how many we’ll get. We can narrow down exact days once we see how much interest there is.

If there are any on this forum that would love a few days in the Idaho Mountains, we’re having a get together the week after Father’s Day. We will be camping and riding at Stolle Meadows which is near Warm Lake, just east of Cascade, Idaho. It’s an easy gravel road drive in from the paved road to a nice big meadow that can accommodate many campers. There is also an outfitter nearby that has outfitter tents and sites for rent. They might even come up with a horse or two to rent. The area has many trails of various difficulties, but a good trail horse/mule would be needed. There are also many natural hot springs in the area to ride to and ease the muscle tightness from riding.

I’ll set up another thread for forum members to respond if they’d like to join us.

Yes, the herd is back up in numbers again. We thought we had it down until Duke (fjord gelding) came along. He is really training us to be drivers/draftsmen. He is very willing and does what he’s told without any drama. If he messes up, it’s because of our mistakes in our signals. We’ve improved immensely in the time he’s been with us. He also has had the fjord mules alongside him and led by the wagon. Our goal is to get them really working this summer. If they turn out like I hope, we may be able to move a couple others elsewhere (only if the market gets better)

Dave