Reluctant Logging

[brooksbeefarm]

Didn't really want want to log the 36 acres up north , but my wife and i decided that if we didn't the next owners would Well they cut 72 Black Walnut trees (they wouldn't cut anything under 53 in. around) and said in about 10 tears there would be several more to cut. They didn't cut any Pecan trees, but are finishing up on the big Oak trees.It sure opened up the woods and the skid loader left many bare areas that can be put into bee friendly plants, i keep 10 to 15 hives on this place and it is one of my best honey producing beeyards. This property is on a deadend road with mostly woods all around and some Soy Bean and corn fields close by, right now the pasture land around is almost soiled aster. It was sad to see the big trees go, but like the loggers said, it will let the smaller trees grow. It gives me an excuse to go to some of the Car and Boat races at the Lucas Speed way when i'm up there it's only 8 miles away. Jack

[Gypsi]

The life of a forest waxes and wanes. We have lost most of an oak wood on church property to a combination of drought and cherry laurel invaders stealing water. I go after the cherry laurels with another member as soon as I can make a day to get over there, before we lose ALL our oaks. 

It is sad to see the older trees die, but even sadder if there are no young ones to replace them.

[LazyBkpr]

 Dad just had several acres of black walnut and oak cut. I have no real argument with those big old trees going down. New ones will grow and replace them in time.
   The hardest part for me to deal with is that they leave SUCH a disaster in their wake. Tops, stumps, and branches spread out all over the place, and smashed in by the skidders. It looks like a tornado went through.

[brooksbeefarm]

Gypsi, what are cherry laurels? Scott, they do leave a mess ( the tree tops) but these loggers tried not to tear the land and smaller trees up as much as they could (that was part of the deal). They gave my name to a wood cutter that wants to clean up the tree tops to sell for fire wood,he said he couldn't pay me much for it because there wasn't much money to be made after his labor and and delivery cost. i told him he could have the wood if he would clean it up and stack the limbs for the wildlife and i could burn it in two or three years. This has been something i'm not used to i got almost half of what i gave for this property back from the logging, and land in this area has increased $ 500.00 per acre since i bought it five years ago and with the land clearing from the logging i will plant bee friendly plants and keep it mowed, that will ad more value to the land. My son put up a game camera and has pictures of two nice 10 point white tail bucks. Jack

[lazy shooter]

@Jack:

Jack, what is the cost of unimproved land in your area?  Unimproved land in my area is from 2,800.00 to 3,300.00 dollars per acre, depending on it's proximity to a town and eye appeal.  Hunting and recreation type land brings more money than good farm land and improved grass land.

[LazyBkpr]

Buying that farm land when you can find it as cheap as possible will also AID your retirment income if you cash lease it.. Hunting property wont bring in as much on a yearly basis as land that is farmable..  Were trying to buy what land we can, but prices here are anywhere from $5,000.00 an acre to over $12,000.00 an acre.. at twelve grand an acre I dout it would be possible to pay for that land in a single lifetime... but there are still smaller pieces that are farmable, but un maintained for around $3,500.00 an acre that we try to buy when we find it.
    Three hundred acres at $200.00 an acre is sixty K. There will be taxes to pay but that is still a nice addition to retirement income, and when all is said and done and you kick the bucket, your kids still have something valuable to aid their income, or to sell outright.

[kebee]

Oh boy how things have change price wise, my dad sold 21 acre with a home we lived in pluse a barn, a big chicken house, a large tool shade, garage and a 4 room log cabin, oh and a pump house for running water for only 5000 dollars. I bought my first house for only 11500 in 64 in the city and had an acre of land. This last house I bought was 59000 and has 2600 square ft and 2 acres of land 20 years ago, this size now is 250000 or more.

Ken

[iddee]

1943, my dad bought the house I was born in, on 3 1/2 acres, for 1000.00. 1963, I bought my first house on 2 city lots for 2,000.00. To build a house here today will cost over 100 dollars per square foot if you already own the land.

[lazy shooter]

Good irrigated farm and grass land leases for $40.00 per acre.  Hunting land leases per gun, and one can lease good ranch land for cattle grazing and then lease the hunting rights to another tenant.  I don't lease land, period.  To me, it would feel like prostitution to lease your land and let tenants plant and poison as they desired, not to mention, having hunters roaming around shooting the animals that I have provided a good home for years and years. 

Hunting is big business in Texas.  Hunters are now paying from one thousand to as high as five thousand dollars to shoot a couple of deer.  It's madness. 

I let some FFA kids and "big brother" kids shoot three or four doe every year, but I do not want some stranger rambling around on my place shooting when and where he wishes.

[brooksbeefarm]

This land is in Hickory county, Mo. no big towns, Lucas Speedway is the biggest thing in the county in the town of Wheatland, Mo. population under 2000. Unimproved  land now sells for $1500.00 to 2000.00 per acre, the 34.2 acresi bought is 4 miles south of Weaubleau, Mo. all woods, the taxes are $13.00 per year . About 9 years ago i bought 15 acres between these two towns for $800.00 per acre the taxes were $5.00 per year , it has a lot of road frontage (gravel), so i had it surveyed into 5 acre tracks to sell someday, well the taxes went from $5.00 to $60.00 per year on the 15 acres . So i don't split the land up anymore. I bought 39.6 acres of woods last year that overlooks the Pom De Terre Lake that has a black top frontage and nice retirement homes all around and 4 lake access for boat launch. The taxes on this unimproved land is $25.00. The 63 acres i live on in Greene co. Mo. 2 miles south of Fair Grove, mo and 12 miles from Springfield,Mo. sells from eight to twelve thousand an acre. I gave $750.00 an acre 39 yrs. ago and built a 3 bedroom home with a full walkout basement. Real estate is by far the best investment, I think a person can make. There not making anymore of it. Jack

[Gypsi]

a cherry laurel is a shrub planted by birds who eat their fruit and distribute widely. They are highly invasive around here. I have no idea what their northern range in, but if you want one I will send you seeds. The one that took over my garden went from seedling to 20 feet in 4 years  http://www.landscapeadvisor.com/cherry-laurel-a-useful-attractive-reliable-broadleaf/

[brooksbeefarm]

Do the bees work it? Sounds like it is a evasive plant like the False Indigo that i planted along the branch. The bees love it, but it only last about 8 days of bloom, It likes to creep along the creek bank and will creep across open fields if you don't keep it mowed. I'm going to take some plants to the 36 acres that i had logged and plant it along the wet weather branch there. It does have a big root system and does a good job keeping the creek bank in check. Jack

[Gypsi]

Bees love it. But birds will spread the drupes far and wide and you might check with your local extension agent on whether it is recommended. I let mine grow because the bees adored it, and since I water the lot it grew like jack's beanstalk