trails

Our land is still pretty mysterious, not knowing what is around or who is around.  With each trip some of the little secrets are revealed, and I feel that we are becoming more and more part of the sparsely inhabited community.

We met a neighbor who told us a little about the trail network that crosses a dozen or so properties (ours included) and found out more of the family history of the place we bought.  The trails are miles long, dumping out onto various properties or ending up at creeks and roads.

As a start, we walked west on the trail that leaves our property.  It was apparent that the forest had been clear cut in recent history, more recent on the properties south of this particular trail.  Many of the older trees were spaced in a way that indicated that the land had been used as a pasture.  Almost all of the large trees had scarring from when they had been used as fence posts.  Others were just big and dead.

The recently cut forest gives great glimpses of how succession works in our area. We have several models in action though.  Since clearing land for pasture usually leaves the remnants of hardwoods in the area, what would usually be pine dominated growth is now a heavy mix of young hardwoods.

Also, since we have not begun farming our open space yet, fast growing scrub and trees are coming up all over.  Sweet gum, tulip poplar, sumac and cedar are already a few feet high in some places.

So, with the research I was able to look through, I figure the forest around us was cut more than thirty years ago but less than seventy years ago.  I could be wrong as I am also relying on some things that I learned twelve years ago in ecology classes.

Along the trail we found some late ripening wild blueberries.  If I had to guess, they will probably ripen around the first of September.  I haven’t been able to find the name of the wild berry that ripens late.

We also saw quite a few wild creatures, from deer to beetles to spiders.  Several large spiders made great use of hollow tree parts for their webs.

This luna moth (Actias luna) was at the end of its life, having lost its tails.  The adult moths live only a week, long enough to mate.  They don’t even have mouths to eat with, such is the singularity of their purpose.

Noel caught a crayfish (Cambaroides sp.) big enough to use as fishing bait but not big enough to make a very good meal.

The stony creek at the end of our walk deserves much more exploration.  I imagine we will all spend a lot of time there poking around among the rocks and pools.

From the looks of the high banks, it also looks like we could have some nice little swimming holes if the rain would cooperate.

As usual there is an end of the line, which we will be sure to adhere to until we can get some permission to trespass.  It usually isn’t hard to get such permission as long as the owners know your name and intentions.  It should come in time, but we have enough space to explore for the time being…