Barn and Forest Connection
Connection
The last time I wrote a blog post, sunshine was not just a distant memory. It was an ever present source of energy and hope. Today I write with a need to remember that the sun will return as the cycle of seasons continues. So it's a perfect time to give an update of the last 6 months. When I left off, I had just had a meeting with a local barn restoration expert and engineer named Robert and promised to fill you in on that whole story. There is a connection to the reforest project, so stay tuned.
He was clear. “The barn needs to be completely cleaned out and you need to have a solid plan for what you want the barn to become.” I was thinking…”he has no idea!” I’ve spent the last 5 years stripping the barn of floor to ceiling white board hiding multiple nests of wild animals over 50 years. I've had multiple trips to Goodwill, Rifkin Scrap Iron & Metal, 3 dumpsters, 2 garage sales and I’m still not done. I found myself wishing he knew all of that so he could say “Wow! You have really made progress,” instead of, “You need to get this place cleaned up.” While he was encouraging in the sense that he didn’t think the barn would fall down in the next 3 months, he was realistic in saying we can’t wait around much longer. So what does this have to do with our reforest project? Two things:
The barn is something I want to preserve. But I want to do it with nature and connection in mind, not necessarily agriculture. What role does this structure play in the re-wilding of this land? Maybe it will somehow be the connector between trees and people. This is on my mind because we need to have a solid plan.
When Robert, sporting a leather jacket and tidy ponytail containing his long white hair, went back to his vintage 1970s motorcycle, I mentioned reconnecting once the barn cleaning was done. He quickly added “Ok but I’ll be gone October through April. During winter I go to Ireland to help with reforestation projects and some barn related work.” I didn’t think this guy could get any cooler! I practically fell over. I blurted out, in excitement, the rough details of my reforestation plan. Since we didn’t have a lot of time to dive into this, Robert, a very matter of fact man, simply said to my husband and I, “Let’s have dinner when I return.”
Parallel to the reforest plan is the plan to restore our barn. The connection between the two was somehow confirmed by Robert’s synchronized interests of barn and forest. Even more, the barn has a connection to the farm’s original landscape, held up by a field stone foundation from the 1890s and supported by the giant tree trunk beams, remnants of the old growth forest that once graced this corner of the earth. So from now on, I’ll report on both.
Barn
I’ve gathered all of the old straw and manure from our beloved goats who lived here once upon a time into a pile and have begun to spread it around our property to allow its reentry into the cycle of life. I have a pile of metal items to take to Rifkin…again. I have some things to give away and unfortunately things I still might have to throw away. I’m determined to have at least the basement of our barn ready for repair before Robert returns and we set our dinner meeting. I just bought 2 Jack posts so that we can erect temporary support beams along the east wall.
Trees
We had an incredibly dry summer so watering regularly was necessary. Our system was as streamlined as possible and we worked hard to water every 7-10 days. We drove our mule (farm utility vehicle) to each tree through the dry, old hayfields. My thoughts drifted to how this land could not be any further from a natural, native forest floor. It was humbling and a bit discouraging but it was also convicting. I see the remnant of the old growth trees hoisted up in our barn, horizontal instead of vertically reaching toward the sky, a reminder of the lost forest that was here. My resolve is stronger than ever to allow and hopefully assist nature’s return to this land as the rightful owner. I hope what I learn can be shared and repeated and I hope that the presence of nature is felt deeply by all who stumble upon this place to find connection and peace.
When fall came, so did the rain. Thank goodness! I was able to refocus on putting up tree protection in front of winter when the deer, rabbits, and mice are eating anything they see sticking out of the ground. My son and I also explored a forest close by to our farm and with similar topographic characteristics to take inventory of the types of trees and plants that were naturally growing. We saw oak, fir, birch, maple, basswood, cedar, beech, white pine and a range of ferns. There were some invasive species like my “favorite”, autumn olive, but they weren’t taking over. The diversity was refreshing to see and also inspiring; A much needed break from looking at the barely living ground and struggling little trees at the farm. I am also able to confirm the presence of certain trees that once stood on our farm by what kind of wood was used to cover the floors in our old house. The dining room and upstairs is basswood; Kitchen, oak and maple; Attic floor and walls douglas fir; “The parlor”, ash.
The mild weather of late fall allowed me to work with the trees much later than I expected. My brother in law, Mike, a talented self taught expert on plants and trees, sprouted some red oak and hazelnut trees in the spring and offered them up to me to plant. He told me planting in the late fall, when the trees have gone dormant and lack of rain is no longer a threat, is the best time to plant young saplings. So one beautiful November day when it was 70ish degrees, I set to plant the 12 or so trees in the vacant areas left by spring planted trees that didn’t survive. I am excited to see how the fall planted trees, sprouted from local seed, fare compared to the bare root trees I purchased from the conservancy.
This was a memorable day. I dug up each sapling from Mike's garden and planted those 4 inch tall little gems. I put a tree cage around each one and mulched with fallen leaves. When the sun went down I turned the lights of the mule on so I could continue in the dark. The warm November breeze and the knowledge that my face would not feel this touch until late spring kept me out there, not wanting to stop. So before I went in, I drove the mule to the ridge. The moon was large and I could see the silhouette of 3 deer grazing on the hill. “Good bye until next time!” The next day, cool air replaced the warm and I was happy I spent those extra moments taking it all in.
With most of the tree protectors up, I only had left to purchase tree tubes that protect the tiny trees from mice nibbles. I was hoping for a few mild winter days and I got them! I was able to put the final protectors on in December before the ground froze. When I walk Todd (our Great Pyrenees), I check up on them when the snow level allows.
Ah the Plan
Throughout the fall, I have been working on the 5 year project plan. This is needed to apply for USDA (Equip) funding. I am excited to report our plan is set and the application submitted. If it's approved, we will receive $31,000 over 4 years. The project includes removing autumn olive on 2.5 acres, building a perimeter deer fence, planting, mulching, and protecting 4000+ native trees, and planting 2 acres of pollinator habitat.
I am following the Miyawaki method as much as possible (See previous blog post). I’ve surveyed (in an amateur way) a local forest as described above, and this winter I am attempting to sprout 40 basswood seeds that my brother in law gathered from the forest nearby. I will gather more seeds in the coming spring/fall depending on the tree and become skilled in starting saplings. I want to reduce the number of trees I need to purchase and increase the number of trees that are offspring of “family” nearby. I have also procured a few large loads of wood chips from a neighbor at no cost. They come from the electric company as they clear trees surrounding electrical lines. And there’s more! I found a potential source of used woven wire fencing that will reduce the cost of our perimeter fence significantly if it works out. My hope is to consider other types of funding like crowdsourcing to supplement our personal contribution and USDA dollars so that we can also do what is necessary to keep the barn standing until we can focus on its complete restoration.
Phew! I think we are caught up! I will work hard to not let 6 months pass without updates.