How wonderful!!
I don't think I've ever even seen the trees you describe, except maybe when I thumb through one of my tree field guides and see a picture. Maybe you can post some pictures later on?
It's great having your own acreage, even though it may be small - I've certainly enjoyed my 5 1/2 acres!
Sherry

Congratulations! Watch out for wolves.

Tom: I am so happy for you! You made your dream come true. The septic and water and shed will come, probably sooner than you think. You make a plan, break it down into manageable steps, and before long, you'll have a hundreds (or thousands) of seedlings ordered.

You're embarking on an adventure and I'm glad you are finished with the first step.

Best wishes to you, your wife, and your son.
Pam

There's never been a documented case of a non-rabid wolf attacking a human.

Are you sure those cedars aren't eastern red cedars (junipers)?

super!!!!

ken

It sounds like your land is coming with some great landscaping. I tried to zoom in to that area with satellite photos to see what that area looks like but there is no close zoom levels available. (That means post pictures please!)

I second QQ's request for photos.

Satellite photos don't seem to "zoom" in rural areas. Mapquest and Google satellite maps are different. Sometimes, Mapquest is better.

Congrat's, Tom! Sounds like a nice piece of ground with good moisture retention. That's something I sorely wish I had. Is this strictly for recreational/personal use, or are you planning on a possible commercial operation? BTW, if you ever get to this part of the state and want some Red Pine seed and/or seedlings, I'd be happy to oblige.

Bob

Let me add my congratulations. You will have a lot of fun with this land. And it is a good combination of forested and open land, giving you possibilities of different kinds.

You said you would post some topics to discuss your plans/ideas about how you will manage this property. I noticed that you mentioned planting both Norway spruce and larch. If I were starting over again after all these years with my land, I would try to establish at least some groves of the two in combination, which I think is especially beautiful--they often grow together in Europe, and I believe that the larch helps adjacent spruce grow better. Well, I have some thoughts about how to get a forest of the two started--but maybe I should wait until you post a topic about your reforestation ideas. The main issue in Western MD would be the different growth rates--the larch grows much faster, at least during the first few years, and some adjustments need to be made for this. Because NS is a slower starter than many other species, this would be the one you should try to get in this year, if possible.

--Spruce

Congrats!

And, decrepit or not, please take care of those swamp whites.

Thanks all for the very nice comments! Where to begin? First off, Quercus m. they are definitely Thuja o's. One of my main requirements in my search was to end up in what I call the "cedar belt", which is just my term for the area of this state where white cedar is most abundant and does the best. Quircky, were I not such a dunce, I'd be happy to oblige with photos. That may come along in time. Basic, your offer of red pine seedlings is very heartfelt. Who knows? I may take you up on that offer some day. And you're right, this is a moist area. There is a very active spring, either on the part I bought or just adjacent to it. And the soil has some clay in it, which I consider a good thing. I know from your past posts that you're in a sandy area, and that can be cool too. But I'm happy with this soil situation.

Vancleave, you may be in jest with the wolves comment, but yes, they're around. We have an unfortunate anti-wolf backlash around here because of a few incidents with dogs or livestock being killed, but I'm still firmly in the camp that believes top predators belong as part of the scene. Pam, thanks for your words. You and I are on the same wavelength in many ways.

Misssherry, likewise, I feel a kinship with you in appreciation of all that is wild and vital. And Ken, good to hear from you as well.

Finally, Spruce, I will definitely seek out your knowledge on the planting. I totally agree that NS/larch belong together. Fall coloration has got to be spectacular where these two grow alongside each other. Truth is, before this is over, some of you may grow tired of my writings on it. And yes, I will be posting a more targeted thread on tree seedling establishment issues, and related topics, when I get closer to the fun stuff. Between now and then, I've got a lot of more mundane aspects to deal with. Some very simple things, like getting a culvert put in so we can access the property, etc, etc.

BTW, the guy I'm buying the land from will still have about 60 acres of his own. He stated to me once that he'd like to see more of it reforested. So who knows, there could be a cooperative venture coming. For the coming summer, I will probably try to rent out the alfalfa acreage to whoever has been working it up 'til now. Then, come Fall, I can prepare properly for the following Springs planting. And yes, Norway spruce will probably be one of the first things to go in. That and white fir, if I do elect to work with that species, as it too is not especially fast growing at first. And while I will be going into this in more detail later, my basic philosophy is to plant groupings of a given species, both for aesthetic reasons, and so that any given plant will be in competition primarily with others of its own kind. But I do want to juxtapose each type with the others, so some blending will occur.

thanks again.....+oM

Major congratulations! I am so glad you were able to buy it!

I really envy you the big sugar maples and the paper birch - which won't grow in the heat and humidity here - 'Heritage' river birch is no substitute. It does sound as though you have a goodly mix already, and that you are going to add more to the broth. Have fun.

May I add a suggestion that native, under-story trees and shrubs are also thought of? They add a lot of beauty if they are spring flowering, and also add to the diversity in general, esp. if they produce fruit/nuts. The birds, insects, butterflies, and, unfortunately, the deer, will thank you!

Good point about the understory stuff, dibbit. In the plantation area, I'm going to be going for a "clean cultivation" method initially, just to get the trees off to a good start. But long-term, yes, I will be happy to see what volunteers show up. Also, around the edges, I hope to get some red twig dogwood going. As common as this plant is, I just don't know how you beat it in full winter color.

Thanks again......+oM

Tom,,,,Yes, I was joking about the wolves, but I did figure you were in their midst... which I think is very cool. Let us know if you ever hear the call of the wild.

QM... You're right, there are no clearly documented reports of non-rabid wolves attacking humans .... in North America. However, the same animal, canis lupus, has a completely different disposition through out Eurasia, with hundreds, if not thousands, of well documented attacks upon humans.

There does seem to be something about the Americas. Cougars are the same size as leopards, yet relatively rare in their attacks upon man. Jaguars are even bigger than leopards, but again, rarely attack man. There are several leopards whose INDIVIDUAL body counts exceed the total casualties caused by ALL cougars and jaguars combined in recorded history.

The pattern even holds true for alligators vs crocs. The American alligator takes a human once every few years. The Nile croc is thought by some to still take a human EVERY DAY.

Not exactly tree talk, but interesting to me. Congrats again Tom.

Be sure to take good care of those Quercus bicolors, though!

That's interesting, Terry! I'd love to have some wolves around here. There are some coyotes, but they aren't natural to this area, and I don't think they're helping to naturally reduce the numbers of rabbits very much. Well, maybe they are, and I just don't realize how many rabbits we'd have without them. There are plenty of alligators in the rivers and bayous in Jackson County where you are, and I never hear about any attacks on humans.
Dibbit, I agree on the understory trees and shrubs - they really complete a woodland and provide so much for wildlife.
Sherry

Congratulations!

It sounds like a wonderful place with lots of neat trees.

Congrats Tom! Enjoy your land.

Your post brings back memories for me. I remember installing my culvert - very clearly in fact. That was a fairly simple task, but somehow it seemed like a major step and made it all seem real. If you haven't already, it may be worth checking into available government programs for projects on your property. I had 3 ponds cost-shared, my trees, planting, and maintenance paid for, and am getting yearly payments for 15 years. I found state and federal agents (Dept of Conservation, NRCS, FSA, etc) happy to offer assistance. Even if they can't offer financial assistance, they likely will provide free technical assistance - advice on planting plans, wildlife habitiat creation, etc.

Have fun!

John

Thank you, John. I'll be looking into that cost-sharing business. I believe we've got pretty decent programs here. I'm not there yet, but will be interested to see what, if any, stipulations may exist regarding native only. Our state nurseries, for example, offer only native species at this time. Was that an issue for you in MO?

Another question-are the 15 yearly payments for maintenance? Thanks again.

+oM

They have a list of trees you can plant - most are native. I have several acres not in the program where I plant other trees.

Maintenance was paid for the 1st two years only.

John