Bopcha Blog

Our neighbors have begun work on the field they have leased to grow winter wheat.

Back at the farmhouse, Bill and Sandra load old furniture to give away.

Sid cleans the mower of all the dry, cut grasses

A few more stacks of firewood and off Bill and Dee go to begin mapping the forest roads and trails.

Ooooops….too big for today.

The internet cable comes to the farm at last

It’s hot outside, but cool enough to do a little forest road maintenance.

Looking through the greenery at one of the large wood placements on Rock Creek.

Kay makes sure the Ranger is running smoothly.

European or common centaury

Evidence that the fiber optic cable exists

The third and last cord of wood delivered

The field nearest the house mowed again and looking good

The mowing of the field across the creek has started

Opportunistic tree cut by hand so the field will remain a field and perhaps someday a meadow full of native grasses and flowers

Game camera placed … hope we remember where we put it

A walk up the Rock creek forest road reveals … yes, more Scotch broom

The forest road that leads to the focal point for uneven age management needs clearing

Julius came on the Methodist tour, armed with a magnifying glass. Bianca is amused.

The tour consisted of about 20 folks, not counting Sid, Sandra, Rossana, Diana, Bill and Julius. Kay and Anna Maria waited at the farmhouse for the return of the group.

At the turnaround point, approximately .6 miles into the forest.

Two of the three cords we ordered arrived today.

We didn’t do it all at once, that’s for sure.

As we do from time to time, we are having a forest tour for 23 on Friday, June 20. We have been working hard to get everything ready. See Sid, Sandra and Bill carrying wood planks.

Sid has been working hard to get septic tank #1 functioning properly. First a consult with Kevin, then a DIY cleaning, new parts ordered and installed … but something is wrong!

One more consult with Keven and the system works like a charm. Sadly, now the Ranger won’t start and the weather report predicts rain for the tour. Sigh!

See the black dot? A bear … he or she was seen a couple of days later in the same spot!

Machine used to lay the fiber optic cable. The process so far has cut the telephone line and the water line. All repaired.

Cable is bright orange.

Mike the woodcutter cut a nice swath through some tall grass.

Before the grass was cut.

A lovely patch of native flowers: mule ears. Good for butterflies and bees!

Sid mowed a nice path where our tour group is going to go. Bill and Diana added to the effort.

Resting spot at the turn-around spot for the tour group.

Another resting spot – by the bridge.

The folks who pruned the trees also trimmed the bushes.

Diana went on a retreat for women owning woodlands. I was three days of lectures, demonstrations, and practice on many woodland topics.

Me and three of the board members from Benton County.

Three of us stayed in this tiny house. The event was held at an 80-acre former scout camp.

A little wine break on the porch of the tiny house.

Materials to finish the area between the big garage/barn and the mobile home.

Those suckers are heavy!

But they look great.

These extenders are for Septic System #2. Sid, always on the lookout to save us money, serviced Septic System #1 himself! Now it is good for another 5 years.

Next comes the dirt to fill and level.

A nice flat place for a garden.

A blast from the past. We kids used to pick wild blackcaps with Mother. We now have two plants in one of the farm gardens. Keep your fingers crossed!

The fiberoptic contractors cut the telephone line to the farm. The telephone company ran a line from the mobile to the farmhouse as a temporary fix. Ultimately the line will be made intact and will share the fiberoptic cable tube when it is finally placed underground.

Sandra dug out the tangled mess that occupied this corner. Sadly, some of the mess was poison oak and yes, Sandra’s arms got the brunt of it.

While making sure the forest road up Rock Creek is clear enough for a tour, we found a blooming Scotch broom. Grrrrr…..

Placed the game camera. Hope it catches some wildlife.

Bianca’s bark woke Sid in time to see six elk crossing our field!