Author: Diana Blakney

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Visit to Freres Lumber Co. mill

Sid, Bill and I went on a tour of a new mill where Freres Lumber Co., an old (1927?) family owned business has expanded to make mass plywood panels (mpp). This mill is in Lyons, Oregon (south east of Salem).
 
Per the company website, MPP is a massive, large scale, structural composite lumber based panel designed as an alternative to Cross Laminated Timbers (CLT). CLT products have been used in Europe for decades as a substitute for concrete construction, and have recently been used in multi-story construction in the United States.

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Early March at the farm

From Wikipedia: Lysichiton americanus, also called western skunk cabbage (US), yellow skunk cabbage (UK), American skunk-cabbage (Britain and Ireland) or swamp lantern, is a plant found in swamps and wet woods, along streams and in other wet areas of the Pacific Northwest, where it is one of the few native species in the arum family. The plant is called skunk cabbage because of the distinctive “skunky” odor that it emits when it blooms. This odor will permeate the area where the plant grows, and can be detected even in old, dried specimens. The distinctive odor attracts its pollinators, scavenging flies and beetles. Although similarly named and with a similar smell, the plant is easy to distinguish from the eastern skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus), another species in the arum family found in eastern North America.

The plant grows from rhizomes that measure 30 cm or longer, and 2.5 to 5 cm in diameter. The short-stalked leaves are the largest of any native plant in the region, 30–150 cm long and 10–70 cm wide when mature. Its flowers are produced in a spadix contained within a 7–12 cm, large, bright yellow or yellowish green spathe atop a 30–50 cm stalk. The flowers are numerous and densely packed. It is among the first flowers to bloom in late winter or early spring. 

While some consider the plant to be a weed, its roots are food for bears, who eat it after hibernating as a laxative or cathartic. The plant was used by indigenous people as medicine for burns and injuries, and for food in times of famine, when almost all parts were eaten. The leaves have a somewhat spicy or peppery taste. Caution should be used in attempts to prepare western skunk cabbage for consumption, as it contains calcium oxalate crystals, which result in a prickling sensation on the tongue and throat and can result in intestinal irritation and even death if consumed in large quantities. Although the plant was not typically part of the diet under normal conditions, its large, waxy leaves were important to food preparation and storage. They were commonly used to line berry baskets and to wrap around whole salmon and other foods when baked under a fire. It is also used to cure sores and swelling.
This patch is located just off of the lower field on the house side of Rock Creek. There is a ditch in the woods there, and the skunk cabbage was enjoying the accumulated water.
There are many types of willow that are known as pussy willow. We seem to have a lot of them along the creek. Great beaver food!
I’m not sure what this lovely shrub/bush is. Early ninebark maybe? Or not.
Large wood placement caught a nice tree headed downstream.
Bianca guards the perimeter as Sid and Bill load firewood onto the Ranger.
Clipping blackberry vines away and out of the new fence.

The posts on the slope down to the field are where Sid replanted the grapes. A great location!
View of the new grape arbors from the hill.
The swimmin hole is particularly beautiful right now.

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Daffodils, firewood and clean-up

Unk’s daffodils are in bloom.
Sid and Bill deliver firewood to the house. I was weeding.
The old stove needed to leave the big garage and get ready for Republic to pick it up.
What would we do without the Ranger?

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Scotch broom, downed tree, firewood and violets

Sid put fencing up the property line from the loop trail to keep Bianca on site.
Sid’s raised garden is taking shape.
The perpetual fight against Scotch broom.
Oooops! Yesterday’s wind felled a tree.
A stream violet (pioneer violet)
A bed of said violets

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Sunshine in February

Three Ranger loads of firewood.
Boys went to get firewood while I mowed and weed whacked.
Sid is building an amazing raised garden bed.

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Clearing the loop trail, prepping for raised garden and more

Time for the riding mower to have its yearly check-up and blade sharpening. Pick up and delivery is free if you have it done in winter!
There were a total of four fallen tree blockages on the loop trail.
Bluebells are blooming already.
Good upper body workout.
Bianca and I can easily handle these fallen trees (not).
Sid and Bill select long lumber to use for Sid’s raised veggie bed.

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Rainy day in February

The weather is warm and rainy, but it doesn’t hurt to have firewood in anticipation of a cold snap.
Loading firewood in the gentle Oregon rain
Using a tool to drain standing water from the forest trail.

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Sid and Dee Big Winners!

Sid, Dee and Bill went to the annual meeting of the Benton County Chapter of the Oregon Small Woodlands Association. There was a drawing … Sid won these clippers and a holster for them.
Diana won a hat, forest marking tape, and suspenders.

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