This week on the farm was fun. It was nice to get to catch up with chip and the gang and learn some more about farming! I am really appreciating my time out on the farm and will really miss the outdoor life here in the high country and Appalachian when I leave this upcoming summer. After just spending the whole summer out on the farm and summer ending and fall starting to bring its presence I can reflect back on how great summer was for me. I worked hard and knocked out 18 credit hours allowing me to get a head start and learned so much sustainable farming, it really has been great to learn under you chip I am grateful for the experience and opportunity. Some of my favorite parts about how you teach this class is learning while working. For instance, the class was working on freeing the small chestnut trees from the grasps of the weeds and plastic coverings and during one I had discovered something I thought was parsley. When in doubt ask chip and after pulling up the “weed”, it was a wild carrot. Lo and behold not all weeds are weeds. In fact one could argue nothing or everything was a weed. In reality it's all a “lush herb garden” as thoreau would say. The stories about how chestnuts once covered ¼ of the appalachian mountains and now being mostly eradicated is so sad. Especially when you consider the vast economic and ecological benefits this tree provides. We were told stories about a single chestnut tree providing enough food for twelve hogs. The meat provided that was raised like this was more nutritious and of higher quality and taste, he described chestnut trees looking like california's redwoods. Could we continue to plant the Chinese crossed with the American and repopulate the forest with chestnuts again? To me this seems like one of the greatest tragedies to happen to North Carolina. Upon looking into the resources this week I was very intrigued and possibly by help of chips story, in trees with capabilities for feeding animals and wildlife habitat, which is one of the main components of forestry. Some of the species I've found were Arceus Cerberus and the acorns, Hickory trees from their hickory nuts. These, like the Chestnut tree can feed domestic animals and also provide additional food sources for wildlife that could add to land value for hunters and also provide aesthetic value for your farm and surrounding neighbors. Oaks can also provide value in timber and provide homes for birds and small rodents and could be additional income for you grandchildren and their children. Trees are some of the greatest crop investments you can make on the farm. It can provide shade for your animals and you and your family on a hot day. In Smiths book he brings up the persimmons, mulberry, and the pecan tree as well as the walnut. I remember my grandma had a persimmon tree when I was a kid. I have added these to the list of crops I want to produce.
