A Creek Runs Through This Driftless Land: A Great Addition to Your Bookshelf!
Today, our farm runs on sunshine and rain, healthy soil, and good relationships. Period. It took us a long time to understand and accept all of this.
Author Archives
Denise Thornton
Leaving Underhill and Returning (temporarily) to the Netherlands
It’s been almost 40 years since Doug and I lived in the Netherlands while he was doing postdoctoral research there. Our time in the Netherlands changed our lives in profound ways, and now we are back to reconnect with old friends, explore our old haunts and some areas we did […]
Managing Woodlands with Prescribed Burns
Managing a woodlot means looking back and moving forward. “Forest regeneration is messy,” says Brad Hutnik, Wisconsin DNR Silviculturist/Forest Ecologist. “It involves harvesting, and it may require prescribed burning. Foresters work with the stand they have right now, but they are really interested in the stand that they will be passing on to future generations.”
It’s Wildfire Season — Are You Ready?
Wildfire in the West is in the headlines a lot these days. Wisconsin too has to battle wildfire, and this piece shows how fires get started, how they get dealt […]
Five Books Every Landowner Should Read
As winter begins to give way to the first hints of spring, there is still time to settle down with a good book that could inspire some upcoming 2023 property management projects. Here are a few reading suggestions from some experienced Wisconsin conservationists that you might find inspirational. You might even decide to tuck one of these titles into a pocket as you head outdoors.
Wisconsin Forestry Products
Landowners, watching Covid-era lumber prices go through the roof, might assume that they would get more money for their standing trees, but there are many factors that go into what logger can afford to pay a land owner and still make his own living. While lumber prices are high, fuel prices and wages needed to attract timber workers are also up.
Forest Land Leasing Options
Landowners can lease their woodlands for sustainable purposes like maple syrup harvesting and hunting, and it’s worthwhile to address issues specific to each activity.
Is Apple Production Right for Your Land?
According to the UW-Extension, apples are the most widely planted fruit tree in Wisconsin. Who wouldn’t like to step out the door and pick apples from their own trees?
A Labor of Love: Woodland Restoration
Laura DeGolier is a great example of the diverse kinds of volunteers who can have a significant impact on restoring natural areas throughout the state. Having established an independent insurance business, she has combined her management skills with her love of nature to make a real contribution to a number of restoration efforts.
Is a Christmas Tree Farm Right for Your Land?
This could be the perfect time to start growing Christmas trees — whether you are only interested in a few for your own friends and family or whether you want to start a lucrative business on some extra acres — according to Greg Hann, member and promotions director of the Wisconsin Christmas Tree Producers Association (WCTPA).
Digging in the Driftless 