trail clearing technique and tools

[ArlyA]

Downey fabric softener in the washer seems to repel ticks and chiggers from your clothes.

Or wearing Sawyer SP657 Permethrin treated pants and will report back. We started wearing clothing treated wit this chemical over 10 years ago and it works.

 

[ArlyA]

Great talk from the University of Maryland about tick bite prevention. In short permethrin treated clothing works. Deet and dryer sheets do not.

 

[airbiscuit]

We need Project Farmer to do a test

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

I've got a few pieces of clothing that I have treated with permethrin that I have good luck with. If I'm not wearing those and I know that I'm going to be out in the weeds or woods I usually spray deet around the cuffs of my pants legs and around the waist. I also have good luck with that keeping the chiggers and ticks away. But I'm one of the rare breed that bugs don't really pile up on. I tend to get less bites than my friends in the same conditions.

 

[Grumpycat]

I don't know about dryer sheets but washing with Downey fabric softener works against chiggers on my property.

 

[ArlyA]

Our getting dead-falls off the trail this week while wearing permethrin treated clothing.. No ticks and mosquitoes won't bit you through it. Not me in these pics.

 

[kenmbz]

I was spraying for stiltgrass yesterday and did not wear my sprayed boots and pants.
What a mistake, found a tick crawling up my neck. Got it before it got me, but the boots/pants will be worn going forward!

 

[ArlyA]

Here is how the maples and ferns grown here in the northern hardwoods. Knocking them back is a full time job!

 

[ArlyA]

This week I refinished one of the picnic tables table found on our trails. They've been out there for over 15 years, so this might be there last coating. I hauled all the junk out in our 6x6 and sanded them down, blew and brushed them off, then slopped some stain preservative on them. I'm still wearing a protective brace on my left wrist.

 

[ArlyA]

Paint blazing a trail yesterday.

 

[MossRoad]

What dus you do to your wrist?

 

[2manyrocks]

Are you being a good patient and allowing yourself to heal?

 

[ArlyA]

Guys, I aggravated the ligaments in my hand bones that became quite painful this spring. They are torn but many guys my age have that and there really isn't a cure. I was to see three 3 otho's who said I need to let those ligaments take a break so the swelling and pain goes down, take narpoeriosn overnight and wear this brace so as to not aggravate them. Seems I'm fine now but I'm still wearing the brace.

 

[two_bit_score]

Get well soon Arly!

 

[kenmbz]

Heal up Arly, plenty of chances to use it once it's healed.

 

[ArlyA]

We had a guy here with some JD compact tractor and mower who said he'd or I, could use it to mow the trails with. Now he'd not responding. This is normal volunteering. Update! He just got back with me with A POSITIVE note.

 

[airbiscuit]

We'll want to see pics

 

[ArlyA]

We will be out there blazing agian on Saturday. The fellow has a Kubota and a JD tractor of unknown models. It will be after the 4th before I can get out there with whatever machine to mow but I'll get pics.

 

[David in KY]

I'm working to clear a new property boundary through heavy woods on 6 to 20% slopes. I'm impressed that the surveyors got into some of these spots to drive a stake.

I'm using a Topcon grade laser to follow the path. The stakes, some of which I didn't know were placed, all are falling dead-on to the path. You don't know they're there until you're within about 10-15 feet sometimes. I'm using a chainsaw and a large Echo trimmer with a steel, triple-blade head to cut the path. There is LOTS of surface rock around, and the steel trimmer head, though making regular contact with it, is holding up very well. It is incredible how well it cuts small trees and of course the thorns and brush.

Here are a few pictures.

 

[airbiscuit]

Nice work. How long will that boundary trail be?