UPCOMING MEETINGS
JULY 2022 PICNIC AND TWILIGHT TOUR
What: Picnic and Twilight Tour of Hamilton Tree Farm
Who: Reggie Hamilton
Where: 335 Brown Road East, Chehalis
When: Tuesday, July 19, 2022
NOTE TIMES: Tour starts at 5:00 pm; Potluck starts at 6:30 pm
Driving Directions: From the Newaukum Grange on Highway 603, turn on to Brown Road East and continue 1/1-2 miles. Watch for orange Forestry Tour signs and a Hamilton Tree Farm sign on the left.
Details on Tour: A half mile walk will lead us through a 90-year-old stand where Reggie has underplanted 4000 western red cedar, a 70-year-old stand, a 15-year-old stand that has been thinned and pruned, a 30-year old stand that needs to be thinned, and a small brushy patch where he has struggled with the deer to get Douglas-fir established.
Details on the Picnic: Some people have concerns about potluck food, so we are going to try a totally catered picnic this year. The main dish will be chicken, plus sides, beverages, and dessert. You only need to bring yourselves and, if it is convenient, a lawn chair for yourselves. A raffle drawing and live entertainment are also on the agenda. An RSVP to Donna Loucks, loucksd@localaccess.com or 360-736-2147, would be appreciated so that we can be sure to have enough food, but it is not required. A specific fee will not be collected but contributions towards the meal will be gladly accepted.
You are welcome to come to both the potluck and the tour, or only one part of the event. Feel free to invite an interested friend or neighbor who is a potential member of WFFA!
TWILIGHT TOUR of BOYER FAMILY TREE FARM
Lewis County FFA is co-hosting another tour this month with Grays Harbor, Pacific and South Sound Chapters. The property is located near Porter.
Who: Merc and Nina Boyer
When: Wednesday, July 13, 2022 5:30 p.m.
Where: 68 Butler Mill Road, Elma, WA
The Boyers own 4 parcels of land, one dating back 6 generations to the 1880’s. They live on their 51.3 acre Grays Harbor County tree farm. Since 2015, they have completed 3 harvests totaling 20 acres followed by planting nearly 10,000 seedlings of 13 different tree species. The tour will be a 0.9 mile walking loop with 4 “Stop & Talks”. Vehicles can accommodate those unable to walk the distance. Including all is the goal.
Driving Directions: On Highway 12, between Oakville and Elma (between mileposts 27 & 28 at Porter) turn onto Butler Mill Road. Drive 0.3 miles, then turn right uphill onto our private blacktop driveway at the Forestry Tour sign. (Mail box has #68). Continue up our road until a greeter shows you where to park.
Tour Highlights
- A 2 Acre Clone Red Alder Test Project in collaboration with WSU/Puyallup in its 4th year of growth
- A 10 Acre WR Cedar monoculture plantation with 6 years growth (planted to replace root rot DF)
- A 12 Acre, 28 year old Doug Fir monoculture plantation with laminated root rot issues
- A mixed species planted plantation in its 3rd and 4th years of growth (DF, WRC, WWP and RA)
- A fish stream RMZ with decisions to be made: setbacks, FREP, FFFPP, etc.
- Legacy Tree Groves of 3 or more different species capable of living a 1,000 years
- Multiple deer browse protection methods compared side by side
- Cloning Red Alder stumps with coppice (sprouting) for plantation regeneration
- A Chehalis Valley View at sunset in Grays Harbor
- A WA State registered honey bee operation; Blackberry Hill Apiary
- A free raffle drawing for home grown tree farm wild honey & other tree farm related goodies!
An RSVP to mercboyer@gmail.com would be appreciated but is not required.
Questions? Please call or text Merc @ 360 480 4282 with any tour or directions questions.
The Grays Harbor Chapter of WFFA is providing snacks and refreshment. Restroom facilities will be available. The tour is outside. Please take whatever COVID precautions that keep you comfortable.
Upcoming Meetings
- July 30: WFFA outdoor meeting at the Nourse Tree Farm
- August 13: WSU Forest Owners Field Day at tree farm of Elmer Laulainen near Winlock
- August 16: LCFFA Tour of Hemphill O'Neill parcel
- Sept. 13: South Sound FFA Tour of DVO Specialties, Elma
- September 20: LCFFA Tour of Shakertown/Washington Hardwoods facility in Winlock
In Memoriam
June Hansen passed away May 11, 2022, 7 weeks before her 102nd birthday. She came to Lewis County as an extension agent for Washington State University, and worked teaching food preservation classes and organizing 4-H clubs. She met Steve Hansen in the Extension office and they married in 1956. They spent every weekend planting trees by hand on their farm east of Onalaska. Steve was one of the founding members of Lewis County Farm Forestry Association and was active in the association until his death in 1986. Years later, June and her daughter Heather won awards for Reforestation and Lewis County Tree Farmer of the Year for those plantations.
Report on June 21, 2022, Tour of B&D Tree Farm
Bryon Loucks discussion their ongoing problems with deer browse and rubbing damage and showed some of the products they have used to prevent it, specifically Vexar on western redcedar seedlings, and netting and repellents on Douglas-fir. In 2020, 15 acres was harvested that had root rot issues. The decision was made to plant cedar and to fence it rather than installing Vexar tubes. Western redcedar and Port Orford cedar were planted at a high stocking level in anticipation of getting revenue from boughs in the early years. Attendees were able to see the 8 foot high fence, the recently planted seedlings, and the herbaceous vegetation which has come in quickly despite a site preparation spray.
Bryon then showed the recent Timber Sale of 37 acres and talked about the timber sale process, which was the first time the Loucks had used this harvest option. Previously they have always hired a logger and done their own marketing. Anyone interested in learning more was referred to the “Marketing and Final Harvest” chapter of Forest Management for Small Landowners, written by Bryon and available on the WFFA web site.
Report on March 15, 2022 Meeting
If you missed the presentation by Kelly Verd and Kenna Fosnacht's What's happening in the Lewis County Conservation District, it can be viewed on YouTube.
Report on Meeting of February 15, 2022
The first indoor educational meeting of the Lewis County Farm Forestry Association in almost 2 years was held at the Veterans Memorial Museum. Following the election of officers, members of the O'Neill family, owners of Hemphill O'Neil Company, were presented with a cedar sign and recognized as Lewis County Tree Farmers of the Year for 2022. The presentation that was given about their property can be viewed here.
Jenny Knoth, member of the Ag/Forestry Leadership Program Class 41 gave a presentation about their international trip to Cambodia and Vietnam in early 2020. It can be viewed here.inlock