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Tree Farmer of the Year Highlights at Jamieson’s Tree Farm

When Mike Jamieson received the award of Washington County TFOY, he wanted an area of focus for his tour.  From his forty-plus years of tree farming including purchases of new parcels, he chose “Overcoming Challenges,” an area he knew other tree farmers could relate to as well.  The 90 participants at the tour were shuttled by bus to different locations:

  • A former Scotch broom stand that is still a challenge to get trees to grow. This stand was purchased in 2018.  Mike Cafferata from Oregon Department of Forestry explained Mike’s working trails concept for open areas of new purchases. Trails are created diagonally from corner to corner and around the perimeter. Then Rich Gaebel demonstrated an almost foolproof method of tubing trees to keep deer and elk away from the seedlings.
  • A vigorous stand that had pre-commercial thinning (PCT) and is ready for commercial thinning.
  • A hayfield conversion planted in 2003. Taylor Johnson, ODF’s small woodland advisor, explained these trees had 100% survival, had no PCT, are too crowded, so what are the choices now?
  • At the homeplace, Don Sohler explained Mike’s low-cost way to convert a defunct meat locker into a cooler for 6,000 seedlings. Mike’s daughter, Miriam Stalker, who works in geometrics and surveying, explained how geospatial data can be of use to small woodland owners (see page 7 for her valuable handout). Mike demonstrated his creative custom spray apparatus and recommended OSU Extension 2002 PNW Weed Management Handbook.
  • Lastly, we all enjoyed a delicious lunch and time to visit with old and new friends.

See pictures of tour on page 11 of August 2023 Forest Forum

Pole Operations Tour in Longview, Washington

Saturday, August 12, 2023 – Registration Required

Join Mike Luttrell, Operations and Resource Manager at Bell Lumber and Pole for a guided tour of the pole operations in Longview, Washington. Bell Lumber & Pole has been in operation for 110 years as a small, family run business with numerous facilities across the US. They began operating the production facility in Longview in 2018 followed by a treatment facility in Dallas, Oregon in 2020.  Additional details and registration information can be found in July 2023 Forest Forum

 

Fire Season

By Don Sohler

One example: Scott Hayes’ firefighting unit

After the 2020 disastrous fire season, there was talk among members about having fire protection equipment on our properties. With that in mind, I compiled 3 options for consideration into a 17-page manual.

This equipment would be for an initial attack of a small fire and not an extended attack.  Leave the extended attack and mop up to the ODF and fire department crews.

You can view or download the manual here: https://wcswa.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Don-Sohler-Fire-Equipment-for-Woodland-Owners.pdf 

 

Last Updated on July 31, 2023