Winter Activities on the MOSH Tree Farm

By Jim & Laurie Marsh

In our small forest we have struggled with many Nasty Plants including black berries (Himalayan and other varieties), poison oak, hazel, ivy, and other invasive plants that compete with small (and large) trees for moisture, nutrients, and sun.  We’ve used human, gas, and electric powered tools, sprays, shovels, all with inconsistent results.  A couple of years ago we rented a skid steer with a mulching head, which did a wonderful job.  However, as we were not able to follow up aggressively enough, the nasty plants started coming back.
 
Last fall we found, with the help of OWC and OSWA friends, a flail mower attachment sized for our very small tractor.  (Side note, our tractor is lovingly known as our Little Tractor that Could, or LTC).

We purchased it, at a cost similar to a week’s rental of the skid steer and mulching head, assembled it, and used it on our property.  It took a couple of weeks, part time, but the LTC and flail has mowed about 90% of the property, leaving the remaining patches that that tractor couldn’t reach for the hand tools.  We plan to mow several times a year, and it should go much faster than this first time, having found the rocks and hidden stumps the first time around.   And going forward, all we pay for is tractor diesel and maintenance.  Forest folks and fisherman share an eternal optimistic outlook!

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