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Agritourism

April 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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I can't tell you how many times I have been walking on my property and thought, "I wish everyone could experience this."  Sometimes I even feel guilty about the outdoor experiences I have had knowing others haven't been as fortunate. I realize that not everyone shares in my love of the outdoors, and there are many who would rather be doing a hundred other things than being in the "middle of no where" as it is so often described.  Some would be bored, others would be scared.  Still, I know there are a lot of folks, both young and old, who … [Read more...]

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Learn the Signs

January 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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While hiking along the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania I crossed a road and found myself in a very non-Appalachian Trail setting: broken bags of trash, random tires, shell casings, and an old rusty truck in the middle of the “trail”. Since I left Springer Mountain in Georgia over 1,000 miles ago I had not encountered anything like it. When I came upon the rotten deer carcass, minus the head of course, I started to think that I might not be on the Appalachian Trail anymore. But how could I have gotten lost on one of the world’s … [Read more...]

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Birdwatching: Dealing with Pests and Predators

December 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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We found a great article compiled by the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology on how to deal with the various intruders you can have on your property, particularly with regard to bird feeders and birdwatching.  From bears and raccoons to Canadian geese and aggressive hummingbirds, this article provides a thorough overview of the things to do and not to do with regard to wildlife, vegetation on your property.  There is a lot of great information in this article whether you are a birdwatcher or not. European Starlings The European Starling … [Read more...]

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Me, Shoot a Doe?

November 19, 2010 By 4 Comments
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Many hunters and deer managers in our area have accepted the necessity of doe harvest to effectively manage toward the common deer management goal of increasing buck body and antler size. Some, however, still object to this practice. I have found the "no doe harvest" mindset to derive from two arguments. Let's examine each from a biological perspective. Argument No. 1. Don't shoot does, because they produce buck fawns! Fallacies in the argument: 1. Buck:doe ratio of fawns is 1:1. Assuming a 75% fawn crop for the herd, there is about a 37% … [Read more...]

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Dressing For Winter Weather

October 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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During the winter, many people believe their favorite outdoor activities go into hibernation. They’ll put away their toys for a few months and then increase their Netflix account to “3-movies-at-home-at-a-time”. I’ll admit that I’ve allowed more than one cold season to keep me from hopping on my mountain bike, or spending a night in the woods. One way to help stack the odds in your favor is to dress appropriately for your activity. Choosing the proper materials and layering your clothing are great ways to insure comfort when … [Read more...]

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Pumpkin Leather

October 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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I must admit that I never heard of pumpkin leather before today, even though selecting a pumpkin with family members has been and still is an annual tradition.  Sounds like an easy treat to make and one that is healthy too.  If you have any experience making it, let us know.  We would love your feedback!  I did check on the use of the plastic wrap because my initial reaction was to not put that in the oven but come to find out, it is an essential part in making the leather and being able to roll it once the cooking or warming process is … [Read more...]

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Outdoor Photography – Just Do It

September 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Most of us want to be involved with some sort of hobby, some sort of distraction from the "real world".  Yet so many of us don't seem to indulge ourselves with such activities largely due to the distractions of the very thing we are trying to get away from....the real world.  Ask anyone you know and they will tell you that they don't have time for a hobby, they are not talented enough to do this or do to that.  The reasons or excuses (depending on the way you look at it) are endless. We came across the photography of Carley Laney from … [Read more...]

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Birding Camp

August 2, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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While you may think all of today's youth are sitting on the couch watching video games, think again.  Andrew Theus from Midland, GA is passionate about birdwatching, a hobby he shares with his entire family.  This summer, Andrew attended a Birding Camp in Maine and here is his story........in his words. This summer I was fortunate enough to be given the incredible opportunity to be a part of Hog Island’s Audubon Camp for teens run by Project Puffin, on the coast of Maine, through the generous Richard Parks Young Birder’s scholarship … [Read more...]

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Chiggers

July 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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No one ever says, "I got bit by a chigger."  That's because it's impossible to get just one chigger bite.  And there is good reason for this.  Chiggers are less than 1/150th of an inch in diameter.  More than 5000 of them could line up on a piece of copy paper and there would still be room for hundreds more.  Chiggers are invisible to the naked eye but if you lay a piece of white paper in your backyard and they begin to congregate, you could see them because of their red color.  Chiggers are most often found in areas where there are an … [Read more...]

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ATV Safety

June 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment
ATV Safety

Every year we hear about tragic accidents on ATV's.  Reaction is always mixed when discussing the use of these vehicles, but most will agree that with precaution, ATV's can provide a great deal of recreational pleasure and utility.  As we begin the summer, take time to read these simple safety tips: Mark Whitt from the University of West Virginia extension service states, “So often, ATV fatalities result from injuries that could have been prevented with proper training and gear,” Whitt said.  He believes by asking the following … [Read more...]

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