ReeferMac

I wanna hear the "how I lost my fingertip" part of this story ..

Thanks for the suggestions.... there was a TGO branded T-shirt printed a couple years ago. Kicking myself for only getting one... I like the TGO design and want to support the board, too (heard they got a small break on orders). Thanks. - K

Would love to see a re-print of the "What part of 'shall not be infringed' don't you understand" t-shirts.... Especially given the election cycle coming up. I absolutely love wearing mine out in public. I'd buy 2 for myself right now (and probably a 3rd for a friend!) Thanks. - Kevin

LMAO @TripleGGG.... I understand OPSEC, but could you narrow down the West Knox part? I'm a little west of you and we have coyote around, too. Fortunately I already talked to TWRA, and if its harassing my family, pets, or livestock, the 2 gentlemen who cover Roane county said Im free to do whatever whenever... I've seen one here repeatedly, lost 4 chickens this year (cost of free ranging). I agree with the airsoft idea, or msybe a supressed .22? I mean, folks here are really good at helping one buy toys! LOL! If population is that dense, I'm surprised the coyote is so bold... THAT would make me nervous. Mine is very shy. Interested to see how this pans out? I have a friend who traps, I reached out and will let you know if he is interested.

Thanks everyone. I have a couple on the edge of an area we cleared for pasture, and they just look burned up... yellow leaves year round, first to turn brown and drop. I'll keep an eye on them and hopefully they'll adjust (though it's been a few years). Most of the one's I've seen deeper in the woods by me are smaller tree's surrounding a larger specimen (those 30-40 footers). Probably root propagation then. There are several stands however, and I've seen some fruit, so there must be a couple... I think I might try to dig a few out and transplant them up near the edge of the pasture to see if I can get them to adapt? Thanks again for the info and discourse! - Kevin

Finally found a fresh one and was able to try it... interesting taste and texture. I could see mashing a bunch up and using it to make a bread or some other cooked dish. They're not going to replace my Oreo's, though. Thanks. - K

LOL! Yes, I did read it. Just never seen one growing in full sun before. Shrug, I tend to be skeptical to begin with.... especially with things I read on the internet. It's possible we're talking about different varieties? Perhaps they have a commercial cultivar that they have bred to tolerate full sun over the generations? Every one I've ever come across in person, was buried in the back of the woods under heavy under-story. Most of what I've read on wild varieties is similar. The only places I've seen full-sun mentioned, is places that sell it. Perhaps these are 2 different tree's? Thanks.

Interesting, thanks for sharing @Omega! I've had a hard time getting a lot of things to grow in the native soil around here..... compressed clay! LOL @ E4 No More, I hear ya... But remember, Burpee makes money selling you seeds.... The hundreds that sprouted on my property via mother nature are all under heavy under-story. I've read that you can sprout them in shade and gradually move them to sun, but from what I've heard they are rather sensitive plants, and not very adaptable. .... Which is odd, really, when you think about plant biology... they need the sunlight to make the sugars (that they use for energy and store in their fruit). So if the plant is in an environment with a minimum of lighting, how does it make a sweet-tasting tropical fruit? Neat stuff! - K

Amen to both comments! (And it's the opening credits, not the closing) ((The rest of the people in this thread are thinking WTF are they talking about Meese for?)) You're right, it's been a while. Kids love that one, too.... I smell an Amazon purchase.... my credit card's getting all tingly. - K

Paw Paws are a shade-loving tree, I don't think they do well in full sun. That's why I was worried about trimming back some of the surrounding shade tree's around the patch I found. I don't want to burn/kill them in an attempt to get more fruit from them. Thanks. - K

Thanks martin5, I figured @Highwalker would chime in when he gets back from his hike in the woods! ... I've taken his class, twice! Excellent opportunity and a great guy... Amazing that it's just there free for anyone willing to take a few hours on Saturday. Do a search for the seeds @Omega, there are several sources available. Was looking at the one's for sale over here: https://www.rareseeds.com/pawpaw-premium-giant-mix/ and considering order some for myself, as I usually get a passel of packets from them every Spring.... didn't want to wait 7 years for it to grow, LOL! Guess I got lucky finding them. I believe the seeds are sensitive to moisture, and need to be stratified to grow. Growing-guides I've read suggest just burying the fruit whole in the fall. I've got gaggles of the little one's sprouting all around, if you ever get out near Knox-town, bring a shovel and let me know.... Thanks! - K

Found a patch of Paw Paws in the back corner of the property today. A few even had some fruit. Were still hard and green, so I left them alone and made a note to come back and check them every few days until ripe. I've never had them before, but was looking into getting some seed's to try growing some! Guess I know where the right conditions are.... Some of these specimens were really old. Easily 30+ feet tall, 6-inch caliper trunk or greater. Lots of little one's in the under story I thought of trying to transplant.... ... If I wanted to make conditions better for these tree's (aka make them fruit more), what should I do? I know they need shady conditions, but are heavily crowded. Would I be amiss to try thinning the nearby stuff out? Fertilize a little in the spring? Any other suggestions? Thanks. - K

Thanks Pop Pop... dunno when I'll get out to see him again, but it does seem to come up every now and again. I get that way for work once a year or so, but it's usually in and out for a training event or something @ Corp. office by the airport. I'll keep it in mind! -Kevin

LOL! I was quoted $500 for a tri-axle of Crusher run from just about everybody. Usually around $17/ton depending on the quarry, 100 bucks to haul it. I bet if you fire up the grill and invite a few TGO'ers to ummm, test the backstop, they'll get a picture posted for you!

Cainsville Pike? Only been out there a few times, but I knew him back when we were Yankee's! He moved down here for all the usual reasons and to be near his Mom. Took me a few years, but I saw the light, too, and ended up over here! We still get together about once a year. - K

I'm with BHunted... Pics or it didn't happen! LOL! Actually have a good friend who moved to Lascassas a short while before I moved down here. - K

This was the harvest from an area about 10x15? The bucket is actually mostly fingerlings, just the red's were at the end of the row, lol, so they ended up on top. - K

Thanks for the idea's everyone!

I've been having a lot of luck with taters in my garden since moving here. Get 3 crops per year by staggering the planting. Last one I plant in the fall and just leave in the ground until I need them (dig them up a little at a time over the winter). By spring that section is all turned over and ready to be tilled and planted in the spring, LOL! Have had best luck with fingerlings and red potatoes. Like you, it started with some in the bottom of the box that sprouted in the pantry....

Thanks for the suggestions all. I did go through the woods looking for scat, and found a collection of nuggets on one of the 'trails'... went to the goog for pics of coyote scat, and nope, that wasn't it. Actually tried a few 'who's poop is it' sites, and couldn't get anything that looked close to it (other than a bear!) I have a friend that traps who offered to come by and set a few snares, but I don't know if I'm ready to go there, as none of his will release. He also suspected a cross-breed of some sort. Wish I could get a picture... anyone got a trail-cam they're not using? I'll pay the shipping! LOL! So long as we have no interactions, I'm content to be and let be, but I am down 1 bird, and it's the prime suspect. I intend to get additional livestock (pigs), so predation has been a concern.... I do hear footsteps in the woods all the time when I'm outside, but we'll have deer pop out in the corner of the yard/pasture, so always just assumed it was them passing through. I was thinking of setting up some rattle-traps (aka tin-cans on tripwires to make noise)? Maybe I'll start picking up the dog-business and spreading it around the woods, LOL! Thanks again. - K

We live out in the sticks a bit, and twice now we've had a mysterious 4-legged visitor. I've only caught a glimpse of it, but worried about a predator on our property (chickens, dogs, kids). It appears to be a coyote, but if it is, it's big. First time I saw it I caught the back half of the animal scooting into the woods near the driveway, about 2 in the afternoon, looked like a really big German Shepherd. I'd say at least 100 lbs. This morning (3 AM) I saw something (it) again, just the back 2 legs, darting into the woods (same spot near the driveway, heading opposite direction). Kids are usually in the house, dogs aren't out alone very often... but the chickens mostly free-range during the day. We have lost one so far this year (no signs of attack, just didn't show back up one afternoon with the rest of them). - How big can coyotes get? I've read ~75lbs. I have a 75-lb lab-poodle mix, and a ~60lb malinois pup. This critter in my woods is 100 lbs.... It's taller, longer legged. - I've seen a ton of roadkill, a handful trotting along the roadside up in East TN, and lots of pictures on the intertubes... it looks like a tan/brownish coyote, but doesn't have the bushy-flared-out tail I usually see in pics (smeared on the side of the road, it's tough to tell ) Any other identifying characteristics to looks for? - Cannot find any tracks or footprints in the area (checked both times, ground is soft right now, too). There are some signs of animal trails here and there, but... we've got a ton of deer and other stuff out here, so.... Short of buying a trail-cam and setting it up, what are some things I can do to protect my flock? I've seen a coyote early in the morning feeding on a roadkill deer about 3 miles from where we live. You do hear them at night from time to time, so I know they're in the general area. It's also possibly a stray/ranging dog. There is one property owner nearby that has several dogs that he does not.... keep under his control. My guess is based on the size it's a dog, but the guy around here that lets them run loose doesn't have one that looks like that (that we've seen....) And it looks just like a really big-a$$ coyote! Do they inter-breed? Would it help to string wire between the tree's in the woods at appropriate height? Or possibly drive it into another area? Already have 2 (male) dogs and 3 male humans urinating at will around the property.... Short of sitting up at night with my Mossberg, what else can I do? Thanks for the advice. - K

While I haven't been to his Fire making class, I have found Highwalker to be a most gracious instructor. His class(es) are informative, intimate, and very useful. He's a great guy, loaded with knowledge and very generous. If you are available, do not hesitate to attend one of his many FREE informative classes. - K

I've read a lot of Selco's online stuff, and agree, it is very sobering. Book is worth the price of admission I take it? Thanks. - K

That's awesome @abusfullofnuns! That isn't from Adam's litter, is it - K

Hahaha, thanks for the tips! FWIW, as of when we left Sunday there was a female still available (we had the choose between the two)? - K