Poplar trees

[samhill]

Have about 40 acres of mixed hardwood and softwood trees on home 1/4. Been here since my great grandfather was here. Mentally deficient I know. Always thought I lived in the deep woods as a kid.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

For me, the benefits are far greater than the minimal loss near the tree line. Not for everyone though, and I get that. Sort of. Lol

If they could stick with minimal loss near the tree line" I'd be OK with that. This year it neglected to rain after early June. Still grew some exceptional crops, but there was basically nothing within 20 feet and had to get 50 feet away before there was even decent crop. That really adds up around the perimeter of a field. On a perfect square quarter section, that would be 6 acres of 90% loss, and another 6 acres of 50% loss, at todays prices with canola or wheat yields, that is ~$5000 loss. Now add in trees on cross fences, or around sloughs, yards etc. I can buy a lot of meat and natural gas for that price.

[WiltonRanch]

When my great great grandfather and his sons settled this country there wasn’t a single tree. They had to travel 10 miles to the river for wood. Prairie fires were rampant and there are still signs of one furrow fire breaks to this day. Once fires were brought under control by cultivation the trees pretty much took over. It’s funny but this farm has probably brushed a 1000 acres over the years. Now with zero tillage the pot hole sloughs spread out unless you disk the edges religiously. I don’t mind leaving bush as long as you can manage the spread but they sure can suck up water. Sometimes those potholes are best left alone as the trees suck up excess water but provide a water source for the cows. Aside from the 2002 drought we’ve never run out of water.

[parsley]

Interesting for me to read all the different comments; points of view. Pars

[makar]

Tried to plant trees in my yard, the queens vermin eat faster than they grow.

[makar]

Save a tree shoot a beaver, maybe two if its a slow day.

[WiltonRanch]

Save a tree shoot a beaver, maybe two if its a slow day.

Seen a tv program about Patagonia. The HBC thought it a marvellous idea to introduce those vermin there so they could have a year round supply of pelts. Turned out the conditions weren’t just right the pelts sucked but they have laid waste to the trees in a big way.

[Marusko]

The comments about poplar being a weed are amusing. Through large parts of what is farmed in AB and SK, balsam poplar and aspen poplar were the dominant tree species before it was all cleared. We are the weed, not them.

I get it though. They're damn annoying if a guy has no use for them.