Setting up a woods walk

[Daryl]

We use a Stihl gas powered weed-whacker-brush saw, along with chain-saw for clearing our shooting lanes. Usually a gas weed-whacker works well on the trail itself fro cleaning weeks and small shoots.  The weed-whacker cord with 4 or 5 sharp corners works best for laarger weeds and small tree sprouts.

[4ster]

You guys are in relatively dry, slower growth region.  This walk is in the west side of the Cascades and the vegetation in sunny areas will out run you if you do more than a 4 minute mile.  My club woods walk needs a heavy spring cut followed by a mid summer trim to keep the shooting lanes clear since it has about 50% canopy cover.  I used my clearing saw (think weed whacker on testosterone) to brush out the club's walk this spring.

This a private walk for my friends and I, so I don't want to be brushing all that much.  Luckily the site has a full canopy so the vegetation on the forest floor is just moss and sword fern.  I'll post a picture or two here when I get some trail built.

[Daryl]

4ster- you say ferns?  Do you pick fiddleheads in the spring?  Really nice, fried in butter with eggs for breakfast, or fried and in a sandwich for lunch.

[4ster]

No, never have cooked up fiddleheads.  Didn't know they tasted good. You are talking about sword fern?  I've also got licorice fern (roots taste like licorice) and bracken fern too.  Seems like bracken fern might be edible when its new in the spring.

[Daryl]

Don't know the fern type, but they form tight fiddle heads in the Spring - yes, good to eat and surprise, surprise, good for you too.