It's time for the Morel Mushrooms!
Turkey hunting season signals another season in Michigan. That other season is Morel mushroom season. These little things grow in the early spring and are highly desirable. Finding them is usually a closely guarded secret among hunters. Lucky for us, there are some spots at the Estate where mushrooms can be found. Then, add in that they will also pop up in random places. This makes it fun to wander the woods looking for their little heads to pop up. With all the rain we've ha
13 hours ago3 min read
Why I both love and hate turkey hunting.
I've only been turkey hunting since about 2018 or so. I was never into it as a kid and even as an adult, I never tried it, I'm not sure why. Then, one day I had an email from the Michigan DNR that turkey lottery applications were available. I looked at the different zones and decided to apply in the area I Grouse and Woodcock hunt in because the dogs and I have seen lots of turkeys in the same area. Did I have a plan on what I was going to do? No. Did I even know how to hunt
Apr 286 min read
We bought a "new" camper!
New-to-us 2012 Bullet Ultralite Since we don't live at the estate, we don't have a permanent house, cabin or hut. When we go out there,...
Jan 15, 20256 min read
Venison Meatball/Meatloaf Recipe
This is our family go-to recipe for both venison meatballs and meatloaf.
Dec 22, 20242 min read
Meat in the Freezer
In our house, we don't tend to buy red meat from the grocery store. We get our beef from a local farmer and we eat quite a bit of...
Nov 22, 20246 min read
Mice in the camper and why I hate mice!
As a family, we haven't been using the camper like years before. The weather this summer was either wet or hot it seemed. Between that...
Nov 8, 20243 min read
Michigan Early Season Goose Hunt
The story of our first successful Canada Goose hunt.
Sep 30, 20244 min read
Late season food plot for deer
This is how I am trying to save my nearly failed foodplot - again...
Aug 16, 20243 min read
Why do the Squirrels hate me?
At our "city" house, there are a ton of squirrels. Everyone around us has bird feeders, which turn into squirrel feeders. We have Grey,...
Jul 26, 20242 min read
Update on what we have growing at the Estate
It has been a warm wet summer so far in Michigan. Winter was pretty mild as well which put a lot of things well ahead of their normal...
Jul 18, 20244 min read
Finally, some progress on the corn planter.
It has been slow going with updates on the planter. This is mostly because there haven't been any. Other things have taken precedence...
Jul 10, 20242 min read
Doing our part for Monarch Butterfly Habitat
As everyone knows, Monarch butterflies will only lay eggs on milkweed plants.
Jun 24, 20242 min read
The Deer are Eating My Potatoes!
As part of our off-grid and sustainable philosophy at the Estate, we've started to plant things that we can use. For example, the last 2...
Jun 11, 20244 min read
Autumn Olive is the Devil!
Since we bought the Estate in 2020, we have been fighting with the very invasive Autumn Olive that is growing everywhere. It's fast...
Jun 3, 20243 min read
It's time to plant the potatoes! And some other stuff.
I am a big fan of potatoes and grew up with a father who was a meat and potatoes kind of guy.
Apr 29, 20243 min read
Harbor Freight Battery Powered Chainsaw - Does It Work?
Harbor Freight Atlas 40V Brushless Chainsaw Review
Apr 17, 20245 min read
Turkey Hunting Season is Upon Us!
Spring in Michigan is a tumultuous time. The weather is unreliable, the temps swing up and down just for fun and the wind can be a lot to...
Mar 29, 20243 min read
It was snack stick day and the girls were happy.
During the Michigan deer season, I usually get 2-3 does to fill the freezer. When this happens, I have a lot of venison to use. When I...
Mar 26, 20242 min read
Maple sap season is over and I'm sad...
The winter in Michigan was a very mild one this year. Really, we only had a couple decent snowfalls and not very much bitter cold...
Mar 20, 20243 min read
A lumberjack, I am not...
Usually, I don't like posting about my mistakes unless I feel like someone can learn from it. This one isn't really one of those. It...
Mar 4, 20244 min read