December 29, 2023 Trailblazing East, reinforcing shed and creating inlet trails near waterway and springs

Tremella mesenterica, yellow brain or golden jelly fungus are a few common names. It is most frequently found on dead but attached and on recently fallen branches, especially of angiosperms, as a parasite of wood decay fungi in the genus Peniophora. The gelatinous, orange-yellow fruit body of the fungus, which can grow up to 7.5 cm (3.0 in) in diameter.

We went out to the farm to do more reinforcement of the shed with 2 by 4s and to also take a walk. We started walking east where we saw the young bear. No sign of him today. We followed the wet weather gully east and then south until we reached the North Trail. We used loppers and laid our stick trees down beside the trail. We heard crows and hawks as we walked. We recognized a large loblolly and knew we were nearing North Trail.

We found this tree with holes bored into the tree trunk and the bark on the ground and think maybe the pileated woodpecker was looking for a meal of insects.

Evidence of a large woodpecker looking for insects. We hear a pileated woodpecker often and were visited by this large creature back in the early fall.

Fallen bark. I wonder what insects the woodpecker found.

Apioperdon pyriforme, or commonly called the pear-shaped puff mushroom, a saprobic fungus present throughout much of the world. Emerging in autumn, this puffball is common and abundant on decaying logs of both deciduous and coniferous wood. It is considered a choice edible when still immature and the inner flesh is white.

Mycena capillaripes, pink edge bonnet, is a saprobic mushroom found growing in pine forests. We saw it everywhere there were pine trees. Thousands of them. They are tiny.

We did not check the new trail camera. We will remember to do it next time we’re out to Saint Andrew’s Forest Farm.

In order to begin to minimize the spread of the black knot fungus, we are going to be mindful of how we manage the infected branches. When possible, remove them, burn them or cover them from wind and rain to inhibit growth of the fungus.

As we closed the gate to leave, a squall came blowing through bringing wind, rain, ice and sleet. Our truck and Saint Andrew’s Road as well as Howardsville Turnpike were covered in ice. The weather forecast did not predict this.