2025 Snowstorm at the Farm

As we looked at the weather forecast for the week of January 19, 2025, a snowstorm was predicted for Albany and Ellaville. It was forecast to begin Tuesday afternoon. I decided to travel to the cabin Tuesday morning to do a few shop/mechanical projects I had planned over the last few weeks.

The snow started, as predicted Tuesday afternoon, as I was relaxing with a nap in front of the fire at the cabin. I quickly decided to document the snowstorm in photos for this journal article.

While waiting for the snow to start, I decided to build a fire in the bedroom. I kept the fire going all night, as I placed the last wood on the fire after midnight Tuesday.

This is a view from the dam looking toward the boathouse late Tuesday afternoon. You can clearly see the snow falling gently.

Hopewell Methodist Church late Tuesday afternoon. I was on a mission assigned by Jean to photograph the LaCrosse store. After driving to Ellaville and seeing the condition of the roads, I decided Jean’s photo request would be honored tomorrow morning.

The main gate on Hopewell Church Road at 6:00 p.m. Tuesday.

The view out the kitchen window at 7:27 a.m. Wednesday morning. This view showed me the photography mission would be successful.

The view toward the shelter Wednesday morning. I parked the green truck under the shelter to keep the windshield clear for my trip home by way of LaCrosse later today.

Looking toward the pond with the hand pump and pumphouse in view.

This may be my favorite shot of the cabin from a distance showing the pristine snow blanket surrounding the house. This is the photo shown in the heading of the article.

Closeup of the cabin.

Wider view of cabin.

View looking parallel to the cabin with rail fence on left of photo.

A beautiful sideview of the cabin showing the kitchen. Below you will see the same view after the sun rises.

As promised above, a side view of the cabin with the sun lighting the landscape. Notice the contrast between the cloudless, dark blue sky and the white snow blanket.

How deep was the snow? My tape shows 5-1/2” on the roof of the breezeway leading to the cabin.

A good view of the snow on roof of back porch.

One more cabin side view showing the McLendon farm bell in the sunlight.

As I was about to start my trip to the Bluff House, LaCrosse, and Albany I decided to check the temperature as shown on the weather channel.

At 7:48, the Weather Channel showed the temperature in Ellaville is 11 degrees! The cabin thermometer indicated 16. Either way, it was a very cold morning with no noticeable wind. Time to start my journey home.

The next three photos need no captions as I drove by the Bluff House shelter, Bluff House, and the treehouse before heading to the front gate.

This place could use eight or so excited grandchildren—running back and forth on the walkway to the deck, ringing the bell, up and down the stairs to play in the snow, having snowball fights, making a snowman, maybe even ziplining and falling into the snow, … Oh well, maybe next time!

This is the view toward our gate as I was heading to LaCrosse and then home.

View from the road prior to opening the gate.

The following photos are from the McLendon farm at LaCrosse. Jean’s request was for a photo of the LaCrosse store, but I saw several other scenes worth preserving in photos.

This is one of my favorites! Notice the sun highlighting the subject of Jean’s request at 10:11 a.m.! This photo alone was worth the stop!

A closeup of the store. Notice it is unspoiled by footprints.

A great photo of Jean’s childhood home. Any ideas on what we should do to preserve this historical dwelling?

A good angled view of the store with the eerie shadows from one of the large oaks.

No photo tour of the McLendon farm would be complete without the barns. This was one of my favorite and most ambitious projects. The history of the barn restoration project can be found here: https://www.harrisonwoodlands.com/journal/2021/6/24/rehabilitation-of-mclendon-farm-barns

It’s hard to believe it’s been 13 years since this project! I took this photo from the long-abandoned railroad tracks.

A great photo of the main farm entrance gates on LaCrosse Road. Again, look at the pristine snow cover with not tire, animal, or human tracks.

A view of the signs adjacent to the gate, with the sign Joni made when I erected the gates 15 or so years ago. The Tree Farmer of the Year—2021 sign is prominent atop Joni’s sign.

Joni, your sign only gets better with age, and it captures the history of the farm in a very understated way—the way Mr. Jesse, that master of understatement, would want it said.

My last photo and a good one to close my photo tour. As I was driving back to Highway 271, I was struck by the beauty of this view to the northeast with the sun brilliantly illuminating the snow on the roofs of the white house, the outbuildings, and the barns.

This ends my photo tour of the Snow Storm of 2025, but Jean is not one to be outdone! Following are a few of her photos taken of our yard in Albany. She is a master of photography, as you can readily see below!

This is a night photo (9:36 p.m.) taken from our front door. Don’t you love the lighting that accentuates the brilliantly white snow?

Another of Jean’s night time photos with the “streaks” of falling snowflakes!

Last photo for the article! Early morning photo (7:28 a.m.) taken from our sunroom deck facing the pool. A perfect view of unspoiled snow. You can almost feel the silence of the morning.

Post Script: This was the largest snowstorm to hit our area since Friday, February 9, 1973. (I googled it and found the exact date. This article may be of interest: https://www.weather.gov/ilm/feb1973snow.) I was a second quarter freshman at GA Tech and had planned to come for the weekend. I remember Mama calling me and saying it was snowing and that I might consider cancelling. When she called the snow was just covering the ground.

I decided to try it and left GA Tech around 2:00 with no snow in sight. As usual, I took US Highway 19 home. When I approached Thomaston, the snow had started and the further south I traveled, the worse it got. With no other good options, I decided to continue driving, in greatly reduced visibility, in the worst snowstorm I had ever seen. I was doing well, in spite of the snow intensity increasing. A few miles north of Butler, the highway was blocked by a jackknifed tractor-trailer and I had to stop and pulled off the road.

Not long afterward, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Department showed up with a large van and took a load of stranded travelers to Butler where we were housed in the large courtroom of the county courthouse. We slept as best we could on the benches. The hospitality of Sheriff Charlie Wright was great as he kept the room very warm and somehow managed to find some food for us.

Phone service was out, so I couldn’t contact my parents to tell them I was safe. I assume they were expecting the worst. The next day, I asked the police chief to contact Marcene Ellis, the Schley County sheriff, and ask him to tell my parents I was ok.

Daddy and Jimmy (I think) drove up to get me and take me home. I don’t remember what I did about my car, but I remember someone coming into the courthouse hours after we arrived and saying he had hit a couple of stranded cars before he had to stop. One of them was mine and it had a severe scratch down the driver’s side.

The total snowfall in Schley County was over 12 inches! Somehow I made it back to GA Tech in time for classes Monday. This week’s snowfall is the second only to the 1973 snowstorm and it has been almost 52 years! Will it be another 50+ years before we have another major storm that rivals the one we had this week?

A New Season at the Bluff House

I meant to write this earlier, but here we are at the close of the year, and I’m writing it now. I thought it would be good to document the beginning of a new season at the Bluff House.

Marjorie climbing on the gate

Early this past fall, we went to the Bluff House, and we had some time there to ourselves. Chip and I decided to make the most of the time and do some much needed cleaning out! We packed up some of the baby furniture and cleaned out a lot of clutter, which Jimmy was kind to help us get rid of.

It is always a little sad to get rid of things, but it felt good to clear out some of the space, and make room for new things. The kids had mostly outgrown the tiny table! It was also fun to see how, in this new season of no more naps and no more diapers, that we could do some new things!

Marjorie spotted the blue Jeep in Granpda’s shelter, and asked several times if we could ride in it. I was happy to get it out, and we had so much fun riding around the pond and through the woods. She loved it, and it was fun to have time to do some adventuring that has always felt difficult in between prepping food and getting small people down for naps and bedtimes!

Despite appearances (Don’t you love her hat?), Marjorie did not do the actual driving.

The weather was perfect, and we had such a fun and productive weekend making way for new seasons of adventuring at the farm!

Brigie found a really cute baby lizard.

Here’s to a new season and lots more sweet memories to be made!

I could almost cry, as I look at this photo and realize the time can almost be measured in minutes before my baby stands taller than the gates! (See the final photograph below for proof!)

It has been 17 years since I entered these same gates for the last time as a single woman! Sometimes it seems closer to 17 minutes! Is it possible that in another 17 or so years, my “little ginger” in the previous photo will do the same, as she enters into a “new season” in her life?

Thank You, Lord for all the new seasons you have given me, and for Chip, Vivi, Brigette, Ellie, and Marjorie who entered these seasons in my arms and by my side.

Christmas 2024 at the Farm

Written by Brigette

Christmas at the farm is always so exciting. On our first full day, after breakfast, we all went over to the cabin to plant new, baby pine trees.

Marjorie found a huge snail , and he bit her. We put it in a jar and found some food and moss.  Grandpa came back with the longleaf trees (he called them containerized longleaf seedlings), and showed us how to plant them. To plant a tree is very fun. All you have to do is wiggle the dibble (a metal tool used to make a hole in the ground) to make a hole to accommodate the seedling and root ball. Grandpa told us to never bury the baby tree too deep, as longleaf seedlings are particularly sensitive to planting depth, and he said that the tree must be packed in tight. We planted these to replace the old loblolly and shortleaf trees that recently died from forest insect pests.

Grandpa with the dibble in his left hand, giving me instructions on proper planting techniques.

After this demonstration, we each took turns with the dibble, and planted trees. We were all very proud of ourselves for planting 30 trees.

My little sister Marjorie proudly holding three healthy longleaf seedlings as we prepared to plant them.

Vivi, with dibble in hand, helps Ellie and me with the planting.

Ellie, following Grandpa’s lead, packs the soil tightly to the newly planted seedling.

Ok, test time! Can you match the footwear to the participants? I learned to not wear my best tennis shoes for this labor intensive task.

Thankfully we were blessed with a good soaking rain the night following our planting. Grandpa said this should ensure good survival for the seedlings.

Sadly it was time to let go of the snail (according to Marjorie: Bob). We found a hole in a tree and placed Bob there.

After lunch we went to look at Gran's house. It was fun to look at her old furniture and decorations. Gran had passed away, so we were allowed to “borrow” a couple things. My favorite part of the house is the pecan trees in her front yard.

The beginnings of our belated Christmas dinner with Grandpa’s family. Grandpa, following Mama’s request last year of a loblolly pine Christmas tree, surprised us this year with a longleaf pine! Note to Grandpa: Hands off the trees we planted, as they are NOT to be cut for Christmas trees!

That night was the annual Christmas dinner, and we had  hamburgers, hot dogs, and chili  for dinner. All of Daddy’s family, with the exception of Aunt Ashley and her family (who were on their after-Christmas vacation) were in attendance. We also celebrated Uncle Bill's birthday. It was fun getting to play with all the other kids.

Grandpa got us all cool hiking sticks, canteens, and flashlights(for future adventures).

We played for a while until it was dark, and people slowly dispersed.

Marjorie strikes her “I am ready for a hike” pose!

Great Grandpa is 93 years old, but he was not the oldest in attendance. Our Great Great Uncles Bobby (age 94) and Billy (age 96!) were there also, and entertained us all with their stories

My favorite thing we did though was with JEE JEE. After we ate the next morning, we all (Ellie, Marjorie, Jee Jee, and I) got our gear on (Vivi preferred to stay at the Bluff House and read). This included: one canteen and flashlight, rain boots (thankfully!), and new hiking sticks. All prepared, we climbed into the Kawasaki Mule (I got to drive) and embarked on our adventure! 

We drove across the pond and stopped in the Dr. Seuss field (Vivi’s clever name for the longleaf stand east of the pond). We climbed out with a plan on where we should go. Ellie and Marjorie stopped at every mushroom they saw.

At this rate I thought we’d  never get there. We wanted to find a stream, and could hear water nearby. Ellie and Marjorie picked up their pace.

We were almost there, when we saw a huge tree turned over. We stopped to take a couple pictures, and I managed to climb it. After a couple more steps, we found a small stream. It wasn’t where we had planned to hike, but we were determined to follow it. I told everyone to use their sticks to check for mucky holes. (we have had bad experiences with getting stuck in mud before—right, Aunt Ashley?).

As we walked farther , the stream broke off into more small waterways. We had fun wading through the pools of water. Before we knew it we were stuck in the middle of a huge, gross, muddy marsh.

A little ways off, Ellie spotted a large hill (dry). We all agreed that was our best chance of getting out.  I helped every one get through the first quarter, by finding easy ways to cross. But then, we found a spot where Jee Jee's boots weren’t tall enough to cross. I told Ellie to wait with Marjorie until I could get to them. She agreed and, after a lot of tries and crossing different places, we made it to them.

We all were tired, thirsty, dirty, and our boots were full of water. Jee Jee called Grandpa, and he agreed to pick us up at the field. All we had to do now was get there. After some more work, we made it to the top of the hill. And there was Vivi and Grandpa waiting for us. We ran to them and couldn’t wait to tell everyone about our exciting adventure. Christmas at the farm this year has been so full of surprises, and I can not wait ‘til next year!

“Hey! We are over here!”

“Thanks, Vivi for driving to our rescue. We definitely were not looking forward to another trip through that swamp!”

Post Script from JeeJee:

1. Brigette was an excellent, experienced leader, guiding us through the swamp. For this reason, I am recommending her for a Distinguished Leadership Award.

2. Ellie was very patient and helpful to all of us, especially Marjorie and me! I am recommending her for the “Don’t worry, you can do this” Award.

3. Marjorie demonstrated bravery and maturity beyond her years and was such a trooper during the very adventurous hike! As with the lion in the Wizard of Oz, she easily qualifies for a Medal commending her courage in trying circumstances.

2024 Georgia Forestry Association Annual Conference in Savannah

Brigie and I had the privilege of going with JeeJee and Grandpa to the 2024 GFA Annual Conference in Savannah! We did this last year and loved it so much, so JeeJee and Grandpa let us tag along this year too. I was extra excited because the conference was hosted in Savannah this year, where I had recently been on a school trip, and couldn’t wait to show Brigie all I’d learned.

When we arrived at the hotel, we were very excited to discover that it was very fancy and had a POOL. But before we did anything we headed down to the conference center to get registered. Another surprise was that not only did Grandpa so kindly buy us Conference t-shirts, we also got our very own, very official nametags.

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There was one very special day in Savannah where everybody at the conference was celebrating Smokey Bear’s 80th Birthday! Brigie and I got a Smokey Bear t-shirt, and later Grandpa waited in line to get us very special Smokey Bear bobbleheads. There were only 50 of them and Grandpa managed to snag 2 for us!

Grandpa had lots of meetings all day, so JeeJee, Brigie, and I decided to explore Savannah a little bit. They like to call Savannah “the most haunted city” and had lots of ghost tours and houses. We steered clear of those and instead decided to hit the shops.

That whole second day Brigie and I ate all our meals at the conference center. The most memorable meal was the dinner where they presented the 2024 Georgia Tree Farmer of the Year and the 2024 Logger of the Year. My favorite part of the presentation is either seeing the winner’s family or getting to watch the video of their tree farm. I love getting to see what other tree farms look like and if they are run differently than ours.

Both nights, before hitting the sack, Brigie and I went down to the pool and enjoyed a nice evening swim. We were delightfully surprised to find almost nobody there, and got to be as loud as we liked. We also found an amazing lizard that looked like it belonged in a zoo! The hotel graciously played a kids’ movie by the pool every night, and that was also lots of fun. Brigie and I had to share a bed, but with 2 other younger sisters, we were used to it.

Before the special dinner, Brigette and I partook in a sacred tradition—scavenging the swag booths. This year they did not disappoint! We got QUITE a haul.

We got to have one last fun night in Savannah all together. We enjoyed a nice dinner and ate some delicious food, then walked around for a good bit. One thing I loved was getting to see a giant cargo ship pull into the big dock in Savannah. Alas, the fun night had to end, but I’ll always cherish the memories we made at the 2024 Georgia Forestry Annual Conference.

Vivi Lay

Us walking around Savannah—I served as lookout as Brigie piloted the tug!

Stella's Day and Night at the Farm and the Marion County Forestry and Wildlife Expo

I told Grandpa and JeeJee I wanted a day at the farm and had a list of things I wanted to do. Fortunately the very next Saturday was the date of the Marion County Forestry and Wildlife Expo in Buena Vista and it was only 15 miles from the cabin.

You can see from the expression on my face that I am VERY excited about spending the night at the cabin. This is the check-in photo for Grandpa's and JeeJee's B&B. You are probably wondering who is in my hands. It is James the Horse and he will keep me company in the room with all the animals tonight. "Now Grandpa, don't shoot James!"

It has been a long day! I had just finished my first week in second grade and attended a football game and was now ready for a good night's rest. I chose my bed to be in the living room with Grandpa's hunting trophies that also includes a deer and turkey killed by Mama. It was a very comfy bed and we had prayers together and Grandpa and JeeJee tucked me in for the night.

I awoke early the next morning ready to do all the things on my list and I am not known for short lists! Grandpa had a special surprise to start our day after breakfast. He joked that the surprise was to take a nap for the rest of the day. “That is not funny, Grandpa!”

Here I am dressed and ready to start our full day of adventures! What could Grandpa's surprise possibly be? I bet it will be fun. I always like his surprises.

Smokey Bear welcomed us to the Marion County Forestry and Wildlife Expo in Buena Vista. I like Smokey, but what will the surprise really be? I can't wait to find out!

I was excited to find out what a Forestry and Wildlife Expo was all about. I can’t wait to show my photos. First we took a tour through the exhibits and you won’t believe what I experienced! As you can see below I have the pictures to prove it!

There were two women from Chehaw Park who brought a couple of guests. Look what I bravely touched! But wait until you see what is next! "JeeJee, please don't scream!"

"JeeJee, I told you not to scream, although it is pretty scary to touch such a huge snake!" For a second I couldn't believe they would really let me touch it, but as you can see I overcame my fears.

After looking at the other exhibits, we went to two presentations—one discussing the decreased turkey population, which is of great interest to Grandpa and the other on the control of unwanted plants and trees found in pine forests.. I looked forward to applying my newfound knowledge on control of these invasive species.

Next Grandpa and I enjoyed lunch together. I had a hotdog and an ice cream sandwich and Grandpa had a barbeque sandwich with chips. Now it was time for my favorite part of the Expo!

Here I am in front of my new helicopter, but look at the photo! I thought I got caught by the pilot and he was about to fly me to prison. He was really a nice man and let me sit in the cockpit.

Don't you think I look good in this helmet? Let me know if you would like me to fly you somewhere.

It was great to see the helicopter, but why was it here? We were about to find out, but I was disappointed I was not the pilot. Mr. R. T. Lumpkin used a drone to start a fire and you won’t believe what happened next! Grandpa wrote an article a few months ago on the use of the GFC drone for prescribed fire on one of our timber tracts. You can view it here: https://www.harrisonwoodlands.com/journal/2024/2/24/prescribed-fire-by-drone

We heard the roar of an airplane coming straight for us. A Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) airplane dumped water on the fire as it flew over. But that wasn't all.

The GFC pilots flew MY helicopter over the fire and dumped their load of water on the fire, and they didn't even ask my permission!

The Expo was over and we left to meet JeeJee at the cabin to continue our adventures. We decided to first take a tour of the roads on the Plum Creek tract that Grandpa had mowed earlier this week. We took the Mule and I did the driving. Remember the presentation I mentioned about invasive species? As we started down the woods road, Grandpa spotted a few chinaberry trees. These are trees Grandpa said we try to eliminate on our forestland.

This photo shows Grandpa and me using the "hack and squirt" technique I learned at the Expo. I look forward to seeing the chemical killing this chinaberry tree we found on the road to the Plum Creek tract. Grandpa mixed 25% Arsenal (a forestry chemical) with 75% water in a squirt bottle and assigned me to apply the mixture to a cut he made with his hatchet. Mr. McClure told us at the Expo to apply one squirt per 3" tree diameter.

What we found next was a very pleasant surprise to me and one I intend to share with the rest of my family when we return home tonight.

Do you recognize what I am holding? This is my first experience with muscadines as we found lots of them on the vines along the road. They grow wild in the woods and ripen in August/September. Grandpa taught me how to eat them and separate the seeds. It's a little like eating boiled peanuts and it comes naturally to a country girl like me.

Don't they look delicious?

Now to the next thing on my list. I told Grandpa I wanted to drive a tractor. He let me drive the John Deere and mow the field next to the shop.

Yes, that IS me driving this big tractor, as the next photo will prove!

Grandpa taught me the basics of the tractor operation. As you can see, it takes concentration to do a good job of mowing. This is me after three minutes of instructions. I may be the only experienced tractor driver in my second grade class!

But, the little girl in me came out, as my always observant eyes spotted some large clusters of muscadines high above the ground in the path of the tractor. I think I will take a break from tractor driving to pick some more muscadines. I plan to take some home to share with my family. There was one problem though. How could I reach them?

I have an idea! Why don't I stand on top of the Mule?

Success! My plan worked! I picked so many that Grandpa had to go to his shop and get three plastic containers to hold them. "Sorry, Grandpa! Mowing this field will have to wait!"

Grandpa remembered he had to get his old blue truck from the Carlton’s Hole tract and move it to the dairy tract. I wonder if I can find something there to keep me busy.

I know! I'll ask Grandpa to teach me to drive his bulldozer!

It didn't take long for me to get comfortable in the operator's seat.

I still had one more thing on my list. I wanted to paddle the Gheenoe! So, now we need to return to the cabin.

It didn't take long to learn the basics of boat navigation. There are only two rules: Paddle on the right to turn left and paddle on the left to turn right. Simple! Grandpa said I am better than an outboard motor!

Grandpa always has something else on his list to do. What could it be? It didn’t take long for him to decide to take me to a logging site at the dairy and look at the equipment.

"Sorry, Ellie! I know Grandpa promised this to you for your first car, but it looks like I am claiming it as my own!" The loggers use this old truck to move empty and loaded log trailers in the woods. If I had time I would vacuum and wash the truck to surprise the loggers when they return Monday.

Since this was a Saturday and the logging crew had a day off, I was not able to operate the logging equipment, so you will have to be satisfied with some photos of me posing in front of this giant equipment.

Look at the size of this monster! This machine (Grandpa calls it a feller/buncher) cuts the trees and lays them on the ground for the machine in the next photo to drag them to the logging deck where the logs are delimbed, graded, cut to length, and loaded on the log trailer for transport to the sawmill in Albany where they are sawn into lumber. Can you believe the trees we grow on our farm will soon be used in home construction?

A massive log skidder--it can't be that much more complicated than driving Grandpa's tractor, can it? I wish I could find the key.

It’s time to go home after a busy day. All of us are exhausted. I will close with a final photo showing a loaded log trailer. This load is valued at $1000 and contains mature sawtimber sized trees from the dairy tract. These trees were planted 28 years ago. The money we get from our timber sales will help pay the college expenses for me, my brothers, my sister, and my four cousins. I can hardly wait until my next adventure on the farm and I am already working on my list for the next trip.

Yes, that's me. I am standing in front of a 25 ton load of high quality loblolly pine logs ready to go to the sawmill.

Stay tuned for future articles about my adventures on the farm. I always enjoy learning about what our family does on our land in the country. You probably think owning a farm is all for play, but I learned the importance of hard work and saw the benefits of owning forest land.

Well, I better close now and start work on my list for my next trip with Grandpa and JeeJee. Maybe next time we can work on other things—maybe fishing, hiking, ziplining, 4-wheeler riding, arrowhead hunting, …

See you next time!

Stella Jean Teague

Daddy's Birthday & Harrison Woodlands Logo

We celebrated Daddy’s birthday this month, and we decided a fun way to commemorate it would be to create a logo for Harrison Woodlands, and to have some “merchandise” for everyone to wear. It was really fun to work on this project, and extra rewarding to see all the youngest members wearing their logo proudly (and it was extra cute that Texas did not want to take his off!).

Here is the logo:

We wanted it to have the feeling of a scouting patch and a vintage park sign. We added the little flags that say “planting today for tomorrow” because that is the spirit behind what we are doing; leaving a legacy and a love for the land and the trees. We thought it was important to have that stamped onto the logo as a reminder of the purpose behind what Daddy/Grandpa began.

To surprise Daddy, we took a photo of the grandkids wearing their tees and caps, and presented the photo to Daddy on his birthday at Mikata along with his own shirt and hat!

Aren’t they so cute? This is peak summer, and half of them are fresh out of the pool! They were really proud of their matching gear, and getting to surprise Grandpa.

Here are all of us after dinner with Daddy wearing his hat! We can’t wait to all be matching on our trip out West in a couple of weeks!

It was also so special to have Daddy’s brothers at supper to celebrate, too!

We had so much fun getting to celebrate him, and look forward to our next post about our trip out West!

Ellie's Day at the Logging Site and the Herpetarium

Mama, Vivi, Brigette, Marjorie, and I drove down Sunday to spend a few days with Grandpa and JeeJee.

Monday, Grandpa called and asked Mama if any of us girls wanted to go with him to the farm to look at a logging operation at the Carlton’s Hole tract. I quickly volunteered. The feature photo above shows me posing in what I hope will be my first car. We had a blast and I had a chance to try a number of activities I had never before experienced, as the photos and commentary below attest.

We enjoyed a delicious breakfast-to-go from the Saltlick Sausage Company and drove to meet Mr. Jeff Greene at the entrance to the tract. Mr. Jeff and his company (United Forestry Consultants) provides most of the management for our timber stands—planting, timber sales, herbicide applications, and a detailed management plan for each timber tract.

When we met him at 8:45, he was applying paint to the trees to mark those that would be cut for this second thinning. This allows the logging crew to take out the smaller and weaker trees, allowing the water and nutrients to be utilized by the crop trees that will be harvested as sawtimber in ten years or so.

When offered the chance to try my hand at marking trees with the nifty spray gun, I couldn’t resist!

This is me, applying paint to a tree that will be cut by the loggers later today. Don’t you think the blue paint goes well with my “Grandpa blue” eyes?

Mr. Jeff failed to warn me about the splatter from the paint gun. I had blue paint in my hair, on my face, my arms, and on my yellow “going to the farm” outfit! I learned my lesson and promise not to repeat it.

The log trailer behind “Ellie’s First Car” is loaded with pulpwood. This load will bring approximately $300.

This thinning will include both pulpwood and sawtimber, with a load of sawtimber being worth over three times the value of a pulpwood load.

While we were at the logging deck, the loader operator asked me if I would like to operate this huge piece of equipment. How could I say no! This machine sorts, delimbs, cuts the tops, and loads the logs on the trailer. It has an airconditioned cab and is very comfortable.

Before operating the loader, I first acquainted myself with the controls in the cab of this complicated machine. My first thought was it reminded me of a video game.

If you look closely you will see me in the operator's seat as I control the loader.

This is a load of sawtimber with a value of approximately $1,000.

When the final harvest occurs in ten years or so, most of the loads will be sawtimber. This will happen when I will be entering college and the income will come in handy with my tuition and other college expenses.

We have a large number of timber stands which result in regular income from timber sales. This allows us to invest in needed repairs and additions to our land and equipment, as well as funding the college educations for me, my sisters, and my four cousins.

I am standing next to a one year old loblolly pine. Grandpa said we will have a first thinning on this stand in about 15 years—when I am in my early 20s! (I hope I remember to look at this photo then!)

When we left the logging site, we drove around the other areas of this farm. Look below at some of the interesting things we saw.

This is a longleaf pine. Vivi named one of our longleaf sites near the Bluff House the “Dr. Seuss Field.” Longleaf pines produce the best pine straw valued by homeowners and landscapers. The lumber is also highly valued when it reaches sawtimber size in 40-45 years. I will be in my 50s by then!

My family loves blackberries. Mama and my sisters picked enough blackberries for a delicious cobbler earlier this week.

While Grandpa and I were riding around, I spotted some blackberries I couldn’t resist picking.

My bare legs didn’t keep me from wading into the briars for the fresh berries, and I have the scars to prove it!

We left before lunch and headed to Grandpa’s shop, where we enjoyed a cold bottle of water and then Grandpa offered me a big surprise! He saw how well I operated the loader and asked if I wanted to drive his new John Deere tractor. Again, how could I refuse!

I always like to familiarize myself with the controls before operating a new piece of equipment.

Now that I know what all the knobs, pedals, and levers do, it was time for me to demonstrate my skills!

I drove the tractor from the shop to the cabin and back to the shop. Not bad for my first time.

But the adventures were not yet complete. In case you were wondering what the title of this post included, wait until you see the “herpetarium”!

When we were approaching the cabin, we had to take a detour. There was a mother turtle (terrapin) laying eggs on the road! As she was leaving, I had to pose for a brief photo.

“Sorry, Brigette! This one is mine!”

OK, I am near the end of this article, but I saved the best for last! When we were at the cabin this past weekend, we found a six foot rat snake on one of the beams. When Grandpa and I visited the cabin a few days later, I spied the snake hanging on the wall. Mama and JeeJee requested we move the snake if he was still at the cabin, so we went to work. Below are a few photos.

Grandpa pulled the snake down from the wall and he coiled up and Grandpa scooped him up in a shovel. We relocated him to the edge of the pond.

“OK snake, if you know what is good for you, I suggest you leave now!”

“I’m ok with you leaving, but I at least need an affectionate touch!”

One more surprise! After fishing for a few minutes, we walked back to the tractor for our ride back to the shop. The snake was already nearly back to the cabin! Apparently he considers this his home.

“OK Grandpa! I think we have had enough excitement for one day. Hop in with me and we will grab some lunch on our way back to Albany.”

Christmas at the Farm 2023

Winter has seemed to fly by this year. The Teagues are up here visiting us for Easter, and we are all wishing we could be at the farm because it’s the best time to be there with this beautiful spring weather. We are all looking forward to being there soon! I want to make sure I record Christmas at the farm last year; it’s always fun to have these photos tucked in here to revisit.

For Christmas 2023, we tried something new, and postponed our big Harrison Christmas supper to the 27th. This worked out really well, as we were able to all come to the Bluff House on the 26th and have some time to celebrate Christmas with the Teagues and the Lays and JeeJee and Grandpa before having to set everything up for the big family event.

All of the kids were very excited to see the surprise Henry and Grandpa worked hard to construct: a zipline! It’s so fun, and everyone, Pippa included, got to enjoy it.

Texas and Marjorie are two peas in a pod. They have been inseparable this weekend and have had so much fun sharing a room.

It was also very fun to have a moment to open gifts; can you believe this lineup of kids and presents? I also loved the tree; Daddy cut it down from one of our own stands and it was so tall and looked beautiful with all the lights.

Here is a photo so you can appreciate how tall the tree was! It was perfect.

The Harrison Christmas supper was a full event, as usual, and Jimmy and Martha filled the tables with soups, sandwiches, and desserts, and everything was delicious and perfect. I love this photo of all the great-grandkids (Teagues, Lays, and Brewbakers!) with Great- Grandpa.

This is a good photo of the Harrison men. Daddy moved the Christmas tree into the shelter so we could enjoy it at supper.

Stellie was so cute in their matching dresses, and they loved their dolls from JeeJee and Grandpa!

The big kids had a lot of fun spending the night in the treehouse.

Ellie made a special request to drive one of Grandpa’s tractors, and he let her. She was very excited about this, and has brought up this memory often since then! She loved getting to drive.

It was a very memorable Christmas. We are missing the farm, and can’t wait to go back. We are glad, at least, that the cousins are all getting to be together this weekend. We are all looking forward to the spring and summer memories ahead of us to be made.

Prescribed Fire by Drone

THANK YOU DIRECTOR TIM LOWRIMORE AND THE GFC!

We received the great news in early February that the GFC had approved aerial ignition by drone for prescribed fire on private land. I had been following the developments on this since this firing technique began being implemented on public lands. After a number of very successful fires, the hierarchy in the GFC decided to allow a trial on private land and I quickly volunteered a 300+/- acre tract of thinned pines, primarily loblolly with a few acres of slash. The Google Earth image below shows the boundaries of the burn block we successfully burned on February 21, 2024 in the first application of drone ignition on private land in Georgia.

In coordination with R. T. Lumpkin, the GFC Prescribed Fire Burn Center Coordinator and drone pilot, we worked with Mark Shutters, the chief ranger for the Sumter/Schley GFC office to staff and conduct the burn.

R. T. Lumpkin conducts pre-burn planning and safety meeting with GFC crew.

Director Lowrimore sent the GFC helicopter and two pilots to monitor the burn and take aerial photos for later evaluation. They remained in contact with R. T. and the crew on the ground as the burn progressed.

The weather the day of the burn was perfect for our fire and conducive to the use of the aerial ignition. The temperature ranged from 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit, with humidity in the mid 20s, and light and variable winds from the east. The plan was to light the west side of the burn block first, followed by the north and south sides and allow the fires to back away from the breaks before launching the drone.

Shortly after 10:00, we began lighting along the breaks.

Under the watchful eye of Chief Ranger Mark Shutters, I prepare to light the test fire.

My sister-in-law, Donna Gawlas, uses a drip torch for the first time, assisting with the test fire on the farm that has been in her family for 75 years.

My son-in-law, Kemble Teague started lighting at the NW corner of the burn block while the GFC rangers from the local office started on the SW corner.

Once the backing fires gave us a safe buffer along the harrowed firebreaks, the burn participants and spectators gathered at the drone launch site near the middle of the burn block. R. T. gave us a short course on the aerial ignition process.

The source of ignition dropped from the drone is a plastic “egg” approximately half the size of a ping pong ball containing potassium permanganate. Immediately prior to ejection from the drone, glycol (common antifreeze) is injected into the egg.

I found the following brief explanation of the chemical process that results from the mixing of the two chemicals: The oxidation of glycol by potassium permanganate is an example of spontaneous combustion—combustion that occurs at or even below room temperature. The reaction proceeds relatively slowly at first; however, the rate of the reaction begins to increase as the heat produced in this exothermic reaction accumulates.

R. T. demonstrated how the process works by injecting two of the eggs with the glycol and tossing them on the ground. The chemical reaction produced heat excessive enough to ignite the grass where the eggs landed.

The photo and video below demonstrate the process.

A closeup of the egg with the drone in the background

After the demonstration of the egg ignition, R. T. and Beau Singleton prepared the drone for launch. R. T. programmed and flew the drone on a grid pattern, launching an average of one egg per acre. His flight plan used a back and forth pattern, with the parallel runs separated by 200 feet, and eggs dropped every 130 feet within the burn block. We used approximately 300 eggs at a cost of thirty cents each, for a total of $90.

As indicated in the video above, R. T. waited until the ground crew with drip torches confirmed the security of the breaks before he launched the drone.

R. T. and Beau prepare the drone for launch.

The drone is loaded and ready to fly.

Once the drone was prepared and the breaks were confirmed to be secure, the first ignition flight was launched at 11:15, about an hour after the drip torch lighting of the strips along the north, south, and west breaks. The video below shows the launch of the first ignition flight. (You will hear the sound of the GFC helicopter in the background.)

This closeup of the drone controller screen shows the grid pattern executed by the drone and the white circles show the drop locations shortly after R. T. started lighting in the NW corner of the burn block.

Approximately 75 minutes after the first launch, the burn was nearing completion as the 300 or so spot fires started merging together over the entire block. The photos below provide evidence of the integrity of the burn.

This photo is on the eastern edge of the small stand of slash pines. The black smoke shows the welcomed consumption of a large number of volunteer pines that had nearly taken over this stand.

This is a ground level closeup of the fire in the loblolly stand.

Photo taken from the north end of the burn block, facing southwest with the GFC helicopter in the foreground.

This view is facing west. The launch site for the drone was approximately at the intersection of the shadow with the sunny spot.

The following photos show the progress of the fire as viewed from the GFC helicopter.

This photo was taken at 11:12 looking west over the drone launch area at the smoke from the backing fire set by drip torches on the west line.

This photo was taken at11:17 Looking north from the south line along the backing fire on the west line.

This photo was taken at 11:19 looking west at the smoke from the north backing fire.

This photo was taken at 12:44 , looking north as the fire is nearly complete (two and one half hours since we started lighting the backing fires along the breaks).

Note the total absence of smoke on LaCrosse Road showing the smoke management benefits of even a 4 mph east wind.

This photo was taken at 12:46, looking west. Again, note the complete absence of smoke on LaCrosse Road.

When the burn was progressing well and according to plan, two women stopped by and showed a LOT of interest in what we were doing, so Donna and I took time to explain the process and the reasons for the fire. One of the women was from New York and was very fascinated with the entire operation.

Photographic evidence of the benefits of converting another citizen to prescribed fire as this New Yorker demonstrates her newly acquired skills with a drip torch.

As my “report” on our Prescribed Fire by Drone ends, I am concluding with two photos that explain our commitment to forest stewardship and our family’s love for the land.

As indicated by the sign, Jesse McLendon, my father-in-law, purchased his first tract of land in the LaCrosse community in Schley County in 1948. He was a member of the Greatest Generation, serving with distinction in World War II in the U. S. Army Air Force as a tail gunner in the air war against Germany.

He would be impressed at the major breakthroughs in aviation and would have been proudly and humbly watching the piloting skills R. T. demonstrated, while executing a picture perfect prescribed burn on a loblolly pine plantation growing in the soil he worked tirelessly for nearly 40 years growing row crops and livestock to support his family.

The charge for our family is to continue the stewardship practices he taught us, while teaching it to our grandchildren, and to pass the love of the land and a firm knowledge of the care it requires to future generations.

Thank you, Mr. Jesse, for entrusting us with this responsibility. We do not take this responsibility lightly!

Mr. Jesse M. McLendon (1915-2003)—“The Mayor of LaCrosse”

Summary

It was an honor for us to host this burn alongside the GFC professionals who executed this cutting edge application for prescribed fire. It will prove to be a force multiplier for the limited staff of the GFC and accomplish R. T.’s goal of “getting more fire on the ground.”

This is another tool that can be used in a broad range of applications, increasing the acreage that can be burned during our limited burn windows each year. Those involved in timber management recognize proper utilization of prescribed fire as THE most cost effective silvicultural practice we can employ in improving aesthetics, promoting timber stand health and growth, benefiting wildlife, and protecting the environment.

Once again, I thank the dedicated professionals who work daily on our behalf and on behalf of the citizens of Georgia as they serve faithfully with the Georgia Forestry Commission.

Mike Harrison (and family)

Georgia Tree Farm Field Day

As an outreach effort on behalf of the Georgia Tree Farm Program, we were asked to host a field day on our land. The event was held in our farm shop/equipment shelter in Schley County on Thursday, October 5, 2023.

The driving force in our family tree farm is the legacy aspect of the land. We have some tracts that belonged to my great grandfather and some that were purchased by my father-in-law. We have added a number of tracts through purchases we have made over the last 40+ years. Our desire, expressed often to our children and grandchildren, is that the land remain in our family and never be treated as “just other asset” which can be exchanged for other investments.

One of the main ways we work toward that goal is getting our daughters, their husbands, and their eight children on the land—show them a good time, make memories, have them contribute labor on various age-appropriate tasks, invite friends and other family members,…

Our family worked together to prepare our farm for the visitors. The Georgia Tree Farm operating committee under the leadership of Frank Green and Steve Chapman worked tirelessly with the Georgia Forestry Commission, other state agencies, private wildlife and forestry vendors, and various forestry organizations to plan the event.

A copy of the flier sent to area landowners is shown below.

In preparation for the day, we worked to completely empty the equipment shed, clean the floor, set up the audio and video equipment, arrange tables and chairs, and a host of other miscellaneous tasks. Both my sons-in-law worked with me to prepare the site. The following photos and videos show some of the prework.

Kemble Teague showing the finished product of his tractor wash operation

Kemble moving 1936 John Deere Unstyled Model A into position in the tractor wash queue. It served as the “sign post” for the various signs posted at the road welcoming our guests for the day.

Equipment lineup after exiting tractor wash

Frank Green, Program Administrator for the Georgia Tree Farm Program, gives a thumbs up to the field day preparations. (I think his joyful expression is the result of finding a piece of farm equipment that pre-dates him.)

Not shown in the preparation photos is Chip Lay who set up the audio and video equipment for the presentations and worked on last-minute details.

Following are photos and one video showing some of the various speakers and presentations for the day.

For obvious reasons the video above is my favorite, as my oldest granddaughter, Vivi Lay, addresses the attendees on what our family tree farm means to her and our seven other grandchildren. The primary goal my wife and I have for our tree farm is to pass on the heritage in the land to our grandchildren. Vivi’s speech gives us great comfort that we are moving toward that goal.

Chase Cook speaking on the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)

Lisa Duncan, Stewardship Specialist for the Georgia Forestry Commission, speaks with a landowner. Lisa has written most of our stewardship plans and has done all the updates to the plans for the last many years. Her plans are detailed, up-to-date, and provide road maps for managing the various tracts.

Wildlife Specialist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources speaks with landowners on the declining wild turkey population

Dr. David Clabo, professor with the University of Georgia, speaks to landowners on pine genetics

Forester with F&W Forestry Services gives update and outlook for area timber markets

Travis Ingram, a fish pond consultant, gave a very interesting presentation at our pond on effective pond management. He covered fertilization, pesticide use, and supplemental feeding among other topics.

Regrettably, we have no photos of Mark McClure—GFC Forest Health Specialist, who gave a very interesting presentation on forest pests, with samples of the various enemy beetles of pine trees. Unfortunately, but timely, Mark was able to give his presentation under a canopy of natural growth loblolly pines recently killed in a small southern pine beetle infestation on our farm. Our first interaction with Mark was 25 years ago, when he contacted us concerning a pine beetle infestation spotted in a GFC air survey.

He is the cogon grass expert in the state and worked with us several years ago, successfully eradicating a small area of cogon grass on one of our tracts. Mark’s success in eliminating EVERY cogon grass spot in the state is the envy of bordering states who have all but given up the fight against this non-native invasive species. It ranks very high in the top 10 list of worst invasive species in the world.

Additionally, he has worked with us on treating other invasive species commonly found in our area, including chinaberry and privet.

Frank Green and Jamie Pitts talk at the Tree Farm table

The Georgia Forestry Commission took care of onsite transportation to the various field stations with their trucks and trolleys, as well as many other equipment and setup needs for the day.

Ken Parker, GFC Specialist—Wildfire Mitigation, brought us up to date on the latest in prescribed fire and the streamlined burn permit process

R. T. Lumpkin, GFC Prescribed Fire Burn Center Coordinator, speaking with landowners about his work in promoting prescribed fire in our area

Steve Lloyd, American Forest Foundation, which oversees the Tree Farm Program across the country, addressed the group on the importance of the program in promoting and supporting private landowners

Steve Chapman, current chairman of the Georgia Tree Farm Program, recognizes his predecessor, Aaron Burton, for his contributions to the program.

Tim Lowrimore, the always visible and always supportive Director of the Georgia Forestry Commission, addresses the attendees.

Tim speaks with Heather Brasell, the Georgia Tree Farmer of the Year for 2022.

Update: Heather was selected as the Regional Tree Farmer of the Year AND the National Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year for 2023.

Congratulations, Heather!

On behalf of our family, we want to thank the many who contributed to our field day. We could not have asked for more support and we look forward to participating in such events across our state in the future.

Mike Harrison

WOODLAND MAGAZINE ARTICLE

This past spring, we were approached by the editor of Woodland magazine, the publication for the American Forest Foundation (https://www.forestfoundation.org/), the national organization that administers the American Tree Farm System (https://www.treefarmsystem.org/), about being interviewed for an upcoming issue of the magazine profiling several landowners concerning their family tree farms.

We were honored to be included in these landowner profiles. Our story, along with stories on tree farms in Pennsylvania and Maryland, was featured in the Summer 2023 edition of the magazine. It was a pleasure to be interviewed by the writer of the article, and we were pleased with the finished product. We are grateful to the American Forest Foundation, the American Tree Farm System, and the Georgia Tree Farm Program (https://www.treefarmsystem.org/georgia) for the work these organizations do in support of family tree farms.

Following are scans of the magazine cover, the table of contents, and the article featuring our family.

The cover of the Summer 2023 Issue of Woodland Magazine

Contents page featuring all eight of our grandchildren, marching in order in front of the treehouse we built for them on the farm: Vivi, Brigette (holding Frankie), Henry, Ellie, Stella, Texas, Marjorie, and Pippa (with Homer prancing in the foreground).

Below are the cropped scans of the article on our family tree farm.

Page 1 of the article—the family photo showing all 14 of us was taken at Christmas, 2023 as we celebrated the holiday together at the farm. (See journal article: https://www.harrisonwoodlands.com/journal/2023/3/29/christmas-new-and-old-traditions)

I took the photo of the rainbow over the 100+ year old barns we renovated on my father-in-law’s farm. (See journal article: https://www.harrisonwoodlands.com/journal/2021/6/24/rehabilitation-of-mclendon-farm-barns)

Page 2 of the article. Cabin photo taken in early morning light (See article: https://www.harrisonwoodlands.com/journal/2022/8/28/the-log-cabin-history)

The Best Birthday Party of My Life

This summer, I had the best birthday party of my life. I invited some of my best friends from school to spend two days and one night at the farm.

We played hide and seek at the bluff house, fished for hours, and boated on the pond, and shot guns with Grandpa. Then we cooled off by playing on the slip and slide in the field for awhile.

We continued to explore and fish and play while Grandpa and Mama fixed supper.

We ate a LOT of watermelon, along with fried turkey and french fries. We also each had one fried fish that we caught that afternoon.

Later, we had cake and traded baseball cards in the cabin kitchen. We watched a movie in the loft and the cabin and then fell asleep after a fun hot day.

The next morning, we had breakfast, then fished some more before heading home.

I hope I can do this again.

~Henry

Vivi and Brigie’s Jekyll Tree Conference 2023 Experience

Written By: Vivi and Brigette Lay

This year we(Brigie and Vivi) got to go to the annual 2023 Tree Conference in Jekyll with JeeJee and Grandpa. We spent two nights at the Westin, and had lots of fun, and learned lots of new things! 🐢(Brigie wanted to add the turtle).

Driving to Jekyll!

When we got there we had lunch at the Beach House, and enjoyed the ocean view. Then we got regestered for all of the Tree Conference events. We went to hotel and unpacked and settled in. Of course, the first thing we wanted to do was go to the beach. But it was a bit dirty, so we went to the pool instead.

From 5 to 6:30, we went to a kid’s night at the Tree Conference place. We got to touch multiple animals, and have a snack. Then we went and hit the swag booths, piling our bags high! There was SO MUCH FREE STUFF!! We pretty much went crazy.😝

Here’s us going crazy over the free swag!

Here we are looking at the pollen swag booth. Brigie and I both agreed that it was our favorite.

And here we are looking through our “Swag Bags” with Grandpa. Look at our John Deer hats!

For dinner that night, we got dressed up and ate dinner at the Reserve. And we topped off the night by watching Captain America back in our room.

The next morning, we ate breakfast at the Westin Cafe. Then we went to the beach again, but quickly left because of all of the dead sea life on the shore. The animals included a sting ray, three horseshoe crabs, and many sand-dollars.

After that we went to the pool and fed the birds Doritos. Then we went to the Annual 2023 Tree Farmer of the Year lunch, and got to meet the Tree Farmer herself! It was really cool, and we enjoyed it a lot!

Next, we tried to go to the water park, but soon realized it was in vain. There were SO MANY PEOPLE. So instead we went shopping at the village near our hotel. We decided to spur of the moment buy two hermit crabs!!! We named them Rufus(Brigie’s), and Cayenne(Vivi’s).

Hermit crabs!

That night they had another kids meeting, and we attended. They served us dinner, and we got to watch finding Nemo. It was so fun! Then they had Dueling Pianos, and played things like “1,000 Miles",” and “Bohemian Rhapsody.” It was amazing!

The next morning we woke up early and packed. JeeJee and Grandpa said that they had a surprise for us. We got Dunkin’ Doughnuts for breakfast, which was great, but that wasn’t even the surprise!

They took us to the Okefenokee swamp! We went on a boat tour of the swamp, and saw lots of gators. Then we had a train ride and wildlife talk, where we got to pet two turtles, a red rat snake, and a baby alligator! It was so fun, and the perfect way to wrap up the amazing trip.

Here Brigie and I are waiting to get on the boat tour!

Here we are posing in front of the female alligator. Can you spot her in the back?

If you couldn’t see her in the previous picture, here she is up close and personal.

And finally, here’s us posing with Mr. Bear before we head on home.

As you can see, this trip was so fun and special! Brigie and I learned so much, and enjoyed getting two-on-two time with JeeJee and Grandpa. And yes, Rufus and Cayenne are alive and well! I can’t wait to spend even more time out in nature and with our amazing Grandparents!

Vivi's Coming-of-age Farm Trip

Written by: Vivi Lay

This past week, Grandpa and JeeJee took me to the farm for a solo farm trip. They knew that I hadn’t seen hardly any of our land, and wanted to expose me to more of it. So we set aside a time for them to take me to the farm for two nights! Over those days, I kept a journal, writing in it periodically and keeping track of all I did. And now, I’ll use those entries in this journal post!

Day 1: Entry 1

9:12 pm

Right now we are driving to the farm in the dark. We just ate dinner at Olive Garden, and I’m starting to get sleepy. Grandpa keeps yawning! I’m super excited about the upcoming farm trip, and can’t wait to get there!

Here’s me in Grandpa’s new truck, excited for a fun-filled farm trip!

Entry 2: 10:45pm

We just got to the farm! It’s so late. Grandpa keeps sleep-talking, and I can’t wait to crash into bed! I have to wake up early tomorrow to look at trees!

Day 2: Entry 3

9:27 am

We all just woke up after a great nights sleep! I had a big bowl of cereal and a turkey nugget for breakfast. Right now we’re in the truck diving to Moss Hill tract. The mule is on the trailer in the back. We will drive around Weyco-Miller to get there. Then we’ll go to Carlton’s Hole for a picnic lunch.

I’m eating a hearty breakfast before a big day!

Grandpa is loading the Mule on the back of the trailer!

Entry 4: 11:35am

We just came back to the truck from Moss Hill. Grandpa had to chainsaw a TON of trees in the road. We looked at a bunch of the dead pine trees in the road. I helped roll them out of the way! I was also attacked by a yellow jacket and two spiders. Then Grandpa almost ran into a writing spiders web. On accident. I don’t know… I think it was on purpose. Anyway, we’re now heading to Carlton’s hole for a picnic lunch!

Entry 5: 2:16pm

We are just driving back from Carlton’s Hole. We went wading, and had lunch in the mule! I had a Grandpa sandwich(Pb and chocolate chips), a ham sandwich, and a Dr. Pepper. Delicious! Then Grandpa “accidentally” drove off the road, and we almost fell out of the mule. But thankfully, we survived. And we covered a ton of land! It’s super cool looking at all of the tracts I’ve never seen before! I really have a better appreciation and loving for the Harrison Woodlands, and all of the Pine Trees. We’re now driving to Buck Creek, then back to the cabin for cold showers. It’s so hot and humid!

Entry 7: 10:05 pm

Before we went to the cabin, I got to drive Grandpa’s red tractor! This is obviously training for future years. We went to the Station for dinner, and I got a DELICIOUS dinner, and an incredible slice of key-lime pie for dessert. It’s now bedtime, and JeeJee and I are about to turn off the lights. Today was amazing, and I learned so much!

Day 3: Entry 8

9:57am

This morning has been AMAZING! First, I had a biology lesson with Grandpa, where I got to drive the gheenoe with the motor and put fertilizer in the pond. Next, I got to eat chocolate cake for Part One of my breakfast. Then, we’re heading to Jimmy’s Coffee Shop for Part Two of breakfast. And finally, we’re going to Lacrosse!

Entry 9: 10:36am

We were just leaving Jimmy’s Coffee Shop, when who did we happen to see but Uncle Jimmy himself! We talked awhile and took some pictures. I got a frozen hot chocolate, and JeeJee got a coffee. We are now heading to the Hudson Place!

Here’s me with Uncle Jimmy!

Entry 10: 11:49am

We just looked at the pulp-mill where Grandpa worked for two years. They make diapers there! We’re now heading to lunch. They serve their food cafeteria-style, and I hear they have really good desserts!

Entry 11: 1:00pm

We are now driving around and looking at different tracts. We just got back from the lunch place, which was impeccable. I heaped my plate high! Their banana pie was delectable. We are now heading to McLendon 2!

For the rest of the time, I was so busy that I didn’t have time to write! And we took SO MANY PHOTOS! We visited both Dozier and the Dairy tracts, and Grandpa even let me drive his truck! ON THE ROAD! It was so fun! As you can see from all of these entries and pictures, this Farm Trip was indescribable. I cherished every moment, and learned a ton! I would do it all again in a heartbeat! Thank you, JeeJee and Grandpa for this amazing experience!

Me driving the truck!

Blackberry Picking Visit

The past few months have been very busy with the end of school, but we made sure to make it to the farm to pick some yummy blackberries. It was a short and sweet visit (only 24 hours), but a good reminder that quick visits can still be full of adventure and memory making.

On the way to the farm, we stopped by Jimmy’s coffee shop. It was beautiful, and the girls were very impressed with the kid friendly options. The cinnamon rolls were delicious, and I enjoyed an excellent cup of hot tea. As you can see, Marjorie is in the middle of her balletleisure phase, and prefers to not wear actual clothes.

I snapped a picture of Saturday Snacks because I love it so much. Perhaps we could move it to sit by the bluff house?

The girls were very eager to begin picking blackberries, and immediately suited up in boots to wade through the briars. Grandpa recommended we start picking across the road from the gate, so that is where we went.

We found some good ones, and Vivi was the most fearless, walking farther out into the trees and briars than everyone else.

Marjorie was not having it, and as she was inappropriately dressed for a romp through the briars in her balletleisure, she stayed perched on the beast and watched from afar, happy to sample as many berries as her big sisters would allow her to have.

We picked as many as we dared (the bushes were very thick and tall with lots of briars, and we didn’t want to encounter any snakes), so we decided to check out the field where JeeJee had lots of luck. On the way, we found some honeysuckle, which the girls were very excited to pick.

The entire field next to the dirt road entrance was completely full of blackberries. We followed JeeJee’s recommendation, and just drove through them in the beast, picking them where we sat. It was hard to stop because there were so many!

We had lots of blackberries - enough to make a cobbler, and it was time to go pick up Chip to get supper at the Pizza Place, but we discovered one of the Beasts was very quickly running out of battery. We couldn’t make it up the hill or across the field, and got stuck in the woods.

Thankfully, Grandpa rescued us in no time, and we were able to get supper. The girls were all very happy to play arcade games at the Pizza Place and fill up on pizza before going to bed at the Bluff House. We had planned to make blackberry cobbler, but it ended up being a late night, so we saved that project for when we got to Albany.

Sunday morning was perfectly overcast and slightly cool, which was an unexpected treat for June. We started the morning with some rope swinging.

The girls wanted to ride boats in the pond, and on our way to the boathouse, we found this cute little turtle. Brigette was very excited to check it out, and decided we shouldn’t move or disturb her.

When we got to the boathouse, we wiped down the paddle boat and the gheenoe.

Chip took Marjorie and Ellie out in the gheenoe, and Vivi, Brigette, and Eliana did a little trip around the pond in the paddleboat, and then everyone did some switching around. The clouds made for such a nice morning, and it didn’t get too hot. The little girls also had fun overfeeding the fish.

We had a great visit, and we wish we could have stayed longer, but we had a lot of fun doing everything we could! The blackberries were so yummy, and made a fantastic cobbler. We can’t wait to return!

Winter Wading Adventures (Christmas 2021)

These pictures are from Christmas a year ago, but I wanted to be sure to post them because it was such a fun memory. Christmas of 2021 was so warm! The kids had so much fun getting into the water and wading. It was crazy to have a December that felt like springtime! Everyone loved it, though.

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Christmas New and Old Traditions

Christmas at the farm is always the best part about Christmas. I speak for all of the grandchildren when I say that I look forward to the 26th when we head to the Bluff House. Christmas at the farm has changed a lot over the course of 10 years, but no matter what changes, it is always full of fun and family. When I was younger, we would head down on Christmas day. We would pack up our presents and drive on down. We usually would have dinner that night, too. Okay, dinner isn’t exactly correct. This meal is more like a feast! Everyone comes over, and they all bring a dish. Of course, my favorite dish is pretzel salad, always made by Aunt Martha and Uncle Jimmy.

We would have dinner in the hall of the Bluff House, but as our family has changed and grown, we decided we needed a new plan. So, the Bluff House men decided to build a shelter! This shelter is big enough to hold 5 big tables, a giant Christmas tree, a stage, and 11 kids!

Ever since the stage was re-installed, we have put on a Christmas show every year. And the past two years we have assigned everyone a “day of christmas,” and done an acapella The Twelve Days Of Christmas.

It has also been nice to welcome the newest members into the family: Keaton (Delaney’s husband), Pippa Teauge (baby), and Jonathan Brewbaker (baby).

And now, instead of all of the adults getting every kid a gift, the adults now draw names for the child they have to get a gift for.

This year the senior kids (me, Henry, and Brigie) spent the night at Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Martha’s house. That was a treat that we all enjoyed.

We also had a spaghetti dinner with the Brewbakers at the shelter one night, and also enjoyed things like hot dogs and smores (roasted over the fire), and rice krispie treats (made by me)!

One of our favorite wintertime farm traditions is the hayride! We get all bundled up and pile into the wagon Mama helped make. It is connected to Grandpa’s tractor. Then we drive around and look at the stars. The past couple of years we have added on to this tradition by going to the cabin for smores and hot chocolate. Yum!

We have had many pets join the family as well. Over two years we have welcomed Frankie (The Lay’s bunny), Homer (The Teague’s dog), and the most recent one Queenie (The Lay’s bunny).

As you can see, Christmastime is always a very  exciting time for everyone. But in all of it, we can’t forget what Christmas truly is about: the birth of Jesus Christ! By doing these things we try to honor the Lord in all that we do. Overall, I love a good ol’ country Christmas! I have the privilege of being the oldest grandchild, so I have seen the most change. But every year the same thing remains: family is great! And we have Great-Grandpa to thank, for he started it all. This is a farm Christmas. 

written by Vivi, age 12

What is Your Favorite Thing About Fall?

by Brigette Lay, fourth grade

What is your favorite thing about fall? Mine is Thanksgiving dinner. Every year my family travels to my family’s tree farm. The tree farm is a big forest where we grow pine trees and there is a house in it where we hang out if we visit. On Thanksgiving my family and I and all our cousins, aunts, and uncles, and grandparents go there. Everyone brings food for dinner. When we arrive there, me and my mom work on making her scrumptious pumpkin biscuits. I usually devour three! Once they are done we get all the tables, chairs, and decorations. While the parents bake a mouthwatering meal and set up, my sisters and cousins and I play together. Once people begin arriving, we welcome them in and we arrange everything they bring on a table, grab plates, and find our food. Once we’re all settled and sitting down, someone says a prayer and we eat! After dinner, we have dessert. One of the best desserts is Aunt Martha’s pretzel salad. It has whipped cream, pretzels, and jello! It’s delicious. Once everyone leaves we clean up the food and tables. Each Thanksgiving dinner is always exciting!

Hosting Friends at the Bluff House

In early September, we got the chance to take some extra friends with us to the Bluff House! We drove down two cars packed with 8 girls total, and they all agreed that since the Teague girls are the Lay girls’ cousins’ cousins that they should just go ahead and declare they are actually cousins, too.

Here are ALL the girls walking into Chick fil A with Chip for our lunch stop.

Shortly after we arrived, the kids all wanted to go on a hike. Below is the lineup of everyone (just missing baby Pipps!)

The big kids went on an adventure with Uncle Kemble, and the little ones went fishing with Uncle Chip and myself.

They all enjoyed it, and Ellie Teague caught a fish!

Marjorie and Texas very much enjoyed checking out Great Grandpa’s squishy worms, and that was their favorite part.

Brigette coordinate a fashion show with Stellie in the shelter on the stage, and of course Stellie put on a great show.

Homer was also there, and everyone enjoyed lots and lots of Homer snuggles.

Texas and Marjorie were inseparable, as usual.

We had Shepherd’s Pie for supper on Sunday night, and could hardly squeeze in everyone around the table, but that always makes for the best kind of meal when you are all squished together with your favorite people.

Henry and Texas also were really good sports about letting me take a Hardy Boys photo of them. They are pretty much professionals.

The big kids (Vivi, Brigette, Henry, Nora, and Quinn) all walked over to the cabin by themselves, and spent the night in the loft. This was such a fun big kid thing to get to do, and they did a great job of being brave and doing it!

It was an exhausting, non stop weekend full of fun and memories. We are so grateful to have a special place where we can bring friends and family to give them some fresh air and a break from really hard things. We hope we can have the Teague girls back with us soon for some more farm adventures!

The Log Cabin History

The following post is written in honor of my father-in-law, Mr. Jesse McLendon. It was a great privilege to be the son-in-law of this man. He was a model husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, veteran of World War II, and a lifelong hard-working farmer. He was the possessor of great wisdom and kindness, as anyone who knew him will readily attest. One of my favorite all-time projects was turning the abandoned, almost a casualty of nature, place of his birth into a family gathering place that will hopefully survive for several more generations. It is a home away from home for us, his grandchildren, and now eight precious great-grandchildren he never had the privilege of meeting (but I see a little of him in each of them).

I thought it would be a good idea to write the history of the log cabin as it is an important part of our family’s story. Most of us have vague ideas concerning this, but I have much detailed information that should be preserved and passed down to future generations.

Jean and I had long thought a log cabin would be a unique home for our family, even when there were only the two of us. Jean’s father had told me on several occasions that he didn’t want to live in a log cabin—that he was born in one (in 1915!).

One day in the 1990s, I asked him how long the cabin had been gone, and he answered that it was still standing. When I asked the condition, he said the last time he saw it, it was in really bad shape. I asked where it was located. He told me it was on the farm of his nephew, Alvin McLendon, located north of GA Hwy. 228 on the Schley-Sumter County line. (His family were sharecroppers on this farm when they lived there. Later his brother George bought the farm.) He took Jean and me to the site initially in the spring of 1996. After deciding we wanted to pursue the project, we returned and we were greeted with what is shown in the photo below, taken in the fall of 1997.

Does this view inspire you as to the possibilities for this showplace?

I made a decision to try to salvage and relocate the cabin and Mr. Jesse asked Alvin about it and he readily agreed to give me the house to tear down, move, and reassemble the structure. (You can see several photos of Alvin much further below in the pictures of Mr. Jesse’s 85th birthday party. He visited the site of the new house several times. We are grateful for his generosity in giving this to us for our use.) Jean and I decided a good location would be on the pond on the Trice tract.

In the fall of 1997, we started the long process of tearing down the house and salvaging as much of the original material as possible for reassembly on our site.

This and several photos below show the condition of the house after the vines, chinaberry trees, and miscellaneous shrubs were removed by Merrill Bailey. You can tell at a glance this has amazing possibilities. Note the date on the photo—October 8, 1997. This is a view from the rear of the house.

This is a front view photo taken October 23, 1997.

The first of many steps in the process involved a cleanup of decades of debris and filth.

Jean and her daddy starting to clean the floor of the bedroom—October 23, 1997.

Cleanup crew taking a much needed break—October 23, 1997. (Mr. Jesse is 82 and Jean is 43).

Day 1 of dismantling, October 28, 1997. Daddy and his trusty dog are walking to the truck as I stand on the porch. The chimney on the left was the only one remaining. The bricks from this chimney were used for the fireplaces in the living room and bedroom.

Later on day 1 of dismantling, October 28, 1997. The gaps in the logs were never chinked, but were covered inside and outside with planks. As a result it was very poorly sealed and must have been very cold in the winter.

Day 2 of dismantling. Daddy is sitting on trailer of salvaged material to be stored in shop at the dairy. At the end of each day, we moved all the salvaged material to the dairy. It was later brought, as needed, to the new building site.

Front view of house on day 3 of dismantling, almost ready to start taking down log walls.

Day 3 showing log numbering scheme. Left photo shows living room and right photo shows bedroom. LR-N-E 2 is "Living Room North Side, East End, Second log from bottom.” BR-W-S 2 is “Bedroom West Side, South End Second log from bottom.” I also made sketches of the log walls to ensure everything was put back in the appropriate place.

Day 3—Mr. Jesse and his sister Minnie Jewel McLendon Peek, both were born in the house. I wish we were privy to some of the conversations they had as they visited the site.

Day 3—Left to right—Merrill Bailey, me, Joe Powell, and Bill McClellan as we are discussing taking down the log walls.

Day 3—Merrill Bailey lifting logs from structure with excavator. He lifted the long logs above the doors and we lifted the shorter ones by hand.

Day 3—Merrill Bailey on excavator, Darrell Bailey stacking logs on trailer. All logs were stored on this trailer borrowed from Merrill Bailey and kept under shelter near railroad until needed for reassembly.

November 10, 1997—Lyman Holloway house off Bumphead Road given to me by Bill Perry. Several long pine logs were salvaged and used on living room walls, as well as beaded boards in ceiling used in kitchen ceiling and bricks used for piers.

November 11, 1997—Closeup of Merrill Bailey lifting logs off Lyman Holloway house.

One of the long pine logs used in living room.

November 28, 1997—Joni and Ashley after loading bricks from Holloway house for use on piers for new house.

Photo given to me showing log cabin with handhewn white oak logs used for the living room. I purchased these from “Hondo.” He had labeled the logs and torn down the house and had them stored near Forsyth. (He claimed to have worked for the Allman Brothers Band and said Chuck Leavell had planned to purchase the logs.)

Spring, 1998—Building site prior to removing trees.

Floor framing complete.

Start of bedroom log wall erection. Original log cabin had bedroom logs 80% good and living room only 20% good. Good living room logs were used to complete bedroom. These were all split pine logs.

Joni and Ashley inspecting log erection process. Living room logs were hand hewn white pine logs primarily, supplemented as needed by hand hewn pine logs from Lyman Holloway house.

Log erection complete.

Main structure roof framing and fireplace erection complete. Notice front windows in living room not yet cut out.

July 10, 1998—Daddy inspecting start of front porch roof framing.

All roof framing complete and start of installation of roofing metal—notice a very busy construction site.

Fred Rockenhaus installing last pieces of metal on main structure.

Danny Beckwith working on bedroom fireplace. (Danny was an elementary school classmate of Jean and me.) Notice too the windows are installed and the chinking is complete.

Bedroom fireplace complete.

Joni doing jigsaw work as she helps me with rafter closures for installation above log walls.

Kitchen framing and another view of a very busy work site.

Two happy visitors inquiring about completion date.

October 14, 1998—Another view of a busy work site. Scaffolding surrounds living room chimney, living room windows installed, living room ceiling boards ready for installation. These were originally in the living room of the cabin and painted yellow (as were the inside of the bedroom walls). The paint was stripped by Tommy James in preparation for installing in new cabin.

Interior photo of living room showing windows and fireplace complete.

View from loft showing interior of living room.

October 28, 1998—Danny Beckwith proudly showing his work on the kitchen fireplace.

November 27, 1997—East exterior wall of kitchen finished.

November 27, 1998—Joni and Ashley posing in cabin loft windows.

December 2, 1998—Exterior nearing completion. Fireplaces and chimneys complete, exterior walls of utility room, bathroom, and kitchen almost complete.

December 2, 1998—Even “the old Dodge Caravan” made the photo!

December 2, 1998—This photo shows the jig I made to construct all the doors. ALL doors were a unique size, so I made the jig adjustable. The doors were all constructed with two layers of cypress, nailed and glued, with bracing on the inside made to fit the openings in the walls.

December 2 1998—Newly completed and installed front door to bedroom,

February 16, 1999—Excited guests invited to spend the very first night in the newly (and nearly) completed cabin—Gran (age 76), Papa (age 83), and Aunt Minnie Jewel (age 85).

February 16, 1999—Jean forgot to tell me she invited three guests to spend the night! As a result, I spent all day completing the plumbing, finally enjoying supper after dark in the not yet completed kitchen.

February 17, 1999—After a great night’s sleep, two of the three guests spending the night in the cabin for the first time in about 80 years, get ready to enjoy a hearty breakfast prepared by Gran using temporary wiring and a hotplate.

February 17, 1999—”Minnie Jewel, how many years has it been since we ate breakfast in this cabin?” “I don’t know Jesse, but it has to be close to 80 years!”

Five of us enjoyed the first meal prepared in the nearly finished cabin—and a very good breakfast it was. (I am standing out of view behind the camera.)

March, 1999—Four excited turkey hunters the night before opening day (L-R me, Jim Sellars, Steve Evans, Lee (aka Flash) Turner).

November 25, 1999—Thanksgiving—Uncle Billy, Mama, and Uncle Bobby.

Thanksgiving, 1999—Sisters and best friends for life!

Thanksgiving, 1999—Family gathering at the cabin.

Thanksgiving, 1999—Daddy and Uncle Billy

Thanksgiving, 1999—Supper at the cabin

September 9, 2000—This photo and the several that follow show Mr. Jesse’s 85th birthday party we hosted at the cabin.

Special Note: Alvin McLendon, Mr. Jesse’s nephew (and Jean’s first cousin) who gave us the cabin is seated with his back to the fireplace.

“This is my birthday celebration, this is my cake, and I am not sharing it with anyone!”

“OK, I guess I will share with the rest of you.”

It would be hard to find a better photo of this very special man!

As with the photo above, it would be hard to find a better photo of this man and his two granddaughters. You can see the mutual love they have for each other!

September 10, 2000—The sunrise provides perfect lighting to “the old cabin.”

September 10, 2000—The old pump I purchased at an antique store in Smithville, had powder coat paint applied, installed it near the back porch. Jean did the brickwork and added the flowers for Mr. Jesse’s birthday party.

Kelly Sellars took this photo after a snowstorm in 2010. What a beautiful sight!

Jimmy and Martha were married at the cabin in October, 2002 on a VERY hot day!

When Mr. Trice built the pond in the late 1970s, he left most of the timber standing as he loved to hunt ducks. As a result the trees died and broke off at the water line. I drained it in 1999 and had Harper’s Tree and Stump come in with a chainsaw crew, cut the standing timber and piled and burned it. We restocked the pond in 2000. This photo gives a great view of what it looked like before we cleared the standing dead timber.