pls8xx and gardenga148: I completely concur that the project should be broken down into 2 broad areas: (1) Land use/land planning for the overall 70 acres (2) Conversion of a small part to residential use I am still contemplating #1. However, I do believe I have settled on an aspect of overall land use. I believe, basically along or near the nature path, an area of sufficient width and composition to benefit bobwhite quail usage. In the old days, farms had small fields with lots of overgrown fence rows. That habitat was ideal for bobwhite quail. I believe I want to lay out the farm along those parameters (knowing that certain desires/goals compete with others). My research, consultation with my pastor (former horitculturalist and quail plantation manager) and personal experience are leading me to a strip approximately 15 feet wide of lespedeza intermixed with something like switchgrass or one of the other native grasses. I believe I want to combine the "habitat utility" of those or similar plants with a stepped (height and width) variety of native flowering, perennial plants, choosing a variety which is consistent with the wildlife management goal and visual appeal goal. There is a substantial likelihood that I would also break up the 28 acre agricultural field with a couple of cross corridors of similar plant material. These are among the types of things I am struggling with now. Comment on layout, continuity, plant selection and the like are what I am seeking. As each of you have said, this is a huge, long-term project and I seek input from others who's experience may bear on the layout, design and plant selection. I understand there are many, many different "right" and "wrong" ways. However, respecting the opinions of those participating in these forums, I would be interesting in reading your opinions and views and why you have those opinions and views. With respect to what I hoped to achieve with the pond. I like water. I like the ocean, rivers (large and small), lakes and ponds. I like to fish ocassionally but what I REALLY like is to feed the fish. It is very soothing. The pond can be an attractive focal point to the landscape. It can provide the "mirrored" images of the foliage surrounding it. And, if need be, it can provide for some irrigation. I have always liked looking out across the water, of sitting on my porch and looking across the water. I liked the idea of driving down the driveway into the house site and looking at the house across the pond as well. Back to another aspect of the overall land use. We initially intended to put the entire property into a pecan orchard, for both looks and future revenue. However, knowing there are always bad years along with good years with any crop, we decided that was not very smart. We also became interested in muscadine vineyards and fruit production. So, we will probably incorporate a bit of the pecan orchard, vineyard and fruit orchard. We want approximately 1/2 to 1 acre vegetable garden site. I believe we also want a "gardening" experimentation site of approximately 1/2 to 1 acre as well as a small greenhouse. I strongly expect we will leave the remaining oak ridge in mostly an as-is condition for the wildlife usage, but, with some modification to make in more friendly to the turkey and quail. I seem to have rambled a bit and apologize. But, with such a large overall project, it is difficult to include all the desires and keep them organized and coordinated. nandina, with respect to the observation of native flora, existing but possibly hidden features, I will try to do some walking and photographing this weekend. One focal point at the northern most point of the property where you see Potential Well Location, there was an old homeplace there. The shallow well still remains there. I expect to clean that well out and hang a usable well bucket there. An arbor is a possibility there. It could be purely decorative or be a "natural" appearing arbor with cultured muscadine vines so one could sit on a draw a bucket of cool well water, pick a few grapes, sit on a wooden bench, eat the grapes and look out over the landscape. One feature I didn't know about until buying and spending time on the farm is that for whatever reason, it attacts substantially more summer and fall breezes than most areas in the surrounding countryside. Thank you all again for your input and I look forward to more comments, critiques and suggestions. I will attach images of some of the wildflowers or weeds growing in the cut-over areas now.

We live on the edge of a wooded valley. At night the deer come out of the valley, through my yard and to the farmer's field next to our acreage. We have lived here for 13 years now and have had the 'privilege' of dealing with the deer. Like Cole, we also hunt and will eat deer meat but the hunting season is only on for a few weeks in the fall and there are too many deer here for us to eat anyways. Around the large garden at the end of our lane we put up an eight foot fence and it works 100%. We used stucco wire for the bottom 5 feet and then a single strand of wire each foot above that. Now I can grow raspberries, strawberries, peas, carrots, beets, lettuce, etc etc. In the yard closer to the house I had to do something else since an eight foot fence wasn't an option. When googling possible solutions I came across this fact...deer do not like the smell of the protein that is in eggs. One of the large wholesale nurseries somewhere in the States was using this solution with great results... Fill a 4 litre milk jug with water almost to the top and then add one beaten egg. Shake it to mix and pour into your sprayer. This solution will need to be added after each rain or heavy dew. Some recipes will ask you to add garlic, cayenne pepper, tabasco sauce, etc etc...but you don't need to go to the expense of adding them since it doesn't make it any more effective. I have also seen similar recipes call for letting the egg solution sit for a few days to rot so that the deer will be deterred by the smell of the rotten egg. Also, some recipes call for using 2-4 eggs in the same amount of water I use one in. The one egg per jug is all that is needed and works just excellent. I mix and immediately spray on as I am walking through the gardens, looking at what is blooming. If there is some left and it does sit for a few days then I spray the plants but stand upwind from the spray. Brenda

Here is a Marinara sauce : You don't need the Green Pepper or the other seafood. Cut the Salmon in cubes add to sauce for 10 minutes, or less. Posted by hawk307 (My Page) on Fri, Dec 21, 07 at 19:40 To make Ciappino, I use a Marinara Sauce but I usually wing it. Ingredients : 1 - 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes 1 cup of Chopped Onions 1/2 cup of Chopped Green Peppers 4 Cloves of Garlic chopped small or 1 teaspoon of Garlic powder Spices: 1/2 teaspoon of Basil 1/4 teaspoon of Oregano 1/4 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning 1 Teaspoon of Salt, add more later to taste. 1 tablespoon of Sugar for acidity 1/3 cup of fresh Parsley or 3 tablespoons of Parsley flakes 1/4 teaspoon of Black Pepper an Italian pinch of Red pepper, if you like it hotter. I start with a 28 ounce can of Contadina or Tutto Rosso Crushed tomatoes Put the Tomatoes in a pot, on the range top and start to simmer. Total time about 30 minutes. Add a little water if it is too thick, stirring often. If you burn it, you get the wooden spoon treatment. Meanwhile : Put the Onions , Green Peppers and Garlic, in a Micro wave safe bowl with 2 tablespoons of water. Nuke them for about 2 minutes , or until softened a little. Then put them into the simmering Tomatoes. Add all the spices. When the Tomatoes have simmered at least 1/2 hour. Give them a taste test . Add whatever spices you like. I use a lot of garlic and parsley in Marinara Sauce. I donÂt cook it as long as Spaghetti Sauce. Now put in the fishes and seafood of your choice. Put in a small can of Minced Clams with the juices. Mussels, calms, crabs, Scallops first. Then the faster cooking seafood last ( Shrimp, Haddock etc.) Add whatever you like . I forgot the Red Wine.!!!!! Drink a glass while you're making this.!!! Save me a portion and some bread for dipping. LOU HERE ARE SCALLOOPS IN MARINARA SAUCE

I made and baked small mini quiche for 600 for my stepson's wedding, no crust, just the beaten eggs and veggies/meat/cheese, baked and frozen in mini muffin pans. They thawed and reheated very nicely. I have also beaten eggs with cream and baked a large half sheet pan full, then cut into squares to make breakfast sandwiches. You have to grease the pan and stir the eggs a couple of times while baking at 350 until they are done. I also thought about breakfast pizza, but I think that would be difficult to reheat at home, although it would be easy to transport sheet pans full of it to the school. I've never tried the canned gravy, but Elery's grandsons say they like the premade Sam's Club biscuits just fine. I think I'd be more inclined to bake biscuits ahead of time but the Pillsbury frozen ones aren't horrible either. I agree that 50 football players are going to eat a lot of food, so I'd be offering the bagels and cream cheese too, maybe muffins or sweet rolls/donuts just to fill those pits up! I'm trying to figure out how to factor potatoes in here. Cheap, filling, nutritious, nearly all the kids like them. Maybe a big roaster full of that hash brown casserole thing that they serve at Cracker Barrel? Can you borrow a big roaster, like the 18 quart Nesco or maybe a couple of extra Crockpots from other parents? You could do 5 or 6 crockpots of breakfast casserole or strata and let them cook overnight, transport them in the morning. Good luck to you, boy, do I remember those days when the girls were in high school. I don't miss 'em either, LOL. Annie