OT - California is on fire...

7th Stone Productions

Thank you 3Diva, dracorn, and Summerhorse!

 

Summerhorse said:

7th Stone Productions said:

As Charlie Judge already mentioned... 7thStone (that's me!) has had to evacuate due to the California CZU fires. I'm currently writing this from a hotel in San Jose California. My family and I live up in the Santa Cruz mountains, in the San Lorenzo River Valley, near Boulder Creek and Bonny Doon. I grew up in the forests of Connecticut early on and my family and I fell in love with the redwoods of California when my father's work brought us here.

 

I used to live near you, at Quail Hollow ranch over in Felton...and was a horse guide in the Henry Cowell redwood park in highschool. Yes, there were big burn scars on the trees, so we  knew the forest could survive a pretty big fire. I still think it is one of the most beautiful places on earth- hope your home is safe!

And good luck to all you Californians dealing with the smoke,  have a daughter in L.A. that can not even go outside right now due to the smoke ;  (

@ Summerhorse... I'm familiar with Quail Hollow Ranch. Did you attend the San Lorenzo Valley High School? My home is way up behind the high school ,on the edge of the Fall Creek Extension of the Henry Cowell Redwood State Park. Ever ride through that part of the park?

j cade

Serene Night said:

Two local towns do the goats. This is a massive goat herd. The goats keep the undergrowth down and they employ a couple herders. It works really well, and they love eating things like poison oak and ivy which is hard to remove.

these town have a lot of tourism and tourist even WANT to look at the goats doing their jobs.

Where I live is an old decomisomed army base. Sadly there are still some munitions buried out in the barren areas, due to different standards at the time. The army has been  controlled burns to ignite the munitions but goats can't be used until that's all gone. Sadly...

goats really are a good solution for underbrush control. Plus they employ people, and can just start over after eating a large enough area, so it is pretty sustainable. 

 

 

 
 

What sort of tourist doesn't want to look at goats?! Goats are adorable

Taoz

j cade said:

Serene Night said:

Two local towns do the goats. This is a massive goat herd. The goats keep the undergrowth down and they employ a couple herders. It works really well, and they love eating things like poison oak and ivy which is hard to remove.

these town have a lot of tourism and tourist even WANT to look at the goats doing their jobs.

Where I live is an old decomisomed army base. Sadly there are still some munitions buried out in the barren areas, due to different standards at the time. The army has been  controlled burns to ignite the munitions but goats can't be used until that's all gone. Sadly...

goats really are a good solution for underbrush control. Plus they employ people, and can just start over after eating a large enough area, so it is pretty sustainable. 

 

 

 
 

What sort of tourist doesn't want to look at goats?! Goats are adorable

Except when they go at you...

j cade

Taoz said:

j cade said:

Serene Night said:

Two local towns do the goats. This is a massive goat herd. The goats keep the undergrowth down and they employ a couple herders. It works really well, and they love eating things like poison oak and ivy which is hard to remove.

these town have a lot of tourism and tourist even WANT to look at the goats doing their jobs.

Where I live is an old decomisomed army base. Sadly there are still some munitions buried out in the barren areas, due to different standards at the time. The army has been  controlled burns to ignite the munitions but goats can't be used until that's all gone. Sadly...

goats really are a good solution for underbrush control. Plus they employ people, and can just start over after eating a large enough area, so it is pretty sustainable. 

 

 

 
 

What sort of tourist doesn't want to look at goats?! Goats are adorable

Except when they go at you...

ehh still cute. I've never felt intimidated by a goat 

 

now disgruntled cows. those are worrying

 

 

also bears. we have a lot of those in my area and they are definitely intimidating

Serene Night

I agree they goats are smart and cute. Time lapsed videos of goats eating brush.... is very a enjoyable https://youtu.be/z-V64myPHJQ

Richard Haseltine

Serene Night said:

I agree they goats are smart and cute. Time lapsed videos of goats eating brush.... is very a enjoyable https://youtu.be/z-V64myPHJQ

As the video shows, too many goats can be a problem - and are in some parts of the world.

Taoz

j cade said:

Taoz said:

j cade said:

Serene Night said:

Two local towns do the goats. This is a massive goat herd. The goats keep the undergrowth down and they employ a couple herders. It works really well, and they love eating things like poison oak and ivy which is hard to remove.

these town have a lot of tourism and tourist even WANT to look at the goats doing their jobs.

Where I live is an old decomisomed army base. Sadly there are still some munitions buried out in the barren areas, due to different standards at the time. The army has been  controlled burns to ignite the munitions but goats can't be used until that's all gone. Sadly...

goats really are a good solution for underbrush control. Plus they employ people, and can just start over after eating a large enough area, so it is pretty sustainable. 

 

 

 
 

What sort of tourist doesn't want to look at goats?! Goats are adorable

Except when they go at you...

ehh still cute. I've never felt intimidated by a goat 

Was just playing with words (goat = go at).   Don't recall if I've ever been attacked by a goat, but I've seen videos of people being harrased. 

Serene Night

Richard Haseltine said:

Serene Night said:

I agree they goats are smart and cute. Time lapsed videos of goats eating brush.... is very a enjoyable https://youtu.be/z-V64myPHJQ

As the video shows, too many goats can be a problem - and are in some parts of the world.

All mammals including people can be a problem if overpopulated. Just enjoy the goats.

3Diva

.

Taoz said:

j cade said:

Taoz said:

j cade said:

Serene Night said:

Two local towns do the goats. This is a massive goat herd. The goats keep the undergrowth down and they employ a couple herders. It works really well, and they love eating things like poison oak and ivy which is hard to remove.

these town have a lot of tourism and tourist even WANT to look at the goats doing their jobs.

Where I live is an old decomisomed army base. Sadly there are still some munitions buried out in the barren areas, due to different standards at the time. The army has been  controlled burns to ignite the munitions but goats can't be used until that's all gone. Sadly...

goats really are a good solution for underbrush control. Plus they employ people, and can just start over after eating a large enough area, so it is pretty sustainable. 

 

 

 
 

What sort of tourist doesn't want to look at goats?! Goats are adorable

Except when they go at you...

ehh still cute. I've never felt intimidated by a goat 

Was just playing with words (goat = go at).   Don't recall if I've ever been attacked by a goat, but I've seen videos of people being harrased. 

It's hard to find goats really attacking people because I guess it's pretty rare (though they do like to play around and head-butt), but I found a video of a goat in Brazil that's kind of a jerk:

 

This one is kind of funny:

 

Taoz

3Diva said:

.

Taoz said:

j cade said:

Taoz said:

j cade said:

Serene Night said:

Two local towns do the goats. This is a massive goat herd. The goats keep the undergrowth down and they employ a couple herders. It works really well, and they love eating things like poison oak and ivy which is hard to remove.

these town have a lot of tourism and tourist even WANT to look at the goats doing their jobs.

Where I live is an old decomisomed army base. Sadly there are still some munitions buried out in the barren areas, due to different standards at the time. The army has been  controlled burns to ignite the munitions but goats can't be used until that's all gone. Sadly...

goats really are a good solution for underbrush control. Plus they employ people, and can just start over after eating a large enough area, so it is pretty sustainable. 

 

 

 
 

What sort of tourist doesn't want to look at goats?! Goats are adorable

Except when they go at you...

ehh still cute. I've never felt intimidated by a goat 

Was just playing with words (goat = go at).   Don't recall if I've ever been attacked by a goat, but I've seen videos of people being harrased. 

It's hard to find goats really attacking people because I guess it's pretty rare (though they do like to play around and head-butt), but I found a video of a goat in Brazil that's kind of a jerk:

 

This one is kind of funny:

 

Well I don't think it's a good idea to let kids play with goats with horns, they could easily be harmed.

3Diva

Taoz said:

3Diva said:

.

Taoz said:

j cade said:

Taoz said:

j cade said:

Serene Night said:

Two local towns do the goats. This is a massive goat herd. The goats keep the undergrowth down and they employ a couple herders. It works really well, and they love eating things like poison oak and ivy which is hard to remove.

these town have a lot of tourism and tourist even WANT to look at the goats doing their jobs.

Where I live is an old decomisomed army base. Sadly there are still some munitions buried out in the barren areas, due to different standards at the time. The army has been  controlled burns to ignite the munitions but goats can't be used until that's all gone. Sadly...

goats really are a good solution for underbrush control. Plus they employ people, and can just start over after eating a large enough area, so it is pretty sustainable. 

 

 

 
 

What sort of tourist doesn't want to look at goats?! Goats are adorable

Except when they go at you...

ehh still cute. I've never felt intimidated by a goat 

Was just playing with words (goat = go at).   Don't recall if I've ever been attacked by a goat, but I've seen videos of people being harrased. 

It's hard to find goats really attacking people because I guess it's pretty rare (though they do like to play around and head-butt), but I found a video of a goat in Brazil that's kind of a jerk:

 

This one is kind of funny:

 

Well I don't think it's a good idea to let kids play with goats with horns, they could easily be harmed.

I completely agree. Some of those parents made me shake my head. Putting babies and young kids next to animals with horns that like to head-butt things... really stupid idea. A young kid could lose an eye or get a number of serious injuries from a concussion, to a cracked head, to spinal injury. Those goats can have a LOT of force and power behind the head-butting when they choose to.

ArtAngel

7th Stone Productions said:

As Charlie Judge already mentioned... 7thStone (that's me!) has had to evacuate due to the California CZU fires. I'm currently writing this from a hotel in San Jose California. My family and I live up in the Santa Cruz mountains, in the San Lorenzo River Valley, near Boulder Creek and Bonny Doon. I grew up in the forests of Connecticut early on and my family and I fell in love with the redwoods of California when my father's work brought us here.

The community we live in has a history in logging and some gold mining back in the early 1900s, but their are records and interesting tails from earlier times when grizzlies used to inhabit the mountains. Later, this area became a summer vacation spot for the San Francisco city folk. The mountains are full of history if you look close or know were to look. Many of the homes are quite old and some were once vacation cabins. Part of the history of the area is the fact that the redwood forests naturally burn every once in a great while, often due to lightening. The evidence is there to see in the way past fires have scared these mighty trees, but not killed them.

My family and I have been expecting, but not looking forward to just such a fire. Over the years we've been doing what we can here and there to prepare our home for fire. For example, we had the wood siding removed from our home and replaced with cement board siding (looks like wood but will not burn like wood), and have worked year after year to clear the duf and debrie under the redwoods around our property. Now we will see if anything we did will pay off. God help us, we will see. My family has lived through the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, which rocked these mountain (Epicenter was here) and caused severe damage to San Francisco. It damaged our house as well (it nearly came off its foundations), but we rebuilt and built stronger. We've been through mudslides, and even survived a massive, four foot diameter pine tree falling on our house. Yes, we may be nuts, but we love it here. It just so sad that California is going down the toilet politically speaking, but I won't say anything more about that here (It wouldn't be appropriate.) All these disasters have kind of turned us into prepers. Many people up here could be described similarly, and are resilient. You have to be to live in the mountains. We will see how we come through this latest disaster...

As always... I wish everyone well!

Oh, as of yet, there is no word on whether or not our house has survived. Kind of 50/50 odds at the moment, from the look of things. Don't know when we will be able to get back up there. I will update when I can, Might even try posting pictures. Emotions are up and down for now, and frazzled dealing with the evacuation.

This is awful but when it's over you are going to be an even stronger you., so hang in there. Hubby & I worked with the CDF (California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection) Mountain Bike Unit, back in early 2000's, for several years, as volunteers (before he got injured in 2009). We were involved in brush clearing and fire preventative measures. Heat energy and ventilation influence the fire flow within and around a struture, so that siding was a smart move and it is possible the efforts you took could deter damage. If it is any consolation, there have been times when adversities wore my resilence to a fragile-frayed thread,  breakable by a flea. The moment that emotionally dark threatening adversity was closest to winning, something wonderful happened and that adversity turned into a gift. No matter what your outcome is, be as resilient as you can and if things get unbearable, or close to that moment, where the brain says, "I can't take anymore," know things will improve. It may take some time, but eventually things often restore to better than normal.

If any of you have some spare time I would highly recommend becoming a volunteer.

Summerhorse

7th Stone Productions said:

Thank you 3Diva, dracorn, and Summerhorse!

 

Summerhorse said:

7th Stone Productions said:

As Charlie Judge already mentioned... 7thStone (that's me!) has had to evacuate due to the California CZU fires. I'm currently writing this from a hotel in San Jose California. My family and I live up in the Santa Cruz mountains, in the San Lorenzo River Valley, near Boulder Creek and Bonny Doon. I grew up in the forests of Connecticut early on and my family and I fell in love with the redwoods of California when my father's work brought us here.

 

I used to live near you, at Quail Hollow ranch over in Felton...and was a horse guide in the Henry Cowell redwood park in highschool. Yes, there were big burn scars on the trees, so we  knew the forest could survive a pretty big fire. I still think it is one of the most beautiful places on earth- hope your home is safe!

And good luck to all you Californians dealing with the smoke,  have a daughter in L.A. that can not even go outside right now due to the smoke ;  (

@ Summerhorse... I'm familiar with Quail Hollow Ranch. Did you attend the San Lorenzo Valley High School? My home is way up behind the high school ,on the edge of the Fall Creek Extension of the Henry Cowell Redwood State Park. Ever ride through that part of the park?

No, I went to Aptos high, then went to UC Santa Cruz when living on the ranch. Yes, your area is so very gorgeous! Also got a ticket for having a horse in the park over at Nissene Marks--we were caretakers of the ranch when San jose City schools bought it and could not figure out what to do with it-- haha

LeatherGryphon

Serene Night said:

Two local towns do the goats. This is a massive goat herd. The goats keep the undergrowth down and they employ a couple herders. It works really well, and they love eating things like poison oak and ivy which is hard to remove.

these town have a lot of tourism and tourist even WANT to look at the goats doing their jobs.

Where I live is an old decomisomed army base. Sadly there are still some munitions buried out in the barren areas, due to different standards at the time. The army has been  controlled burns to ignite the munitions but goats can't be used until that's all gone. Sadly...

goats really are a good solution for underbrush control. Plus they employ people, and can just start over after eating a large enough area, so it is pretty sustainable. 

 

 

 
 

Other advantages are that they're milkable, edible, and biodegradable too.