By Martha Crump

Now I do not want to sound like a glass half full sort of person, but anyone with practical sense knows there is a downside to most everything. In the world of agriculture, having an abundance of pasture vegetation going into Fall brings the downside of a heavy fuel load as it dies back, dries out, and/or becomes dormant.  Dry conditions, dense vegetation and high winds are all factors in wildfire ignition and spread. The dangers of wildfire include hot gases, smoke and flames. As a wildfire grows in intensity and size, so do each of these. Wind speed, temperature and relative humidity must also be factored into the rate of spread.  Facing an imminent wildfire danger is not the time to consider what steps should be taken. Preparations and a plan of action can determine how timely and how well you and your property fare.

Local volunteer fire departments/first responders go above and beyond in the face of these unexpected and deadly threats. As landowners, there is quite a lot that we can do to facilitate their success in managing a wildfire. Taking a few moments to develop a checklist is a good starting point for the landowner and can be extremely helpful for the first responders specific to your property.  Most established ranchers have a good working relationship with the local volunteer fire departments (VFD) around their area, and along the same vein, local VFD’s are accustomed to working shoulder-to-shoulder with their neighboring counterparts and definitely know who has what resources available. These men and women train on their own time, are certified, and on standby 24/7 to be there when they are needed. They do as much as they can, for as long as they can, to protect our interests, be that our land, our homes, our livestock or anything else to do with our livelihoods! The landscape of country living is changing dramatically. More people are wanting to escape city living, if not to fully relocate, at least to own property that allows them a getaway from being in town. The absentee landowners aren’t always easily accessible during emergencies. So whether you’ve lived on your place for 4 or 5 generations, or have recently bought your weekend getaway, it might behoove us all to recap some tips to help ourselves, and most importantly, the VFD’s that come to our rescue.

M. L. Russell, Assistant Professor and Extension Range Specialist-Ecosystem Science and Management developed a checklist with good points for all landowners to consider. According to Mr. Russell, “The answers to the questions below will be instrumental in building operations, tactics, and general firefighting techniques. A carefully thought out wildfire ready checklist is an excellent foundation for improved communication and relationship building during wildfires.” Not all of the suggested points in every category will be a consideration for every landowner, but most will find many that are relevant to both small and large holdings alike.

Also landowners should ALWAYS be aware of their county burn bans. Compliance with active burn ban law does help to reduce unsafe debris burning, but everyone should remember that a burn ban does NOT have to be in effect for outdoor burning to be illegal. If you negligently allow your fire to escape onto someone else’s property, it is a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $500.

The State of Texas uses a tiered approach to wildfire response. That starts with local fire departments and counties as the first responders, and is followed by state response as wildfires or conditions exceed the local ability to control. The Texas A&M Forest Service was implemented in 1915 with the main goal of suppression & extinguishing of forest fires (wildfires). In 1993 that mission was expanded to include the coordination of response to any large, or potentially major wildland fire within the state. There is a tremendous amount of coordination that is required beginning with the local first responder level, and growing in magnitude as other agencies are called into action. The Incident Command System at each of these levels ensure a more coordinated and rapid response, and an appropriate use of resources. As landowners/managers, this is where our role becomes critical, especially to our first responders. It is of utmost importance to be able to contact individuals as firefighters need, or as they are attempting to access property to manage wildfires. The inability to do so is very handicapping. I would encourage all individuals that are living remote from your property to at least make sure that neighboring property owners have a means of contact for you. My experience with folks that are new to either owning a country recreational property, or to being new country living residents, is that there is a certain level of “distrust” that many experience regarding sharing of information about their properties. I realize that giving gate codes to neighbors might seem counterintuitive, however it might mean the difference between suppressing a fire quickly versus having it grow and spread. If you aren’t comfortable sharing that information with a neighbor, then please share with the local law enforcement office in your area so that someone can contact you. And as a matter of note, country living, or land ownership means getting to know your neighbors so that we can all work together to protect everyone’s’ interests. We cannot help you in your absence if we don’t know you or cannot contact you!

Texas A&M Forest Service provides the following sources of information available to homeowners, community members, and landowners alike to facilitate condensing of information into a helpful format for first responders. I strongly encourage everyone to visit this website and follow the links to assist you in preparing for fire should it happen in your area. The web address is:  https://tfsweb.tamu.edu   Once you have accessed the webpage, then look for the heading Preparing For Wildfires. Upon selecting that, you will find subcategories called Protect Your Community, Protect Your Home, Protect Your Ranch, & Protect Your Wildlands. Two forms of interest found under the link Protect Your Ranch, are the Landowner Priorities Form complete with an example of what is listed where, and also a form called Map My Property that actually enables landowners to not only map their properties, but to also denote features of interest/importance on said property. Our local VFD’s are effective at what they do in the face of overwhelming conditions! Imagine how much we could help their volunteer efforts by taking the time to do just a little bit of computer work and by compiling just a little bit of information like this for them. I would respectfully add that any time your local VFD/First Responders are having a fundraiser, please help to support them. We cannot double their wages as they work for free, but we can contribute to coffers that have to be maintained for equipment purchase and repair, fuel, protective equipment for volunteers, and many, many other costs that most would never think of in regard to keeping these men and women safe and ready to respond. And to that end, may I say God Bless and keep safe all of our VFD members/First Responders as they volunteer their time to protect the rest of us.

A Favorite for Butterflies and Hummingbirds

By Norman Winter | Horticulturist, Author and Speaker

The Mexican bush sage has been blooming for a few weeks now, and like clockwork, it’s proving to be a favorite nectar source for Monarch butterflies heading south. It’s always fascinated me that, with so many other nectar flowers available in the fall, there’s something they especially like about this salvia.

Known botanically as Salvia leucantha, the Mexican bush sage is native to Mexico and Central America. It’s one of those plants I can’t imagine not having in my garden. A short-day (or long-night) bloomer, it starts flowering in late summer and keeps going through several frosts. The fuzzy, velvety purple spikes with white or purple flowers are produced in abundance. For cut-flower enthusiasts, this plant can easily yield a hundred stems for the vase. Even when not in bloom, its gray-green foliage adds interest to the garden.

As I mentioned, it’s a favorite for butterflies – especially Monarchs – but it’s also a regular feeding stop for hummingbirds. They’re drawn to the white blooms emerging from the velvety purple calyces. The ideal growing location is full sun, though the plant can tolerate a bit of afternoon shade. The soil must be very well-drained, so consider planting in raised beds or amending heavy soils with compost or humus. In fact, well-drained soil may be the key to encouraging a surprising spring return in regions farther north than expected.

When preparing your soil, incorporate 2 pounds of a slow-release 12-6-6 fertilizer per 100 square feet of bed space. Space the plants 24 to 36 inches apart, and plant them at the same depth they were growing in their containers. Avoid planting near streetlights or floodlights, as this salvia blooms in response to the number of dark hours.

Provide supplemental water during prolonged dry periods. After the first hard frost in the fall, cut the plants back to ground level and add a layer of mulch for winter protection. Feed again in the spring when you see new growth emerging, and continue feeding every six to eight weeks through September. For even more blooms in the fall, lightly prune once or twice in late April and early June. You can also harvest stems and tie them with sprigs of rosemary to hang in the kitchen – an aromatic and beautiful touch.

Mexican bush sage is mostly sold generically, but there are some standout selections worth noting: Midnight (with dark purple flowers), Kathiann Brown (a dwarf with lavender blooms), and the similar Santa Barbara (also a compact lavender variety). The standard form of Mexican bush sage typically reaches about 4 feet tall, while the compact varieties stay under 3 feet.

For companion planting, consider pairing with classic fall-blooming yellow mums – they’re an obvious but perfect match. In the herb garden, Mexican bush sage pairs well with rosemary, garlic chives, and lavender. The fall-blooming forsythia sage (Salvia madrensis), with its massive yellow flower spikes, also makes an incredible companion. Other great partners include yellow marigolds and golden lantana.

Mexican bush sage is perennial in USDA zones 8 and sometimes in zone 7, especially with perfect drainage and a protective layer of mulch. Even in cooler climates, it’s worth growing as an annual if you have a long enough season – just know it won’t bloom until August. In places like St. Louis, it typically blooms from mid-August through frost. It’s also one of the easiest plants to root from cuttings or propagate by division.

Spiky flowers always bring energy and visual interest to a garden, and Mexican bush sage is one of the best – providing nectar for pollinators, beauty in the landscape, and cut flowers by the dozen. At this time of year, it’s practically without equal. I hope you’ll give it a try.

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Cutlines

The Mexican bush sage is the perfect complement to fall planted marigolds, sometimes called Marimums.

This Ruby-throated hummingbird finds the Mexican bush sage to be just perfect.

The Golden Thyrallis is becoming popular in Texas and makes an ideal companion for the Mexican Bush sage.

The Mexican bush sage also dazzles in fall mixed containers.

I spend a lot of time and money every year trying to convince wildlife that I do not exist.

By bow season, I’ve got it down to a science. The right camo pattern for the terrain. Face covered. Hands covered. Everything sprayed down with whatever scent is supposed to make me smell like dirt, leaves, or possibly a rock that hasn’t been disturbed since 1987. I climb into my stand well before daylight and settle in, careful not to bump metal or do anything that would announce my presence to every deer within a quarter mile.

That morning, I was feeling especially confident about my setup.

The wind was right. The stand was tucked in perfectly. The camouflage blended so well with the tree that even I had trouble finding my own knees when I looked down. I remember thinking, If a deer spots me today, it deserves to.

That thought turned out to be a little premature.

It was still dark enough that shapes were more suggestion than detail, and the woods had that quiet, holding-its-breath feeling that only exists right before daylight. I was leaned back against the tree, bow hanging on the hook, watching the woods slowly come into focus.

That’s when I heard wings.

At first, it was just a soft rush of air. Subtle. Close enough that it registered, but not loud enough to make sense. I tilted my head slightly, trying to locate the sound without moving too much. The last thing you want to do in a tree stand is start acting suspicious.

Then it got louder.

Much louder.

I looked up just in time to see a large shape coming straight at my face.

There’s no graceful way to describe the reaction that followed. I didn’t scream, but I also didn’t not make a noise. It was some sort of half-grunt, half-gasp that came from deep in my chest as I instinctively leaned back into the tree.

The owl pulled up at the last second.

We were close enough to make eye contact, which is not something I recommend experiencing unexpectedly while twenty feet off the ground. His wings flared, feathers spread wide, and he hovered there for a split second like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

To be fair, neither could I.

We stared at each other, both clearly shaken by the encounter. I’m fairly certain he had planned to land on the tree right where my head happened to be. My camouflage had done its job so well that I had successfully fooled an apex nighttime predator.

There’s a strange mix of pride and terror that comes with that realization.

He banked hard and flew off, disappearing into the timber with a few annoyed wingbeats. I stayed frozen against the tree, heart pounding, trying to convince myself that my soul had not, in fact, just left my body.

I sat there for several minutes afterward, replaying the moment and wondering how close I’d come to becoming part of some owl’s story about “the weirdest tree I ever tried to land in.”

Once things settled down, daylight finally started to creep in. Birds picked back up. The woods returned to normal. I eased back into position, telling myself the worst part of the morning was over.

It wasn’t.

About an hour later, I caught movement to my right. A doe eased through the trees, cautious but unbothered. She passed under my stand without ever looking up. A few minutes after that, another deer followed. Still no alarm. No snorting. No busted hunt.

Apparently, owls are pickier about personal space than deer.

By the time I climbed down that morning, I hadn’t loosed an arrow, but I’d gained a healthy respect for just how invisible you can become when everything lines up. We spend so much time worrying about deer seeing us that we forget the rest of the woods is watching, too.

And sometimes, if you’re really doing things right, they won’t see you until it’s almost too late.

Next season, I might still wear the same camouflage.

But I’ll probably keep one eye on the sky.