There is a wall of thick greenery on the north side of the land at EEC Forest Stewardship. There, an old wire fence demarcates the property line and hosts a hedge of elder stature. This lush vegetation is dominated by a critical invasive species- Ilex aquifolium. Because of its mature establishment on this fence line, I’ve let it be more often than not, as the trunks reside on my neighbor’s land more than mine, but when branches lean too far over, I do take out the saw and cut back the intrusion along the driveway. In recent years, I also saw the hedge of holly, a problem, and made it my solution- a lattes- for another aggressive grower (but native) Cascade hops. It’s been a success! This year I took down some of the second story high growth of both plants and had a fantastic hops harvest, as well as a harvest of good hard wood for tool handles and building material. I’ve quickly dulled a few chainsaw chains, but all for a good cause.
Two longer holly logs will go into refurbishing the hay shed. It’s main cross beams are starting to decompose. Many of the agricultural structures on the farm are cobbled together with scrap material and wild wood. The largest timbers are whole logs that were never fully debarked, so insects got in and are now dropping enough frass to show those major structural supports are failing. New holly beams will bring strength and stability to a crucial structure for hay storage, the chicken coop, geese enclosure, and winter ram shelter. Most of the buildings here are multi-purpose. I’m glad the invasive holly can still literally support needed covered space after harvest. It will be a bit of a challenge to debark these logs, but well worth the effort, as holly is an extremely hard wood that will last for decades to come.
The hops are going into a friend’s brewing projects, and I did dry some for use in herbal smoke blends and tea. Hops is a sleep aid and relaxant- think of how sleepy and cozy a beer can make you feel. The dry hops are an herb that’s been used for a long time in health and well-being, long before it was used in brewing, but today, few people know the medicinal side of this wonderful plant. It will continue to be a staple here at EEC, and help to keep back the holly hedges. Be aware that this plant is a prolific grower and loves to shoot out horizontal roots that send up new growth all around. Plant it where it will be able to trellis on something else- like an invasive shrub or tree. Hops coil tightly around what they can get hold of, binding the host plant until it’s strangled. It’s a heck of a vine. You can pot it and send it up a cord to remain in control, cutting the cord to bring down the hops each year with ease. Check out more on cultivating hops here.
EEC Forest Stewardship 