German forester - page 3
Asked about market trends for timber, Grebe stated, "In the world market, for the time being it is 'oak time' - twenty years ago we had 'walnut time' - 30 years ago we had 'tropical hardwood time', in the future it will be 'walnut time' again.  You should manage what species you have and sell them when the timing is right. Walnut is always very steady.  It is very precious timber for veneer and furniture.  Walnut is always good."

Much discussion focused on careful logging to minimize damage to future crop trees during selective logging.  Grebe said, "Our loggers are very skilled people - they work hand in hand with the forester.  We have specifications that loggers must follow.  If they do too much damage to the forest, they get a reduction in their pay."  When a good oak tree that had the bark scraped off by a log skidder in a recent harvest was pointed out, he added,  "That would not be tolerated in Germany."

After viewing numerous plantations of young trees on the Erdman farm, Grebe said,  "The biggest problems with plantations are grass and animals (deer).  You must cut the grass away - mow between the rows both ways.  We don't use any chemicals any more due to groundwater pollution.  Animals - that's the biggest problem here.  It makes no sense to spend a lot of money on a new tree plantation just for the benefit of the deer. 
In Germany we allow 1.5 deer /thousand hectares ( less that 1 deer /square mile)  You have 30 times the number of animals - that's a big problem.  In our place, every year we have to go and see the damage done by the deer, and if its more than last year, then we increase the number of deer we shoot.  But here its not possible because the hunters have a strong lobby in the U.S.,  so you can't do anything.  I think the best thing here if you can spend the money, is to make a high fence around your plantation.  Its the only way."

"Your plantations are not being cared for properly here.  You must tend your plantation a little very year.  I plant one hectare (2 acres) every year - every year you should make a little plantation.  This year I will plant cherry," continued Grebe.

Jim Curtis, a VP for the Erdman corporation stated," This farm is one of our company's most hidden assets.  Marshall bought this land because Frank Lloyd Wright felt so strongly that these hills should be protected.  (FLW had himself bought up 6,000 acres of adjacent land).  Marshall often told me he had no idea what this farm would ever be, but somehow, among us we would come up with enough imagination that we'd figure someday, someway to do something good with it."

Tim Erdman, current corporate president, added  " Our philosophy of the land  - do the right thing for the future - that all came from Marshall.  This Stewardship is certainly part of our family heritage.  The benefits of having private ownership is that we can make our own decisions.  Marshall would take into account all the advice and philosophies he could absorb, and then he would go forward with his decision."


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