To bad Malabar isn't being managed like Bromfield really planned it. He
was a conservationsist way ahead of his time.
He wanted what he raised to marketed through the live stock and
strongly believed in making efficient use of grass, both
as feed and a way to protect the soil. They need someone that knows
livestock and agriculture to manage the farm, not the
tree huggers with Parks and Recreation. I'm sadden more each time I
stop, and feel like Louie is saying to me this is not
what I wanted for Malabar.
Tom Traxler
F. W. Owen wrote:
>
>Ages ago, at Malabar, Louie faced a similiar situation. He had several acres
>in the middle of a big field that were often too wet to farm.
>
>He happened to catch a time in midsummer when that wet area was dry enough for
>tractor work. They went down there with every tractor on the farm, each with
>a rear mounted scoop, and in a few hours dug a nice big pond in the middle of
>the big wet spot.
>
>They then planted weeping willow trees all around the pond.
>
>That took care of the problem. Eventually they tiled the surrounding fields
>and dumped that water into the pond also.
>
>That pond is still there.
>
>That field at Malabar was surrounded with Wooster Silt Loam (a soil type)
>which is, by definition, underlain with gravel. I suspect that is where the
>water went but the pond did always stay at least half full and is still that
>way today. Louie, himself, always thought that the willow trees drew off
>most of the extra water.
>
>He also planted weeping willow on many other wet spots on Malabar.
>
>Based on Bromfield's success in drying up wet spots by planting weeping willow
>trees, that practice became wide spread over Ohio. I don't see that being
>done now, but 40-50 years ago it was a universal practice in Ohio because of
>Louie Bromfield's vast influence.
>
>A younger willow tree is pretty and OK to deal with. But a mature, grandpa
>willow is mean and ugly. I've fought many a duel with mature willows and
>didn't always win.
>
>
