The native grass thread reminded me I needed some ranching advice -

Cut all the cedars off my place several years ago and have since had a man walk and chop the little ones twice now. The grass is doing better and the man leasing the grazing rights has kept the cows to a minimum like I asked. Two things: First, the agarita crop is exploding in places. I know the turkey like the berries and it does provide some cover for game, but should I be spraying this stuff to kill it off?

Second thing is oak wilt. It hasn't made it to around the house yet, but with the better rain, I'm sure it will continue it's march. Not sure I want to spend the money for ditching, etc., but wanted to at least get a quote for clean up, spraying, and ditching. Does anyone know of a good oak wilt specialist in the Fredericksburg/Kerrville area? Preferably one with all the heavy equipment so they can do the whole shebang.

I know there's a state program to help with the wilt, and I've had the extension guy out, but pretty much if there's one arrow head on your property or remnants of those pits they'd cook the yucca in, you're SOL. That's me.

Good luck on the oak wilt and decline. I have spent enough money to put a kid through college fighting it to no avail for 25 years.

I know, a lot of folks say it's not worth it. May have to just let nature take its course. We spent a lot on a 250+ year old tree by what is now my brother's place, for going on 30 years. He's been saying his goodbyes for the last 5 and is now, finally, getting a quote on taking it down.

I lost two huge old oaks on my place. They were my pride and joy. Lord knows how old they were.

They weren't really my trees. I own the place now, but most likely Comanche warriors rode past those trees way back when. They were here probably during the Alamo. So it seems wrong to say that they were mine, but I sure didn't want to lose them on my watch.

Mr. Alkek when he was still alive and owned the Flying A ranch in Bandera spent no telling how much money trying to protect the Oaks. Trenching, ditching, injecting different thing into the trees. It as all a waste of money.

Wow. I personally couldn't care less about oak wilt. I have way too many oaks now. And besides, if the older ones die, the younger more useful ones replace them. IMO nature puts stuff like oak wilt in the mix to fix the messes we've made by protecting stuff she's better at controlling.

Deer eat tender agarita shoots too. So I don't bother them either.