Balsam Swamp is a sprawling state forest that stretches almost 5.5 miles east-west across 4 towns. The area is very rural, and the landscape surrounding the State Forest is predominantly forested. Balsam Swamp State Forest is comprised of a mix of native hardwood forests, hemlock swamps, and conifer plantations. There are no designated recreational trails on the forest, but there is ample opportunity for self-guided day hikes to explore the diversity of habitats represented on this State Forest. Additionally, the western section of Balsam Swamp State Forest is adjacent to Five Streams State Forest to the south.
The main attraction of this forest is Balsam Pond. The impoundment is approximately 152 acres and is a popular destination for fishing and paddle boat sports. Balsam Pond is a warm water fishery that contains a mix of largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, yellow perch, brown bullhead and sunfish. Tiger muskellunge have been stocked in the past with the last stocking occurring in 1995. However, there have been very few reports of anglers catching any of the adult tiger muskies. A shallow gravel boat launch is suitable for launching small fishing boats.
A small rustic camp ground is also located at Balsam Pond. Camping spaces are available at no cost on a first-come, first-serve basis and there is no running water or electricity. A fire ring, outhouse, and picnic table are provided for each camping space. A sign on Balsam-Tyler Road in Pharsalia designates the entrance to the boat launch and camping facility. This is a carry-in carry-out facility. Please do not litter.
There are few terms I dislike more then “landowner”. This word got a lot of play in New York during the debate over fracking.
“Landowner” in it’s most general meaning is a farmer, a person owning a hunting camp or home in a rural area or other person to who owns land. But for many anti-natural gas activists, landowner was used to describe a greedy individual who wanted to profit and domination over their personally owned natural resources. Many in the anti-natural gas community use the term landowner as negatively as one might use “slaveholder” today.
I would argue that no farmer who works the land, and no hunter who hunts their land is doing it in domination of their land. You can’t stomp into the woods and shoot a deer, you can’t carelessly throw seed in the air and hope it to grow. Natural resources have to be carefully managed and sustainability harvested for generations to come. You can’t exploit the land without limitation and expect to keep it going on. You have to carefully understand the woods and field, observe what is going on, understand the consequences of your action.
Sitting in the woods with a shotgun watching the wildlife can teach you much. You can’t just jump into the woods, you have to prepare and think about your surroundings. You have to understand the science, the risks and rewards. You have to have a deeper connection to the land, you’re more then just a “landowner” out to exploit the land.
Pennsylvania often calls people who lease their natural resources, “farmers”. And indeed many if not most of them are. Even though not every landowner cultivates a field with a tractor or milks and feeds cows and hogs, most landowners are “farming” their land for wildlife to hunt, wood to chop or harvest, and natural resources to sustain themselves.
I have to admit I am getting tired of visiting the same places every time I go out and camp. It seems like lately, I’ve been following almost the same schedule every year, never mixing it up for the holiday weeks.
I’ve been thinking about some alternatives this year — things to for me to consider — not necessarily what I will end up doing.
Memorial Day Weekend to East Branch of Sacanadaga River?
I am getting tired of going out to Vermont each year for Memorial Day Weekend. That weekend is often too wet and buggy to be great for camping, so I’m thinking this year if I want to enjoy the long weekend, I should think about not going so far away — maybe some camping along the East Branch of Sacandaga River?
Summer Trip to the Adirondacks and North Country?
I haven’t done a summer trip up through the Adirondacks in years. I have spent little time in the North Country. Rather then doing the Finger Lakes again, this might be a good alternative.
Autumn Trip to Southern Ohio?
I am thinking rather then West Virginia this year, I could go out to Southern Ohio for my autumn road trip. There is the Warren National Forest down there, which would be a nice change compared to always going to West Virginia.
It’s shoulder season out there. Spring as we know, doesn’t come to the mountains until mid-May, when things finally green up.
But by now, one can pretty much take it for granted that a lot of energy of winter is diminished as each day becomes harder for it to be cold with the sun’s angle growing stronger.
Lots of mud and “surprise” snow in the mountains will be left for some time, but eventually it will dry up and green up too. Figure May 10th to be safe.
Cultural diversity is increasing across the world. Migration is bringing new people together, changing the face of cities and countryside.👥 But new people and new ideas doesn’t mean traditional values are on the way out — it just means they are changing.
Respect for hard work, dignity, or that land that sustains us is not going away just because demographics are changing.
Many liberals want to believe that there will be a surge in demand for liberal policies with the new immigrants. 🌋Many conservatives bite into that ideology — ignoring the diversity of immigrants or that a sizable number of them are quite conservative.🏰 People who tend to immigrant are of a higher social class, seeking a better life, more dedicated then average person towards free enterprise and economic growth.
Are really migrants that come to America to milk cows🐮, work on farms, live in rural communities — all that liberal? Rural life or even hard blue collar life in the city does not promote liberal ideology for sure.🚜 And the many immigrants who own small businesses, are not clamoring for more regulation or taxes on small businesses.🏢 Catholics, which many hispanics are, have no love for new abortion facilities popping up in their neighborhoods. 💒
New people entering into a community can lead to change, for sure. Not all change is bad, more diversity leads to more innovation and growth. Part of embracing diversity is accepting not just new but also existing cultures. 👪Change is tough but with mutual respect between the new and old people of an area, we can have a more diverse stronger 💪 society.
When I say I am considering various options, be it for housing or other choices in life,people often assume that because I’m considering option “X”, I have already decided option “X” it ill be.
The thing is when I’m undecided, I am undecided. If I dwell on an idea for a longer period of time, then I’m more like to choose that option, because I find that option more interesting and worthwhile. Often my earliest notions end up being the best option that I choose to go with, but that is not necessarily true. I like to take my time, evaluate all the facts and think carefully what I value most, even if it’s different from what you think is important.
While you might think I’ve discarded the idea of building my off-grid cabin in New York State that isn’t neccessarily 100% true. But here’s my top concerns with building in New York:
It’s a densely packed urbanized state, even in Upstate New York with a fair amount of land, you’re going to have neighbors nearby even on acreage unless you are very far away from the city.
The burn ban and not running afoul of it with all the restrictions, I don’t burn much noxious plastic anymore, but you know the wrong kind of neighbors can cause all kinds of trouble for you.
Gun laws, particularly when and where you can carry, restrictions on buying semi-automatic firearms including even basic ones like my trust squirrel hunting Remington 537 .22 rifle, lengthy delays buying simple basic ammunition, a regulatory scheme designed to put gun owners behind bars rahter then support them.
Permitting and design costs and restrictions. While I think the building and sanitatory codes are good thing as they protect water quality, provide fire safety and energy savings, sometimes they make things overly complicated to comply.
But you really forget how much noise those motorcycles, cars with fart pipes, big ol’ diesel trucks and just tires make on the road. I live relatively close to a busy intersection. Over time the noise kind of gets drowned out of your mind, and I certainly like the fresh air, it can be kind of a minor annoyance at first.
It’s also nice that the birds are back and are chirping.
