Featured Listing - County Line Farm Mission Statement Cooking with Chef David - Stuffed Pennsylvania Wild Turkey "Habitat Connectivity" by Robert Smith Property Profiles - Whispering Pines Wildlife Preserve by Ben Wolfe "Why Do We Do It?" by Brent Glover

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Stuffed Pennsylvania Wild Turkey Breast (Turkey Roulade) Serves 4 1 turkey breast (2 to 3 lbs.) * 2 tbs. butter 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 small yellow onion, ¼-inch dice 3 celery stalks, ¼-inch dice ½ pound of sausage, ¼-inch dice, or ground 3 cups of ½-diced French bread, or any hard bread 2 tbs. chopped fresh sage 3 cups chicken or turkey stock 1 tbs. of fresh lemon juice 1 tbs. + 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 3 tbs. vegetable oil Butchers twine 4 tbs. unsalted butter (for gravy) 1 roasted spaghetti squash (recipe belows) With the smooth, shiny side of the breast up on the cutting board, butterfly the breast lengthwise without cutting all the way through. Place a piece of wax paper or plastic wrap over the breast and with a meat mallet or sauté pan, gently pound the breast evenly to a thickness of a ¼-inch. (figure 1) Refrigerate until ready to prepare. Heat a large sauté pan to medium-high and add butter. When the butter has melted, add the celery, onions and garlic and sauté until aromatic and soft. Remove vegetables and set aside. Brown the sausage in pan, then remove the meat and leave the fat in the pan. Add the bread to the pan and toast over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables, sage and sausage to the pan. Then add 1 cup of stock, half a cup at a time until bread is moist. (Be careful while stirring to not break up the bread into mush.) Season with a tsp. of salt and 1 tsp. of freshly ground black pepper. Let cool. Preheat oven to 250°F. Lightly season the inside of the pounded breast with 1 tsp. of salt and 1 tsp. of freshly ground black pepper. Spread a ½-inch layer of cooled stuffing onto breast. Roll the breast up into a tight pinwheel. (Place the breast on wax paper to aid in rolling.) Tie pinwheel with butchers twine and season with 1 tbs. of salt. Add 2 tbs. olive oil to a large sauté pan at medium-high heat. Once the oil starts smoking add the turkey roulade and sauté on all sides until golden brown (See Helpful Hint). Remove roulade from pan and place on a roasting rack (reserve sauté pan for gravy). Roast in the oven until it reaches an internal temperature of 155°F. Remove from oven, cover with tin foil and let rest for 10 minutes. To make a quick pan gravy return sauté pan from searing turkey to low heat. Add 2 tbs. flour to juices in the pan and combine until they form a paste. If sauté pan is too dry add 2 tbs. olive oil. Deglaze the sauté pan with 2 cups chicken or turkey stock and whisk over low heat until flour is dissolved and the liquid begins to simmer. Scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan and simmer for 8 to10 minutes. Remove pan from heat and whisk in the butter a tablespoon at a time. Strain out any solids in sauce add lemon juice and keep warm. To plate, divide the squash amongst 4 plates. Remove the butcher’s twine and slice the turkey breast into ½-inch slices and divide between four plates. Spoon sauce over turkey breast and enjoy. Spaghetti Squash 1 small spaghetti squash cut in half, seeds removed 2 tbs. good maple syrup 3 tbs. butter Pinch of salt Preheat oven to 375°F. Place 1 small spaghetti squash cut side down on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven until soft, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and scrap out “meat” with a fork into a sauté pan at medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of good maple syrup and 3 tablespoons of butter and combine. Season with salt. This dish is very similar to a Thanksgiving meal and therefore you have a lot of choices when it comes to wine. My favorite choices with the turkey and squash are Gewürztraminer, sparkling Shiraz or a nice fruity Zinfandel. The Shiraz is a really fun wine to drink and appeals to a lot of taste buds. A beer just wouldn’t do this meal justice. Helpful Hint: If the turkey doesn’t brown in the pan, place on a baking sheet and place in oven under broil. With a pair of steel tongs, rotate the breast to brown on all sides. Watch it carefully, as it will brown very easily. *Stuff the turkey breast and freeze for a later date. This can be frozen up to 6 months or up to 18 months if vacuum-packed. Remove from freezer the day before and thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours. Depending on how big the turkey breasts are there might be enough stuffing for 2 smaller turkey breasts. About the Author David Olson of Park City, Utah, is the Corporate Chef and Underwater Cameraman for Fischer Productions. David, an NC State Graduate, went on to attend and graduate with honors from the Culinary Institute of America in New York. David can be seen as part of the crew on the exciting new show "Expedition Great White", airing on the National Geographic Channel.

FEATURED LISTING

COUNTY LINE FARM

County Line Farm consists of 143 acres and is being offered for the first time in over 100 years. This recreational/investment property is located on the outskirts of Mebane, NC and is just a mere 17 minutes from Interstate 85 and Interstate 40. Property attributes include 4,500 feet of paved road frontage, 17 acres of open land, intermediate and mature timber, streams, rolling topography, pond, and an abundance of wildlife.
Click here for more details.

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Habitat Connectivity
by Robert Smith

We all talk about “wildlife habitat”, when we really should be talking about wildlife habitats. Not only do different species need different habitats, but each species needs different kinds of habitats. For example, turkeys need nesting habitat, brood habitat, roosting habitat, and feeding habitat; they actually need different kinds of feeding habitat for spring, summer, fall, and winter. We could break the needed habitats for turkey down even further, and write prescriptions of how to manage those habitats. We could do the same for pretty much every wildlife species of interest.

Besides knowing what habitats are needed, and relatively how much of that habitat, there are several other factors that are important. Like the quality of the habitat and how it is arranged on the landscape. Is it in one big patch, two or three patches, or scattered across the property in small patches? How do the patches and the wildlife of interest interact with each other; in other words, how are they connected?

The size of the patches and how they are distributed on the property has a tremendous impact on wildlife; changing patch sizes and dispersion often requires making a massive perturbation to the property. Sometimes that big change is worthwhile, and other times it is economically or ecologically impractical. We can frequently, however, change how patches are connected. It can also be critical not to destroy existing habitat connectivity. When creating or leaving a connecting corridor, try to place it in places that wildlife will naturally use.

Some connectivity changes are simple and require doing less rather than requiring doing more. A good example of this is changing the area where a field or food plot borders the woods from a “hard” edge to a “soft” edge by allowing a strip of native grasses and early successional forbs to grow up. This strip can be from 10 to 70 feet wide. We would like to see broomstraw, blackberries, asters, goldenrod, and similar plants growing up in it. This habitat will provide important browse, soft mast (blackberries), nesting habitat, bedding cover, and security cover for many game and non-game species. This edge will of course require regular disturbance to keep it from becoming a woody jungle. That disturbance could be some combination of prescribed fire, drum chopping, strip disking, and herbicide application. This field edge buffer helps connect the field and the adjacent woods while enhancing the habitat for many different game and non-game species.

Field edges of early successional vegetation are valuable to many wildlife species, but planting an even larger patch of native warm-season grasses and associated forbs on a southwest-facing slope adjacent to a white oak stand creates a fantastic cold-day bedding area immediately connected to a prime food source.

Another example of connectivity enhancement that requires more thought and action is installing travel corridors and visual screens across old pastures or agricultural fields. Many wildlife species, deer and turkey included, are less likely to venture across large open areas during daylight. If an old fence row, a swale of tall grass, or a woodland strip provides cover for them, they will often use it.

Sometimes when land use changes either with a change in ownership or a change in management objectives, larger agricultural fields or pastures can be partially restored to several food plots with connecting woodland corridors. The woodland corridors can be a window-pane type pattern or can be as simple as one strip of woods crossing the opening. The woodland strip can be pines or hardwoods depending on the surrounding habitat and owner’s objectives.

In this example, the owner was primarily interested in optimizing an existing hayfield for white-tailed deer and turkey. The hayfield and adjacent hayfields provided more acreage than needed for food plots, and there was not a local demand to rent the area out as cropland or hayfield. The area could be improved for wildlife habitat and huntability by installing treeplots as travel corridors to enhance connectivity. There wasn’t enough acreage to justify planting pines, though they would have made excellent bedding habitat for a few years. The field was pretty much surrounded by mature hardwoods, but there was an opportunity to plant hardwoods in the field that would produce mast not found in the surrounding forest, such as persimmon, sawtooth oak, Chinese chestnut, pears, and crabapples. The new hardwood strips connected mature hardwood draws, created or widened travel corridors that deer, turkey, & other wildlife are already using (after less than a year), reduced the annual food plot budget by taking some open land out of production, and added new mast producers to the property. Each of the remaining areas of food plot were surrounded by an early successional buffer and planted with a variety of forage & seed producing mixtures for deer and turkey.

While creating or enhancing new connectivity is important, it can be equally important not to destroy existing connectivity. This can be as simple as leaving a thoughtfully shaped streamside management zone during a timber harvest or even leaving a strip of standing timber during a timber harvest. Making a “bowtie” clearcut (two triangles with their tips touching, similar to the stereotypical markings on a black widow spider) will create a bottleneck in the natural bedding & feeding habitats that will be used for many, many years.

The best time to think about how habitats are arranged on the landscape and how they are connected is during a planning period for the property – either when it is acquired or when major management changes are planned. It is never too late to start making long-range property plans, and the sooner an inventory is conducted and a plan is developed, the sooner you will begin reaching your long-term management objectives.

About the Author Robert Smith of Greensboro, NC is a forest and wildlife biologist who helps landowners integrate their wildlife, timber and agricultural management objectives. Robert earned his bachelor's degree with an emphasis in wildlife from Mississippi State University and his master's in forest ecology from the University of Georgia. Robert is the wildlife and forest biologist for Wolfe Speciality Real Estate and Consulting.

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PROPERTY PROFILES
by Ben Wolfe

Showcasing a premiere recreational property in an effort to promote and share sound land management strategies.

Whispering Pines Wildlife Preserve

I recently found myself on a North Carolina farm that was unlike any other I had ever visited. There was a sense of ownership, pride and passion to it that permeated all 606 sprawling acres. This place was alive and it was ever so refreshing to witness! The location was Whispering Pines Wildlife Preserve in Northampton County.

Whispering Pines Wildlife Preserve is owned and managed by The Ricks Family, North Carolina’s 2009 Tree Farmers of the Year. Whispering Pines Wildlife Preserve is one of three farms that the Ricks Family currently owns and manages. The family management team consists of Dr. Riddick and Alice Ricks, and their two sons Ben and Will. Dr. Ricks is owner and medical director of the Roanoke Animal Hospital where he has practiced veterinary medicine since 1978. Alice, a registered nurse, currently works part time at the animal hospital. Ben Ricks now serves as a Fisheries Biologist for the State of Alabama in Mobile and Will is a Wildlife Biologist for the State of Louisiana based in New Orleans.

Mission Statement from The Ricks Family

“Realizing the land we manage has been entrusted to us by God , the Ricks Family, now in its fifth generation of forestland ownership, is fully committed to being responsible stewards at the highest level of forests, land, wildlife, flora, and water under our management.

It is our desire to develop mature pine and hardwood forests using responsible management practices to promote a sustainable forest environment beneficial to all native species of wildlife including but not limited to native wildflowers, songbirds, bluebirds, turkeys, quail, rabbits, Red-cockaded woodpeckers, bees, butterflies, deer, amphibians and reptiles.

The control of invasive exotic species of trees is a management area of identified importance as is protection of riparian areas along streams and beaver ponds.

The creation and maintenance of wildlife field borders and food plots is an important aspect of our stewardship.

It is our desire to invite and offer educational opportunities, especially to youth, but also to friends, family and the community hoping to encourage others to develop a passionate development and protection of our forests and their resident wildlife visitors.”

First Things First- Infrastructure

Prior to closing on the property in January 2006, Dr. Ricks identified his top priority, which would be to establish a road system into and throughout the farm. Without a road system the farm would be unmanageable and under-utilized. After closing and dozens of hours spent planning, Dr. Ricks implemented a new gravel road system that would enable the family to effectively improve, manage and develop other areas of the farm to their liking while meeting their many management needs.

The next step would be to establish an extensive network of trails and fire breaks. These areas are used mostly for wildlife viewing areas, forestry practices, food plots, scouting, and walking trails. The majority of these trails and fire breaks are seeded in Durana clover or grain sorghum. These areas not only provide excellent nutrition for the wildlife, but they also allow for wonderful viewing opportunities. The deer, turkeys and all other wildlife species are much more comfortable traveling and feeding throughout these areas during daylight hours than they would be out in open fields. Tower stands are placed strategically along these lanes and along field edges and are utilized as viewing/hunting stations. Each trail on Whispering Pines Wildlife Preserve has its own name that is clearly displayed at the head of each trail. This is a great tool for record keeping when identifying interesting subjects. Having well marked trails is also an excellent safety measure that all landowners should consider implementing.

In 2009, with most of the necessary infrastructure in place to successfully manage the property, the Ricks shifted their focus to the construction of their much anticipated retreat, “The Porches”. The Porches, named for good reason, consists of a living quarters, multiple screened in porches, and a 3 story screened in viewing station that provides breathtaking 360 degree views of a highly secluded but open section of the farm. From The Porches, agricultural fields, food plots, tree orchards, pine plantations, and an abundance of wildlife can be seen. The retreat also serves as venue for relaxation, bible studies, family gatherings, and great conversation.

Timber Management a Top Priority

As you would suspect from NC’s 2009 Tree Farmers of the Year, timber management is the top priority for Whispering Pines Wildlife Preserve. Their passion to intensively manage the forest also enables them to effectively manage for wildlife and aesthetics. It is most impressive to witness the progress made since 2006. In just over 3 short years the land has been taken from a neglected loblolly pine plantation and turned into an absolute gem. Initially the forest was loaded with an excess of undesirable hardwoods that were limiting the growth of the existing loblolly pine plantations.

In 2007 a pre-commercial thinning was performed on an 87 acre section of loblolly pines. A second pre-commercial thinning was performed on 220 acres in 2008. Since these thinnings, the pines have shown a vast improvement and are once again on their way to realizing their potential. Dr. Ricks regularly inspects this stand while looking for undesired hardwood species, and once found he will simply spray or use a hack and squirt method. Spraying from above is not a preferred practice on this farm due to the fact that the overall management objectives are far too diverse.

In an effort to manage the remainder and more mature loblolly pine plantations on the farm, the Ricks’ Family has taken a more aggressive approach by performing three successful prescribed burns since 2006. Prescribed burning has enabled the pine plantations to “jump” as a large portion of the competing hardwoods have been eliminated. Prescribed burns and pre-commercial thinnings have also effectively promoted the release of an abundance of native wildflowers and native plant species, which Dr. and Mrs. Ricks have developed a deep appreciation for over the past few years. The couple enjoys the identification, research, photographing and journaling of the hundreds of wildflowers that flourish throughout the farm. The couple has enjoyed this activity so much that they have established a wildflower nursery.

Another tree species that is prevalent throughout Whispering Pines Wildlife Preserve is the Persimmon. The Ricks family understands the importance and recreational value of the Persimmon and therefore goes the extra mile to protect and improve every single one of them. In an effort to protect these trees during prescribed burns, Dr. Ricks will personally rake diligently around every Persimmon in the target area to maximize its ability to survive during the burning process. During my visit, I was able to see first hand how well this works as most of the persimmons within a recently burned section were alive and well.

The Ricks family recently took their appreciation for mast producing fruit trees one step further with the implementation of tree orchards. The idea of the orchards came from sons Ben and Will, and was unveiled as a Father’s Day gift in 2009. The two sons ordered the trees, delivered them from Alabama, and strategically mapped out site locations. So on December 23, 2009, the Ricks family would spend precious time together planting 100 persimmon, plum, pear and crabapple trees that will eventually nourish wildlife, enhance the overall value of the farm, and be present for future generations of the family to enjoy. Dr. Ricks stated, “It is most rewarding to see my boys take such an interest in the farm, and to see their appreciation and passion for our natural resources develop.”

Comprehensive Natural Resource Management at its Finest

The diversity of life on Whispering Pines Wildlife Preserve is breathtaking! Rather than simply focusing on timber and game species, the Ricks have devoted a tremendous amount of time and energy towards preserving and promoting the existence of all wildlife and plant life. Their approach is highly unique and most enjoyable to witness.

“Wildlife is important to our family and dictates what we do from a forestry standpoint, but it is easy for the two to blend together and compliment each other. Because what we do for forestry certainly helps the wildlife, and what we do for wildlife is good forestry management as well,” stated Dr. Ricks.

Like most wildlife managers, the Ricks family puts a great deal of emphasis on the whitetail deer and wild turkeys. However, for the family it is equally important to choose practices that will benefit rabbits, quail, bluebirds, reptiles, waterfowl, amphibians, butterflies, bees, and songbirds. While growing up on the family farm just a few miles away, Dr. Ricks and his father would hunt quail every Tuesday and Saturday. It was an activity he loved and will forever cherish. In an effort to revive his current native quail population, Dr. Ricks seeks to establish “easy transition areas” throughout the farm. For this very reason the farm is enrolled in the CP-33 program, which dictates that field edges be planted to promote healthy habitat for quail, turkey and a host of other animals. Similarly, wind breaks have been established along the road frontage to assist in the protection of small birds and animals. These transition areas are established by planting small trees and shrubs within the field borders to protect wildlife from predators as they make their way to and from the fields. The Ricks Family has found Lespedeza and Partridge Pea to be excellent seed choices for these borders. Bi-color Lespedeza is a heavy seed producing shrub that can reach up to 10 feet tall and is used on the roadside windbreak along with Eastern Red Cedars for privacy. Partridge Pea, Kobe Lespedeza and Ragweed are highly digestible seeds that are a preferred food source for the Bobwhite quail and turkeys, as well as other songbirds, during the winter and spring months.

We have all heard the saying, “plant food and they will come”. Well, one thing you can count on at Whispering Pines Wildlife Preserve is that the wildlife will be coming! With over 20 acres of “in-the-woods” food plots and an additional 15 acres of food plots positioned between the 50 acres of agricultural fields and woods, Whispering Pines has no shortage of “groceries”. On this particular property, in-the-woods food plots are those that also serve as access trails, fire breaks, and lanes throughout and around the existing timber stands. The majority of food plots on Whispering Pines Wildlife Preserve consist of Durana Clover. Most of the clover on the farm has been planted along the perimeters of timber stands and in plots bordering the agricultural fields. “We mow our clover four times a year and spray it for grasses and undesirable broadleafs” stated Ricks. Durana clover is an excellent protein source, which is critical during the summer months when does are fawning and bucks experiencing antler development. Another common seed used throughout the farm is grain sorghum, which is primarily planted inside the timber along fire breaks, lanes and trails. Other food plots present include sunflowers and a wheat/clover blend. Also positioned around the farm in 9 different locations are gravity fed feeders and 6 mineral stations for supplemental purposes. The farm subscribes to Quality Deer Management principles and is therefore allowing bucks to walk until fully mature. Dr. Ricks was finally able to enjoy the fruits of his labor last year as he was finally able harvest his first buck off the property. The fully mature whitetail turned out to be a heavy antlered 10 pointer that was aged via jaw bone inspection by Will at 5 and 1/2 years old.

Camera surveys are performed twice a year for a period of ten days each to monitor the deer herd throughout the farm. Cameras are positioned in strategic locations throughout the farm, except for in areas that have been designated as “sanctuaries”. Last year the cameras captured over 3,000 images that ultimately proved to be very helpful in crafting a sound management strategy. Will is in charge of this project and usually performs the surveys during January and late August. A January inventory check is critical to determine which bucks survived the season and to better understand their overall health. The hunting season and winter are responsible for placing a great deal of stress on whitetails so it can be extremely valuable to know how the herd is coping. An inventory check in late summer is also helpful in determining the overall health of the herd, population, nutritional states and to pinpoint fully mature bucks that meet management/harvest objectives during the upcoming season.

Water and cover are also readily available for all the wildlife on the farm. Numerous streams and a beaver swamp supply the farm’s wildlife with adequate water supply year round. These areas also provide the wildlife with excellent bedding habitat. “We thoroughly enjoy having a beaver swamp on the property as it adds a great deal of recreational value to the farm. During the winter months it is always exciting to watch the various species of migratory waterfowl use the swamp”, stated Dr. Ricks.

The Red-cockaded Woodpecker, An Endangered Species-

The Red-cockaded Woodpecker (RCW) is an endangered bird species that Dr. and Mrs. Ricks have been interested in for quite some time. A long term management goal for the farm is to provide the preferred habitat for the RCW, so in 2008 Whispering Pines Wildlife Preserve enrolled into the RCW Safe Harbor Program. The RCW, which has not been found in northeastern NC yet, seeks mature pine forests. “To think one day that maybe I could have and endangered species on this property is intriguing. I hope the pine forest here gets mature enough and the RCW program is successful enough that I can bring some in provided they do not locate here on their own naturally”, said Dr. Ricks.

Sadly, it is estimated that there are 12,500 RCW’s throughout the country, a number representing only 1% of the bird’s original population.

Eastern Bluebirds are another bird species that the Ricks Family has a special fondness for, and unlike the RCW the bluebird is absolutely everywhere throughout Whispering Pines Wildlife Preserve. When you see the sheer number of bluebird boxes established throughout the farm it is easy to understand why. Riddick and Alice have established 102 bluebird boxes on the farm. These boxes were built by the Eastern Bluebird Rescue Group. A survey is carried out on the boxes 3 times a year. During this time the boxes are cleaned, restored, and predators (wasps, snakes, dirt dauber wasps) are located and dealt with.

A Special Thanks!

In conclusion, I would like to thank the Ricks Family for sharing Whispering Pines Wildlife Preserve and for their unwavering commitment to protect and enhance our natural resources. Their natural resource management efforts are second to none so I encourage them to keep up the admirable work. Also, congratulations on becoming North Carolina’s 2009 Tree Farmers of the Year!

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Why Do We Do It?
by Brent Glover

With all the hype these days about management of our resources, what does this mean to you? Does every hunter need to boast a QDMA sticker on their car to prove that they are a “trophy hunter.” Nope. Yes, sustainability and management of our natural resources should always be sitting on the shoulder of all outdoorsmen and women. But what is the big picture here. So you are a trophy hunter? What trophy are you after. To say that a trophy in my eyes has changed in the past few years would be an understatement. Yes, I wear a tie to work every day, but NO I have not lost my drive to pursue game. Where is this guy going with this? There are only a few things finer than a down east trout bite, especially when good ole’ spring rolls in and wakes up your senses. So what could be finer you might ask? Ask my 3 ½ year old what might be finer in mid March than the 1 lb. bass that he and Spider Man (rod) conquered this past weekend. The point here is that getting back to basics is the root of all happiness in the outdoors. The trophy this day, watching my son get excited over catching bass and panfish from a small farm pond. So whether it is digging earthworms and taking your kid fishing, or letting a buck walk and harvesting a doe, or whatever takes you back to basics…..a trophy is what you make of it and in the memories you take from it. Moral of the story, back to basics!

About the Author Brent Glover of Washington, NC is a VP/City Executive for State Employees Credit Union and an avid outdoorsman. Brent is especially passionate about his inshore fishing and custom rod making. Brent builds quality rods under the name Pamlico River Rod Works. If not on the water or in the shop Brent can be found spending time with his wife, Catherine, and son, Will.