Back in the last week of 2001 Tom and I established the Holey Oak Club. I swear, it had not been that long but it has been. Since that time there has only been two members but only because no one really knew what it takes to be a member. Its pretty simple really. You have to go visit Tom, take a walk in his woods, find the Mighty Holey Live Oak, and have someone take your photo through it. Tom has a bear story involving this tree that he cah tell. The first photo is a more distant view of the Mighty Holey Oak.
I encourage anyone that can, to become a member of our club! 8)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/holey_oak%7E0.jpg)
This is Tom, our club president in 2001
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/holey_oak_tom.jpg)
This is me in 2001
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/holey_oak_jeff.jpg)
Now, the newest members!
DanG 2006
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/holey_oak_dang.jpg)
Woodbowl 2006
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/holey_oak_woodbowl.jpg)
Corley5 2006
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/holey_oak_corley5.jpg)
Would love to head down and visit, but I think my boss would put a stop to it. I have a red oak here about that size I could cut a hole in.... does that count?
:) nah, we don't want to cut no unneeded holes in unholey trees. The picture takin is the finale to the whole innitiation process. Its the visiting with Tom and the walk through and enjoyment of an honest to goodness Florida swamp that gets ya in.
I see your point, maybe one of the times I visit my brother in Georgia my wife err... I mean boss ummm... whoever, will let me take a ride down that way..... :D
How 'bout a walk in a northern white cedar swamp? :D ;D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11009/SD_Ce-Stand2.jpg)
Now THAT looks more like home!!!
As interesting and beautiful the rest of the country may be, there is only one valid Holey Oak that qualifies one for the Holey Oak club. :)
I'm coming to Florida in the spring. If I stick my head in a tree and see this looking at me I am heading back to Illinios where the oaks are pretty and the varmits that live in them run when they hear a chainsaw like nature intended.
DanG 2006
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/holey_oak_dang.jpg)
Quote
Most clubs I ever was initiated into the pre-requisite was a sword fight :D
A real club would have you crawling through that hole,
now that would cut the membership down to "exclusive" in more ways than one ;) :D
iain(some of us can still fit through, aint that about right Mr Tate) ;)
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
'Now you just squeel like pig'
;D
Speak for yourself, Iain. I may have a pink extension cord, but I DON'T CRAWL! ;D
Well, you all know we's just a joke'n lot on here. Fact is, most of us would like to belong to a club like that. Too bad some of the young folks of today wouldn't come out of their video arcades and start a worth while club and learn a little bit about the world outside of the living room. When we was kids around here, we were never in doors. There was too much going on outside. In fact most of the time our dads or moms had to go looking for us. That kinda carried on when we got older as there was chores to be done, we become scarce. ;) :D :D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/tom_loblolly.jpg)
As we walked through Toms swamp we were admiring the trees and plants and asking Mr. Tom questions about what we were seeing. Some of the trees that seemed unrelated in appearance yet related in name, example Loblolly as in Loblolly Pine and Loblolly Bay. Tom was talking about this and I missed a chance to record something on my camera I wish I had so I asked Tom to explain it again and pointed the camera at him. Problem is, this danG camera seems to only record 10 seconds at a time and I cut him off. The first video clip here catches Tom off guard with my request to explain loblolly again and then rudely cuts him off. :D The next clip is, well, just DanG and I commenting.
https://forestryforum.com/media/tom_loblolly_1.mpg
https://forestryforum.com/media/tom_loblolly_2.mpg
Jeff your a natural with technical stuff :D
iain
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10026/tom-reina-tree-7.jpg)
Reina in the Holey Oak at Tom's 2006
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10026/tom-harold-tree-8.jpg)
Harold in the Holey Oak at Tom's 2006
8) 8) 8)
I'm glad you got a visit with Harold, and got to meet Reina. I don't suppose they're headed west, are they? I'd sure like to do the same!
Nope, headed back South. Their trying to get Costa Rica to let harold back in. :D :D
Something 'bout bureaucrats in Miami and paper work and certified copies of certified documents to certifythat the certifications are certifiable. :-\
Heck, I coulda told'em that Harold is certifiable, if that's all they wanted to know. ::) ???
Quote from: Jeff B on February 16, 2006, 05:58:03 PM
Tom has a bear story involving this tree that he can tell.
Tom, that was your que to tell the story eh?
When I was first an owner of the property, I was walking amongst the trees and knew that we had a bear when I saw the hole that was dug in front of the tree. Something had dug an Armadillo out of the ground here and created a crater that was the size of a small office. It was about 10'x8'x18" with the dirt piled all the way around, which made it look even deeper. On top of the bank of dirt was the remnants of an Armadillo shell.
I know that Black Bear are in the area and this was proof to me that we had one. This swamp runs east and west for miles. Somewhere in there is at least one Bear.
There is also at least one Pant'er (panther or cougar) that lives in there with the deer, hogs and squirrels too. I know. I had the beejezus scared out of me in the middle of the night one night. It was about midnight and I was laying myself down to bed, dressed only in my skivvies, when a scream was emitted from behind the house like a woman who had been seriously hurt. I ran outside, down the path and was standing practically naked in the woods about 300 feet behind the house to find out what it was. Then it dawned on me. "You Idiot! What are you doing?". I hurriedly high-step-tiptoed back to the house as fast as my bare feet would allow. ::)
Tom, I would be willing to bet that if it had been a crime of some sort that a Nekid Santa would have stopped it in its tracks.
I come on down and join tomorrow but then I'd have to change my name to holey chaplain robert and mrs chaplain robert would spit and sputter her ice tea everwhere! So I'll have to pass.
Better make fast trax Tom, the woodland goblins will get at ya. :D
I wonder why Tom never let me join the Holey Oak Club when I went down to visit him? ::) :'( All he ever did was work me hard and feed me generic brand canned peas. :-\
The grits weren't enough, eh Charlie? :D :D ;D
you asked if there were ticks back there.. and I said, "yes".
You went into the house. :-\
:o You mean to tell me that tree is back in tha woods with the ticks all around! :o And.......and you got Jeff, Dang, Corely and all those other poor souls to go in there with the ticks? :o Didn't cha tell'em! :o Man o' man! ::) They are gonna be pithed when they find out you lured them into Tickdom! ;D
I'm kinda leery of any club that would have me as a member. Would be a fun visit but the dues would probably force me to work for peas like CHARLIE and he got rejected!
Dom
Not only that Dom! Tom don't supply you a spoon either. You have to carve your own. ::) Later I found out he was feeding his other help baloney sandwiches. >:(
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10026/tomstout-holytree2.jpg)
Tom Stout 2007
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10026/adam-holytree2.jpg)
Adam 2007
You know, Tom Stout said that he was going your way this week but he said WHY was a secret....what's up Tom??
Captain
My wife is being awfully close-mouthed, Captain. :-\
I'm athinkin' that Gael done conspiritated wit dem Baker guys to haul that mill off, so she can get some honeydoos did.
well. I am home but not for long, then when I come back I will tell you guys about cook'n steaks and the rest of the southern hospiltality ( spelling???) Sorry, in a hurry and yeah, I got to join the Holy Tree club along with Adam.
TALK TO YA'ALL NEXT WEEK
Tom's been known to spoil them immigrants terribly. ;D ;D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/nap.jpg)
Tom, just looking and wondering how that log is gonna get made into lumber with the immigrants on strike. ::)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/my_biggest_log2.jpg)
Meanwhile...............
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/cedar_paneling_6%7E0.jpg)
;D
;D ;D 8)
My pop made me and my brother members of the hollar cypress club somewhere around 1980. Far as we know were the only members. 8)(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/14127/big-tree4.jpg)
(i'm trying to get the hang of posting pics ;).)
That's a mighty impressive Cypress tree, DWM, and you're doing good on the pic posting thing. But it just ain't the same. Ya gotta get on your knees to join the Holey Oak Club. ;D
...ain't gonna git on my knees to join ANY club.... :D ;) :o
::) ..........
:D :D :D just about fell on the floor, but I didn't think that would ever go unchallenged with this bunch.
Well, Tom might make an exception in your case, Engineer. You'd hafta come to Florida and stand on your head, though. Your pitcher would be upside-downerds, too. ;D
Quote from: Engineer on January 18, 2007, 08:14:27 PM
...ain't gonna git on my knees to join ANY club.... :D ;) :o
God forgives you for that... :)
Yeah, sorry, I belong in the wood shed for that one. :-\
Not gonna take offense myself since if I had got on ma knees you wouldnt had saw me :).
We won't hold that against ya, DWM. Not getting sawed is a goal of sawmillers everywhere. ;D
ha ha ha ha thats funny DanG
We had a new member join the Holey oak club today. jtmccallum was in Savannah GA for training and got a chance to run down and visit with Tom and me today. :)
air_plane
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/jt_holeyoak.jpg)
JT and I had quite an experience today visiting with another forest friend. A quite sociable owl. I'm not sure what kind but I will certainly be able to find out with the pictures I got. smiley_smug01
Hi JT! Welcome to the club. :)
What owl? I don't see no owl. No pics, didn't happen. ::)
Keep lookin bub. Ya can't find a special owl just any old place... ;)
We were at Tom's visiting last week and had a chance to join the club.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12445/Tom%26Taylor%20Holy%20Oak.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12445/Tom%26Zack%20Holy%20Oak.jpg)
Katie was there too that pic didn't turn out so well.
Tom I'm glad we had a chance to visit for a bit. next time we're in the neighborhood We'll make the time to stay a bit longer.
Hey! There are some fine folk in that club. ;)
Tom do I see evidence of fire damage? Looks like charring on the trunk.
There is slight indication of fire, but the damage, I think, is biological. As old as that tree is, I'm sure that it's been in a fire or two. It hasn't been that long ago when fire was popular around here.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10026/gregc-04.jpg)
Another member joins the Holey Oak Club.
Greg Cook took time out on his way home to stop and visit awhile this evening. I sure enjoyed it. wished it could have been for longer but he was trying to make Nashville.
Along with some pictures of Azaleas, Huckleberry, Blue Beech and other various trees in the swamp, we had to stick his head into the notorious Oak.
I sure enjoyed his visit. We spent a good deal of time just sitting on the yard swing and talking.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10026/gregc-09ff.jpg)
DanG, you've got azaleas already? What do you do for flowers when spring rolls around? :)
Dave
We have wild Rhodora here in the boreal and swamp woods which is similar in color and such, but they are still frozen solid. :D :D
I feel honored to have been inducted into a club with such an esteemed cast of members. It was a very pleasant afternoon, the sun shining warmly on our backs as we sat in the swing. A slight breeze against our faces as we watched Gail (Tom's wife) mowing the lawn. It's wonderful to sit and watch women work like that. The smell of fresh-cut grass really added to the pleasant ambience. I will be back, Tom, and thank you for your hospitality.
Greg
If I crawl into a hollow maple culvert log, does that count? ;)
Don't skunks and snakes hang out in those hollers? I think I seen dwarfs before, but they grew bigger after they came out of the stump. :o
Welcome to the club Greg.
SD I didn't see or smell any skunks but there were some ducks that looked a lot like mosquitos to me.
Part-timer,
That was a Mosquito egg that Greg had on his lap. He found it over by the ditch. It must've gotten washed up into the yard. ;D
Boy oh boy I'm sure glad we didn't see the mosquito that laid that one. That thing would leave a heck of a welt.
I had thought about killin' one of them skeeters, just to have it mounted, but then I remembered I didn't have a non-resident small game hunting license. Wouldn't want to have a run in with the Florida Game and Fish folks! ;D
Should have called DanG. He could of saddled up and had a new form of transportation. :D I'm sure he could figure out where the collective and all was. ;)
:D :D :D Now there's an idea! It would be just my luck to fly into a cloud of Deet, though. :o
Or drive through a mist of Deet with the pickup and watch the paint peel in the sun. :D :D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10026/orville-tex-ellmoe-30k.jpg)
Tex
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10026/ellmoe-mark-30k.jpg)
Ellmoe
March 30, 2008 was a wonderfully cool spring day. Mark and his Dad stopped by to visit. I just had to have them join the Holey Oak Club. :)
OK......this club is really going gangbusters.....
Im kinda wounderin if there is'nt somthin kinda fishy goin on there...
1) It is in a swamp but there is no water to be seen.
2) The pic of the house looks like its on a rise..... ain't swamps flat??
3) The tree was burnt.......lets see....fires in swamps??(maybe)
4) When you go see the tree you have to get down on your knees........
5) There is a Santa like guy that leads the people to the tree....
6) The owner has a sawmill but never harvested a tree that is dying of old age..
7) The people looking through the tree look like they are in pain....
Some possible scenairos:
--- There are some kind of "dues" that have to be paid to get into the club....maybe coins drop out of your pockets when you bend over and are later salvaged....?
--- The club "leader" is thinking the tree will fall down anytime and needs some witnesses to be able to collect insurance ....
--- There is a tax write off in Florida for tourist attractions with a minimum number of visitors requirement....
--- The visitors go into the "swamp" but never come out (Bates Motel). The tree is a cruel hoax to lure folks away from their cars which are later sold on the black market.
--or-- the tree is an actual attraction to FF members who enjoy the company of Tom and ....... are willing to travel many miles to get on their knees to look through a hole in a tree........
You be the judge... ::) :o
Quote from: Greg Cook on March 19, 2008, 12:00:28 AM
I had thought about killin' one of them skeeters, just to have it mounted, but then I remembered I didn't have a non-resident small game hunting license. Wouldn't want to have a run in with the Florida Game and Fish folks! ;D
Greg,
Must have been a baby. Full grown you'd need a BIG GAME license...
Herb
aka PC-Urban-Sawyer
Olen and his lovely wife came to visit for a few minutes this afternoon. She was dutifully made a member of the Holey Oak club.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10026/gloria-holyoak.jpg)
Last time I saw her she had a good smelling pecan pie in the oven, was stinking up the whole yard. I started to do them a favor and stay and eat it up for them. I haven't seen Olen since then, I wonder if the pie did much swelling to his middle section. :D :D :D
Don
We sure had a nice visit with Tom today. Now the old oak tree has another member.
Don, I hate to tell you this, but I had to destroy the pecan pie. I took on the responsibility of cutting it up into small pieces, never to be seen again. I did have some minor swelling, but it's happened before. She's made several more just to see if it would happen again. ;D
Glad to see the holey oak made it through the hurricane. Hope everyone is alright down there.
Quote from: SwampDonkey on March 19, 2008, 12:27:46 PM
Or drive through a mist of Deet with the pickup and watch the paint peel in the sun. :D :D
Naaah! That was old Army issue "bug juice". Kids used to use it to take identification marks off stolen stuff.
Dr. Buck took time out of his busy seminar schedule in Orlando to come visit me in Jacksonville. What a great time I had!
You can't come here without sticking your head in the hollow Live Oak and joining the Holey Oak club, so back into the swamp we went.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10026/Dr_Buck-holeyoak1-opt.jpg)
Either that hole is getting bigger, or the members are getting smaller. :D
Dr_Buck is only 2 1/2 feet tall. :D :D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10026/gerald-cheryl-holeyoak-03.jpg)
Phorester (Forester Gerald and his Forester wife, Cheryl) have been admitted into the Holey Oak Club.
Well congrats to you and the Ph(F)orester Family for getting face to face! 8) 8) Is it just the Oak tree, or is she prettier than him? ;D
She's a lot prettier than he is, Dang, a game gal too. She tromped out into the woods with us, looking at the trees and shrubs and commenting on the Florida swamp. She even pulled up a little Loblolly Bay and brought it out with her. Maybe it will live. If it doesn't, I know where there are a bunch more of them. :D
So Tom, how many members of the club so far?
I don't rightly know, DR. I think they are all in this thread, but I could swear there were more than I see here now. It could be that some of the pictures were put in other threads, rather than this one. Then again, it is a mighty select group.
I guess I need to go on a search mission. If y'all see a picture that is in the wrong place, let's get it moved over here.
Looking back through the thread, I cant recall of there being any missing that were ever mentioned or posted on the forum.
I thought that I had one of Nomad. Maybe not.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10026/25/holmes-in-holey-oak-02.jpg)
Member holmes (Dana) joins the Holey Oak Club. March 24, 2010
Dana looks a little like the Statue of Liberty looking through that hole(y). :D
Norm
You gotta watch that Tom at the camera. Just never know what precarious shutter snapping he's up to. :D
That hole is getting bigger!
Dana is Rea-a-aly tiny. :D :D
Quote from: Jeff on March 24, 2010, 09:03:20 PM
That hole is getting bigger!
No. The members are getting smaller. :D :D
Time for another initiation. Two of our Alabama fellows stopped by this afternoon and joined the club.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10026/George-holey-oak5.jpg)
George was the first to step behind the tree.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10026/john-boylan-holey-oak7.jpg)
John was the second.
The Moultrie veterans.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10026/holyoak-56.jpg)
Guess who visited me today. Rbarshaw and his wife stopped by this afternoon and afforded me a super friendly visit. We sat on the deck, in this fine Fall afternoon and drank coffe and talked. It was fun!
Now he's a member of the Holey Oak Club.
Yep, we had a fine visit, and Tom makes good coffee.
Aeeeey, now that was a nice visit. I know it was! Anybody that can build a sawmill outa' motersickle parts has plenty of visit in him. :D I just wish I could have been there.
It is nice that your shirt matches the bark of the tree :) ;D.