Today's harvest

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Today's harvest - Nov 2nd
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Shan

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 9075
Location: South Wales

Posted: Tue Nov 15, 16 11:29 am Post subject:
Do you know how likely I am to break a finger? It's almost a given!!!! I think I will have to put up with the damn rodents!

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Tue Nov 15, 16 2:51 pm Post subject:
However much I don't like rodenticides I use them when I have to. But I am currently curbing the mice that have come in with traps and will be setting one or two larger traps to check if there any rats about. The local council do for rats as well I am told so worth getting in touch.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16028

Posted: Wed Nov 16, 16 7:55 am Post subject:
You could always use a live trap Shan. They don't spring hard enough to break a finger. You have to transport rodent at least a couple of miles though.

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Fri Nov 18, 16 2:41 pm Post subject:
Bit unfair passing the problem to a. n. other MR., unless of course a. n. other does the same back-spreading the genes around! I have a theory that the only good rodent is a dead rodent. You won't break a finger if you hold it at the other end, Shan, though I must admit it is a bit of a surprise when it goes off when you least expect it.

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 16 3:06 pm Post subject:
3 down so far, millions of mice to go!

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46269
Location: yes

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 16 10:03 pm Post subject:

Shan wrote:

Do you know how likely I am to break a finger? It's almost a given!!!! I think I will have to put up with the damn rodents!

fenn 4 is a bit big for mice

they are suitable for rat, stoat etc ( and probably anything up to mink if you lay them right for a head grab) ,the domestic mouse sized stuff wont break most fingers, the bigger rat sized ones can be a bit nasty if you are not careful.

with the "little nipper"type i hold the sprung bar from behind and gently push down and wiggle it a bit until you get a very fine set, polishing the lever and hasp with 1200 gt emery paper makes for a smooth action and screwing the trap to a board makes handling easier and safer.,treadle up to an edge so it can be placed up to a wall or whatever.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 16 10:38 pm Post subject:

I think I have a stoat. Honestly, the back to nature lifestyle is all very well, but I never expected so much wildlife. I have never in my entire (fairly countrified) life knowingly encountered a stoat for heavens sake. But as soon as I get some quail, the poor things get their heads eaten off.

On the plus side, the remains of the quail proved effective in baiting the fox trap. Wildlife 1 - WW 1. Even for now (except that is fox no 4. How many of those are there going to be for goodness sake?!)

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16028

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 16 8:23 am Post subject:

Wildlife is great in its place, which isn't in the house or garden. We occasionally get mice in the house, so have to evict them and find where they are coming in. We had trouble with rats for a while round our yard, so were very careful about getting rid of all food waste including any wrappers and had to use poison I'm afraid. Not a thing I like, but has to be done sometimes.

I have seen a stoat in the woods, and our 'lad' saw one playing in the sawdust heap one morning. Husband recently sprained his ankle fairly badly by jumping down from the tractor into a scrape the badgers had dug looking for grubs. He didn't get much sympathy as he had partly filled in the scrape and keeps forgetting he his now 67, so perhaps behaving like a 20 year old isn't wise. (I have been very good about listening to his moans about how it hurts and making sure he has crepe bandage to put round it.)

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 16 3:27 pm Post subject:
3 more mice have flung themselves onto mouse traps since I last posted!

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46269
Location: yes

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 16 5:13 pm Post subject:
i'm fairly adventurous with dinner but i don�t think mice or foxes count as harvest re fox 4 ,there will be a steady supply of them looking for a chicken dinner and re mice 3 in a short time makes me think you have "plenty" so keep at it is best policy with both .

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 16 2:39 pm Post subject:
Traps reset as soon as contents unloaded, and will be investing in 2 more as backup. They are a harvest, dpack, used as fuel! I do wish they would go with their eyes closed though! I agree that I probably have plenty of reserves waiting to replenish the current front line.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16028

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 16 7:20 am Post subject:
Going back to actual harvest and forgetting the mice, I got the last 2 quinces that deigned to come down last week. Also got a couple of apples I could reach and a bunch or grapes from the greenhouse. The birds seem to have been at the apples left on the tree, and I can't reach them, so unless they fall, the birds will be finishing them off I am afraid.

Green Rosie

Joined: 13 May 2007
Posts: 10498
Location: Calvados, France

Posted: Wed Dec 07, 16 9:59 am Post subject:
This week I have harvested from the polytunnel and outside: Lambs lettuce, mibuna, turnips, savoy cabbage, red cabbage, leeks and I even dug up some errant spuds I found!

Shan

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 9075
Location: South Wales

Posted: Wed Dec 07, 16 10:43 am Post subject:
Well done. I need to have a 2nd go at the kale, swiss chard and the beetroot.

Shan

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 9075
Location: South Wales

Posted: Wed Dec 07, 16 10:43 am Post subject:
Oh and the jerusalem artichoke

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