Comments for Eat The Yard http://www.eattheyard.com A novice's attempt to get 15 percent of his food from his suburban fifth acre Fri, 30 Jul 2010 06:28:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Comment on The chicken came first by Michael Crolene http://www.eattheyard.com/2010/07/29/the-chicken-came-first/comment-page-1/#comment-1586 Michael Crolene Fri, 30 Jul 2010 06:28:09 +0000 http://www.eattheyard.com/?p=534#comment-1586 Magnificent! You really aren't what I would call a novice anymore. Have you considered putting in patio containers? You can get a virtually daily supply of salad greens from a cubic foot of soil. Look up square foot gardening, it really is phenomenal what is possible. With 3 or 4 square foot gardens going under the patio, you'll never hunger for salad. Magnificent! You really aren’t what I would call a novice anymore. Have you considered putting in patio containers? You can get a virtually daily supply of salad greens from a cubic foot of soil. Look up square foot gardening, it really is phenomenal what is possible. With 3 or 4 square foot gardens going under the patio, you’ll never hunger for salad.

]]> Comment on No monkeys or weasels — just jam by stephchows http://www.eattheyard.com/2010/06/03/no-monkeys-or-weasels-%e2%80%94-just-jam/comment-page-1/#comment-1570 stephchows Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:42:04 +0000 http://www.eattheyard.com/?p=551#comment-1570 Hi! My name is steph and I found your through foodgawker... I'm hosting a jam exchange and thought you might be interested :) http://stephchows.blogspot.com/2010/07/2nd-annual-jam-exchange.html Hi! My name is steph and I found your through foodgawker… I’m hosting a jam exchange and thought you might be interested :) http://stephchows.blogspot.com/2010/07/2nd-annual-jam-exchange.html

]]> Comment on What price edibles? by Amy http://www.eattheyard.com/2010/07/22/what-price-edibles/comment-page-1/#comment-1566 Amy Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:50:13 +0000 http://www.eattheyard.com/?p=621#comment-1566 This is a big picture thing. Too many squirrels is unnatural, and there are other forces that are destroying their predators. I agree with you that it's not worth it to lose your garden. There's more social and moral good happening in your garden than there is fault in killing the squirrels. And perhaps this can encourage your neighbors to start similar gardens without the early frustration you've had. This is a big picture thing. Too many squirrels is unnatural, and there are other forces that are destroying their predators. I agree with you that it’s not worth it to lose your garden. There’s more social and moral good happening in your garden than there is fault in killing the squirrels. And perhaps this can encourage your neighbors to start similar gardens without the early frustration you’ve had.

]]> Comment on Compost junkies by Amy http://www.eattheyard.com/2010/07/12/compost-junkies/comment-page-1/#comment-1565 Amy Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:46:45 +0000 http://www.eattheyard.com/?p=614#comment-1565 I think the 50 First Dates references are too much. It's like, come on, again? I think the 50 First Dates references are too much. It’s like, come on, again?

]]> Comment on What price edibles? by Paul http://www.eattheyard.com/2010/07/22/what-price-edibles/comment-page-1/#comment-1528 Paul Sat, 24 Jul 2010 08:44:25 +0000 http://www.eattheyard.com/?p=621#comment-1528 Carbon-monoxide is an interesting idea. The pellet guns/.22 are a really time consuming alternative. It doesn't seem practical for an individual who has an occupation other than gardening. Carbon-monoxide is an interesting idea. The pellet guns/.22 are a really time consuming alternative. It doesn’t seem practical for an individual who has an occupation other than gardening.

]]> Comment on What price edibles? by Mel http://www.eattheyard.com/2010/07/22/what-price-edibles/comment-page-1/#comment-1522 Mel Fri, 23 Jul 2010 21:34:06 +0000 http://www.eattheyard.com/?p=621#comment-1522 I know that we have already spoken about your battle about squirrels. I respect the fact that you owned up to a decision that went against your core beliefs. Hopefully the alternative solutions that others have posted here will provide you with the same desired results and will keep you from having to poison them. I know that we have already spoken about your battle about squirrels. I respect the fact that you owned up to a decision that went against your core beliefs. Hopefully the alternative solutions that others have posted here will provide you with the same desired results and will keep you from having to poison them.

]]> Comment on What price edibles? by Dog Island Farm http://www.eattheyard.com/2010/07/22/what-price-edibles/comment-page-1/#comment-1521 Dog Island Farm Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:47:30 +0000 http://www.eattheyard.com/?p=621#comment-1521 We are going with owl boxes and a pellet gun with pointed pellets as our main defense against squirrels. Pellet guns are legal to fire on our property in city limits because they are not considered firearms. We will not poison them. We have dogs and cats. Our neighbors have dogs and cats. If any one of them decides to eat a dead squirrel that was poisoned it could be disasterous. You can also use carbon monoxide on them by running a hose from your tailpipe into their active burrows (make sure it's not being used by kit foxes or burrowing owls). We are going with owl boxes and a pellet gun with pointed pellets as our main defense against squirrels. Pellet guns are legal to fire on our property in city limits because they are not considered firearms. We will not poison them. We have dogs and cats. Our neighbors have dogs and cats. If any one of them decides to eat a dead squirrel that was poisoned it could be disasterous.

You can also use carbon monoxide on them by running a hose from your tailpipe into their active burrows (make sure it’s not being used by kit foxes or burrowing owls).

]]> Comment on What price edibles? by Michael Crolene http://www.eattheyard.com/2010/07/22/what-price-edibles/comment-page-1/#comment-1518 Michael Crolene Fri, 23 Jul 2010 09:54:14 +0000 http://www.eattheyard.com/?p=621#comment-1518 A good BB repeater pistol run on CO2 can be an excellent approach. As it can deter a squirrel without doing it in necessarily. It's important that you use brass or steel bb as lead pellets are no good (for much of the same reason as 22s are no good.) this does raise the issue of your birds pecking up the bbs, but if you shoot sparingly they won't become a problem. If you draw in enough birds with your garden you may also draw the attention of local predatory raptors or owls. This seems to keep the squirrel population under control in my client's garden. There's no guarantee of luring a hawk but they are always welcome members of the local ecosystem. The health of the garden must be measured by the success of it's predators. A good BB repeater pistol run on CO2 can be an excellent approach. As it can deter a squirrel without doing it in necessarily. It’s important that you use brass or steel bb as lead pellets are no good (for much of the same reason as 22s are no good.) this does raise the issue of your birds pecking up the bbs, but if you shoot sparingly they won’t become a problem. If you draw in enough birds with your garden you may also draw the attention of local predatory raptors or owls. This seems to keep the squirrel population under control in my client’s garden. There’s no guarantee of luring a hawk but they are always welcome members of the local ecosystem. The health of the garden must be measured by the success of it’s predators.

]]> Comment on All hope lies in the long summer by Michael Crolene http://www.eattheyard.com/2010/07/06/all-hope-lies-in-the-long-summer/comment-page-1/#comment-1517 Michael Crolene Fri, 23 Jul 2010 09:38:12 +0000 http://www.eattheyard.com/?p=562#comment-1517 Hey Jason, check out a catalog called Bountiful Gardens. It is the brain child of a guy named John Jeavons. They have many optimized heirloom, certified organic, and open pollinated seeds and products. They run a test farm in Willets. Also they operate on the principal of permaculture but also extremely high yields. They offer seed packages that have different functions like soil building, carbon sequestration, and high calorie output. Hey Jason, check out a catalog called Bountiful Gardens. It is the brain child of a guy named John Jeavons. They have many optimized heirloom, certified organic, and open pollinated seeds and products. They run a test farm in Willets. Also they operate on the principal of permaculture but also extremely high yields. They offer seed packages that have different functions like soil building, carbon sequestration, and high calorie output.

]]> Comment on What price edibles? by Paul http://www.eattheyard.com/2010/07/22/what-price-edibles/comment-page-1/#comment-1515 Paul Fri, 23 Jul 2010 06:25:27 +0000 http://www.eattheyard.com/?p=621#comment-1515 I know how hard that this decision was for you. It sure seems like you tried everything in your power to avoid resorting to poison. In the end, it was either decrease the population of squirrels around your property or give up the garden. I think that you made the right choice. The first half of this post is so encouraging. It's been fun to watch the graph inching up, and I'm expecting to see a spike as eggs become a more regular part of your diet. I know how hard that this decision was for you. It sure seems like you tried everything in your power to avoid resorting to poison. In the end, it was either decrease the population of squirrels around your property or give up the garden. I think that you made the right choice.
The first half of this post is so encouraging. It’s been fun to watch the graph inching up, and I’m expecting to see a spike as eggs become a more regular part of your diet.

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