steve auvache wrote:
After years of waging a losing war of attrition against certain
militant aspects of The Woodland Alliance I have decided to take
another tack and consider a different approach, namely that mentioned
in the subject line. This raises a number of questions:-

1) Should it be done on a cut and come again basis or would a single
destructive harvest be better?

2) Given either or both of the above apply, when would be the best
time of year to take my harvest in terms of both flavour and total
quantity of crop?

3) What should I specifically not protect and thus allow them to eat
in order to achieve the above?

If you are going to shoot them it would have to be cut and come again as
you'll have no chance of getting more than a quarter of them.

For flavour, September/Oct is best. They will be in good form then ready
for the lean months of winter.

You don't need to grow anything to feed them, but if you are going to trap
them, get them used to eating split maize. Feed them in your trap with the
door propped open and you'll have no problem catching them when you want
them.

A winter stew of pigeon, carrot, turnip and onion is a real treat (use the
skinned carcass to make a brown stock and use plenty of bacon fat to fry the
pigeon breasts and onion in) and serve with mashed potatoes or dumplings.

Tom