Jan Flora wrote:
In article ,

I killed every rattlesnake that wandered into my yard,
when I lived down yonder. They're delicious.

i'd rather not eat them........snakes give me the shivers. before we
moved down here, my mom and i worked at a burger king back at the old
home place. i ran the drive-thru...anyway, there was this guy that
would come thru the drive-thru at least once a week *with his pet boa*.
Ugh, i couldn't stand it. reach out to take his money, and the snake
would be wrapping it's way down his arm towards me........it would be
all around his neck too.........ugh....gives me the hibbie-jibbies just
thinking about it.

I also kill porcupines that wander into camp more than
once. Been through it with the dog too many times.
Porkies are good if you parboil the fat off, then
BBQ them. (Porcupines are survival food. You aren't
supposed to kill them unless you're in a survival situation,
because a starving person can kill one with a stick.
But I got *so* tired of pulling quills that I declared
my yard to be a "zero tolerance" zone.

A side note: if you ever kill a porkie or find a dead
one on the road, throw an old towel or something on it,
so the quills will stick to the towel. Then give the
quills to your Indian girlfriends. They make earrings
and stuff with the quills. (I wear beaded quill earrings
for "go to meeting" jewelry.)

never seen a porkie in this neck of the woods, but i'll keep this in
mind if i ever do.........got a few friends i could send the quills too.

hadn't tried the hungarian variety. how's it taste and compare to others?

They're delicious. Give them a try, if you get a chance.
Mild, sweet with a little tang. Very good.

will keep in mind for next year. maxed out for this season. got a
"wish list" started for next years garden.


A couple of neighbors just gave me some rugosa roses. They'll
make it here, if I can keep my chickens from digging them up.
Had to make little chicken-wire doilies to put around the
feet of every bush I've planted this summer. The hens are
nosy. They like to scratch where I've been digging.

the only problem i have with my flower beds since the goats have been
gone is a mole and the dog. the dog has been digging in the beds (at
least it's between the flowers!) to keep cool. makes him a little bed,
similar to how the snow dogs dig to keep warm. he's been digging after
the mole too.

The hens eat so many bugs and so many weeds that it makes
more sense to fence them *out* of where I don't want them.
My yard is about an acre. The biddies have free run of the
place, except the veggie garden, which is moose-fenced.

Jan

ha, chickens wouldn't last around here. Timex (the dog) or Romeo (the
territorial horse) would be sure to get them. we have around an acre of
yard and garden, then there's an acre & half for horse pasture (we only
keep Romeo at the house, the other 9 are in another pasture nearby) and
about an acre where the old goat pen was. It is currently over run with
pig-weed. i hate that stuff. gets to growing and takes over everything.

how did you make out with your bear? it still lurking around?

will be canning string beans and potatoes today, gonna blanche the peas
for freezing also.

rae

please excuse typing, as usual, typing while holding the baby. will be
so glad when these two teeth come in.........until she bites me of course!