Having started our allotment in July (OK, it wasn't planned that way, but it
happened), the kids were quite proud of the single proto-pumpkin we found on
Friday night. Last night, I discovered someone else had taken a fancy to
it - someone with small teeth... Squirrels seem the prime candidate since
I've seen lots on the site.

So, in case we get any more (there are a couple of flowers still), any
thoughts on the best way to keep such nasties off the patch? I'd wondered
about a chicken wire cage, or re-using the netting we don't need over the
strawberries any more. Any more suggestions? (Trip wire and a shotgun has
already been suggested by a colleague ;-)

Martin

"Martin wrote in message
Having started our allotment in July (OK, it wasn't planned that way, but
it
happened), the kids were quite proud of the single proto-pumpkin we found
on
Friday night. Last night, I discovered someone else had taken a fancy to
it - someone with small teeth... Squirrels seem the prime candidate since
I've seen lots on the site.

So, in case we get any more (there are a couple of flowers still), any
thoughts on the best way to keep such nasties off the patch? I'd wondered
about a chicken wire cage, or re-using the netting we don't need over the
strawberries any more. Any more suggestions? (Trip wire and a shotgun
has
already been suggested by a colleague ;-)

Could be squirrels but it's probably mice, although foxes some times have a
go at ours but then they have a go at anything, spuds, labels, beans.......
Yes, I would think that wire would do but if it is mice make sure the holes
are not large enough for them to squeeze through.

--
Bob

www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in
Runnymede fighting for it's existence.

The message
from "Martin Richards" contains these words:

So, in case we get any more (there are a couple of flowers still), any
thoughts on the best way to keep such nasties off the patch? I'd wondered
about a chicken wire cage, or re-using the netting we don't need over the
strawberries any more. Any more suggestions? (Trip wire and a shotgun has
already been suggested by a colleague ;-)

In reply to a similar question posed a while ago I posted a recipe for
squirrel pie. Want it? I could modify it to include pumpkin......

--
Rusty http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm
horrid·squeak snailything zetnet·co·uk excange d.p. with p to reply.

The message
from "Martin Richards" contains these words:

So, in case we get any more (there are a couple of flowers still), any
thoughts on the best way to keep such nasties off the patch? I'd wondered
about a chicken wire cage, or re-using the netting we don't need over the
strawberries any more. Any more suggestions? (Trip wire and a shotgun has
already been suggested by a colleague ;-)

In reply to a similar question posed a while ago I posted a recipe for
squirrel pie. Want it? I could modify it to include pumpkin......

--
Rusty http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm
horrid·squeak snailything zetnet·co·uk excange d.p. with p to reply.

The message
from "Martin Richards" contains these words:

Having started our allotment in July (OK, it wasn't planned that way, but it
happened), the kids were quite proud of the single proto-pumpkin we found on
Friday night. Last night, I discovered someone else had taken a fancy to
it - someone with small teeth... Squirrels seem the prime candidate since
I've seen lots on the site.

So, in case we get any more (there are a couple of flowers still), any
thoughts on the best way to keep such nasties off the patch? I'd wondered
about a chicken wire cage, or re-using the netting we don't need over the
strawberries any more.

Try old drawers from freezers..they are a lot stronger than netting,
and you might be able to get them free from your local council dump.
Very useful for covering seedlings too; you can staple some plastic or
fleece over it to make a cheap moveable minicloche.

Janet

The message
from "Martin Richards" contains these words:

Having started our allotment in July (OK, it wasn't planned that way, but it
happened), the kids were quite proud of the single proto-pumpkin we found on
Friday night. Last night, I discovered someone else had taken a fancy to
it - someone with small teeth... Squirrels seem the prime candidate since
I've seen lots on the site.

So, in case we get any more (there are a couple of flowers still), any
thoughts on the best way to keep such nasties off the patch? I'd wondered
about a chicken wire cage, or re-using the netting we don't need over the
strawberries any more.

Try old drawers from freezers..they are a lot stronger than netting,
and you might be able to get them free from your local council dump.
Very useful for covering seedlings too; you can staple some plastic or
fleece over it to make a cheap moveable minicloche.

Janet

"Martin Richards" wrote in
:

Having started our allotment in July (OK, it wasn't planned that way,
but it happened), the kids were quite proud of the single
proto-pumpkin we found on Friday night. Last night, I discovered
someone else had taken a fancy to it - someone with small teeth...
Squirrels seem the prime candidate since I've seen lots on the site.

I was feeling all smug about this post, as my pumpkins were the one thing
that no bugs, pests, or general garden visitors had taken a fancy to, and
even the leaves were all admirably unnibbled.

So I went down to look at them today, and damn! something's started
munching away on one of mine now!

I think in my case it's slugs.

I am sure my garden reads this newsgroup...

Victoria

"Janet Baraclough"
Try old drawers from freezers..they are a lot stronger than netting,
and you might be able to get them free from your local council dump.
Very useful for covering seedlings too; you can staple some plastic or
fleece over it to make a cheap moveable minicloche.

I like that idea - I'm sure I saw some kicking around the other day, just
got to remember where now

Thanks to Rusty for the squirrel pie suggestion - I was wondering what to do
for Sunday lunch. Of course, if it turns out to be mice, I could just do a
variant on the 'sausages wrapped in bacon' that you always seem to get at
Christmas dinner...

Martin

The message
from "Martin Richards" contains these words:

Thanks to Rusty for the squirrel pie suggestion - I was wondering what to do
for Sunday lunch. Of course, if it turns out to be mice, I could just do a
variant on the 'sausages wrapped in bacon' that you always seem to get at
Christmas dinner...

Here is the recipe, posted in reply to a similar cry of anguish from:


The message
from Beryl Harwood contains these words:

Any practical suggestions would be gratefully received.

Squirrel pie.
Ingredients:

Five squirrels, skinned, cleaned and jointed.
about ten rashers of streaky bacon
a sprinkling of plain flour
½oz olive oil or butter
2 English onions
3 good carrots
a small parsnip
4 sticks celery
glass of red wine
teaspoon of marjoram
½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg
black pepper to taste
salt if desired
pinch of sage and thyme

Enough short pastry to make a piecrust cover over your favourite pie dish

Method.
Chop vegetables.
Cut bacon into small pieces
Heat butter or olive oil in a flat open pan.
Roll squirrel pieces in flour.
Add floured pieces, bacon and chopped onions to hot fat
Fry until juices stop coming from pieces, stirring from time to time.

(Dave is good at that.)

When the meat is cooked (see above) remove it and the onions and place
in pie dish
Add the rest of the vegetables
Now add the surplus flour to the fat in the pan and make a roux using
the red wine and any stock or vegetable stock you have to thin it to the
consistency of white sauce. Add herbs and spices and stir in.

Add the gravy to the contents of your pie dish and cover with pastry.
(You may wish to use a piecrust raiser thingamejig-wotsit)

Cook in oven until piecrust is done.

--
Rusty http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm
horrid·squeak snailything zetnet·co·uk exchange d.p. with p to
reply.