prices!

[wendysgoodnews]

Wal Mart has a product called something like cat scat for some such thing.  My mom used it and said it worked well.

[LINDA RN]

Thanks Wendy, I will look for it

[MsHeirloom]

Wanda- Sorry you couldn't see the Toledo Blade article with the coyote in my backyard.  Between coyotes, deer, foxes, possums, raccoons, hawks, eagles, songbirds (I choose to believe there are no snakes!) we live in a wild kingdom!  We really enjoy it, but the crashed window was an unpleasant surprise.  I can't imagine how we would have reacted if we had been home and sleeping in the bed which was covered with broken glass.  Our bed is at least 6 feet from the broken window.  The replacement glass is $250 installed !!!  Bad deer!!!!!

[witheraway1]

PAM, EVERYTHING IS EXPENISIVE INCULING FOOD. No deer to smash my window, can't stand snakes and the cats do keep the mice away, so I feed mine good a reward for doing their job.

[LovinLDL]

LOL.  This thread has been fun to read.  A few things from a novice gardener/country gal:

Raised beds (old cattle troughs) have worked for us when nothing else would.  We just purchased a big round one off craigslist that has almost doubled our garden size...our way of fighting tomatoe prices.

We put the beds/troughs in with our dogs (3 beautiful standard collies).  The dogs stay out of them and keep the critters away.

For snakes, we have the dogs and a number of cats which we don't over feed.

We also have a couple of young people certified as sharp shooters by the NRA living in our home.  We have never really had to shoot anything, but it does make me feel safer:-). Actually, and some of you may not believe this after meeting my dainty daughters, Madeline just competed in the state BB-gun competition and placed 1st in the safety test (with a score of 100) and 3rd in "Standing.". This is my flute playing, composer, photographer who we put in 4-H BB-Gun with her brother (because our family does everything in twos at least and she was the right age) and it turns out she is somewhat of an "Annie Oakly".  She's beat her brother out of a spot on the state team two years in a row (he IS 4 years younger though...his day will come).  It has been good for our family having two boys who aspire to keep our family in vennison one day.  The group is fierce about the kids learning gun safety.  And, the competition guns, made specifically by Daisy for these competitions, will only load one BB at a time (someone, usually a parent/coach, has to load in between each shot)...fierce about gun safety!

Anyway, happy gardening...Dogs, Cats, Troughs and Prayer...can't go wrong:-)

Oh, and we have no mesquitos..just bats...but that's another thread:-)

Blessings,
Julie

[witheraway1]

I NEVER HEARD OF NOT FEEDING YOUR CATS. Of course we don't have wild things here. Maybe I just don't understand.

[LINDA RN]

Good for you Julie.
We too are gardening in feed troughs this year to keep the chickens and cats out.
DH says that is absolutely the most economical way to become a "crack" shot.
He has practiced shooting snakes, scorpions, yellow jackets, wasps with BB guns.
Won't kill birds though.....need all the insect eaters we can get.
We do have wild hogs and coyotes to go after. They wiped out what little catelopes and watermelons we had last year.
We have a few up and coming grandkid marksmen also.
And like your family we are all about teaching safety.

Like Julie, Wither, we don't OVER-FEED our cats. Feed them enough so they hang around but leave them a little hungry so they will continue to hunt!

[MsHeirloom]

I think this thread is one of the "funnest" we have had for a while!  We have no dogs or cats and a gun cannot be discharged within the city limits, so we are at the mercy of the animals!  Pam

[witheraway1]

But you do feed them! That's understandable

[LovinLDL]

Wither,

Oh yes, we feed them...please know they are NOT skinny kitties:-)

Blessings,
Julie

[witheraway1]

You said that you never feed them so I was worried, I feel a lot better.

[SweetRose]

You're like me, Wither- a real animal lover. I didn't even want that mouse harmed. Anyway, I'm glad it's clear that Julie's cats are well fed!

SweetRose

[LINDA RN]

For snakes, we have the dogs and a number of cats which we don't over feed.

She said she did not OVER FEED

[witheraway1]

I am just glad to know they eat!

[LovinLDL]

Oh, I see the problem, I think you read "ever" when the word I put was "over" in the sentence I wrote about feeding my cats.  No worries Wither:-)  I grew up in the city and we kept our cat's bowl full.  I did that with our cats here too until a neighbor and I were discussing snakes and rodents one day and he commented how fat my cats where and seemingly lazy about staying on top of the critters.  He said "you need to let their bowl go empty here and there, try half what you've been putting in."  So, that's what we do and I have seen the cats taking in God's provisions (I know, yuck!...I still don't like viewing this) much more.

Blessings,
Julie

[witheraway1]

Thanks Julie, Glad the animals are all happy. We all love our animals! 

[Joyful Friend]

Julie, the feeding trough is a good idea, I could put it inside our pool fence.  Maybe, our daughter may give us one.  I raised tomatoes in flower pots, but the trough would be better.  This has been a fun thread.  I love animals as well, most of them.    JF 

[snowbirdie]

daughter was to the store and a whole chicken was 20.00 and a bowl of smart balance was 8 dollars. When is it all going to end. I guess I won't like chicken anymore. I will have to look around and find some cheaper margarine. 
                              judie

[witheraway1]

Well, that's over the top! I guess with those prices the weight will fall off. 

[SweetRose]

Snowbirdie, those prices are outrageous! Where do you and your daughter live????

Try not to buy any margerines, if you can help it. Too many chemicals for one thing. Pure butter in small amounts is better than margerine.

SweetRose