Patches

This is our male fox, we have even named him. Patches. He's missing a small patch of fur on his upper left shoulder behind his neck. I took a ton of photos tonight and we're guessing he either had a tick or something there. He didn't have it this winter, just the last couple months.

But man, is he a handsome devil or what?!

We're not in the habit of feeding all the wild animals just because they are that, wild. We feed the birds enough so they stay in the yard but not enough so they are completely dependent on us. We don't feed the deer (except when they eat my apple trees).  However, Patches and his mate have pulled on our heartstrings. So every once in a while, just before dusk we put out bones or meat, even bread that has been in the fridge too long. I assume they rummage through the compost pile too since we don't have it fenced off or covered. We are guessing they have a den on our property. We see them pick up the food and trot off to the north, returning within minutes. It's just awesome.




Patches

 



Patches and his mate eat dropped sunflower seeds from the bird feeders.

 



A little skittish with the feeders though!

 



Smile

 




Ick. That one had bird poo on it!

  


Our Patches

 



Fencing

We share our property with: deer, raccoons, skunks, ducks, birds, fox, rabbits, lots of bugs, frogs, our 3 cats and possibly bears (eeek!). Oh and have I mentioned the deer before?!  So, how do I keep these critters out of my new vegetable garden?? 

I know we need some sort of fencing, just not sure what I want to invest in yet. I'm envisioning barbed wire, 8 feet high with electric current going through... haha! Just kidding ;) I am looking for the least invasive fence that will blend in with our garden's landscape. We have huge trees on 3 sides of the garden so I don't want to block any south sun with any part of the fence.  I love our wildlife but really don't want them in the garden. So something inexpensive and virtually invisible. 

I have found a few ideas so far but am always open to suggestions if you want to send them my way!

1) Liquid Fence. Not my ideal as I do not like chemicals going where I am going to be planting vegetables. But this goes around the garden, not in it. I am confused on how it is made from fossils though.... Cost - $12.99

Their website states:

Are Deer Destroying Your Flowers, Vegetables & Lawn?


Fight back and protect your investment with Liquid Fence® Deer & Rabbit Repellent. Our eco-friendly repellent will stop deer and rabbits from eating your garden areas, flowers, shrubs, plants, trees, and vines.


Liquid Fence Deer & Rabbit Repellent is the environmentally safe and biodegradable solution to all your deer and rabbit problems. Best of all, this easy-to-use, long lasting spray is safe to use around your family and pets, so you can use it worry-free. And the cruelty-free solution won’t hurt the deer or rabbits!


Safe to use on edible crops! One deer can eat up to ten pounds of food a day; imagine what a whole herd can do! So save your edible crops with Liquid Fence Deer & Rabbit Repellent, too! Just be sure to not apply immediately before harvest on above-ground crops.


NEW Granular Deer & Rabbit Repellent is perfect for your low-growing plants! Now the great repellency of our Deer & Rabbit Repellent comes in a granular form for low-growing plants. This unique biodegradable repellent is easy-to-apply on and around flower beds, vegetable gardens, ground cover, lawns; and it’s safe for use on edible crops! Plants will love the diatomaceous earth-based formula.

Formed from fossils diatomaceous earth improves drainage and can enhance air circulation around plant roots.

Safe for use on edible crops
Safe for your plants and family – Environmentally safe and biodegradable
Proven effective at repelling deer and rabbits – USDA field tested
Easy-to-use – Just spray and your problems go away
Long lasting and rain resistant – Finally, a hassle-free solution to deer and rabbit damage
Worry-free deer and rabbit protection – Eco-friendly formula will not harm vegetation
Member tested and recommended by the National Home Gardening Club and American Rose Society!

2) Metal fencing posts with 3-4 rows of wire/twine. We would have to buy at least 4 metal posts for each side of the garden and I would have to figure out how to make a 'door' into it.  Twine or wire would be wrapped through/around each stake to make a barrier, not sure if I could call it a fence. There wouldn't be much stopping something from getting through, just a deterrent. Approximate cost $182-$294.

Pricing from the FarmTek website:

8' Post Master Fence Post - $10.56 each (x16= $168.96)

Galvanized Cable - $.013 per foot ($126)

Twine - 300' foot ball $3.50 ( approximately $14)



 3) Wooden posts with twine.  We have wooden posts taken from the old flower garden and I could probably pull out a couple more that could be salvaged from the backs of the gardens. They were lined on both sides, I have only taken out the posts in the front. They are untreated and would work just fine, a little short once dug into the ground. Hopefully our deer can't fly...