Hello, Susan: Blood meal is only a temporary deterrant for these
hooved locusts! If you use much of it, you will gather in racoons,
bears and other critters looking for a high pro snack. It can also
attract flies. The best thing for all of us who farm in Michigan would
be a tough winter, followed by a total ban on baiting and feeding deer
---with enforcement!
Shooting deer, even in large numbers, has not worked well up here
(U.P.) Friends near Baraga got a 'Block Permit' for 30 deer and it
didn't slow down the destruction of their corn or cabbage.
We use a device called "Critter Gitter" which takes a 9-volt battery,
and resets itself for strobe lights and noise patterns whenever the
small infrared sensor discerns movement. They are not fail safe, but
used with other things, certainly help. The noise they make is
obnoxious, though...not something that would make a nearby neighbor
happy. We got ours thorugh Brushy Mountain Bee Supply years ago, but
now Northern Supply (tool catalog) has them. They run about 40 dollars
apiece. Helped save our sweet corn last summer.
Electric fence with an _energizer_ (more efficient than a charger) and
solar powered is our best guard for greens and other high value crops.
Call the folks at Premier fencing and their catalog and advice will be
a great help.
For small fruit trees, we use a garlic oil device that clips onto a
branch and emits a garlic scent for weeks (hooray, doesn't wash off!)
It is called 'Plant Pro-Tec' (www.plantprotec.com) Toward autumn, we
supplement with a spray of surfactant (usually Basic-H), water, and hot
pepper oil.
Up here, Ray's Feed Mill (Bark River) has custom organic blends and
ingredients in bulk. Their agronomist (Bob) is extremely efficient .
The best sack prices seem to be from places like Peaceful Valley Farm
Supply if you can stand the shipping costs. Go in with neighbors for a
pallet, if you really want to save. We're finding that more and more
feed stores will order organic ingredients if given assurance that
you'll pick up and pay, and enough time to check with their suppliers.
They used to snicker --not any more!
For skunks and raccoons, the live trap Havaharts work well. Be sure to
get on large enough. Bait with eggshells, peanut butter and meat
scraps. Once you've caught a skunk, cover the trap with an old blanket
to stop them from spraying or shoot them in the trap from a distance
--however, this leaves an incredibly strong stench on the trap, and
then you've got to soak it sometimes (Sal-Suds, hot water). Fox are
not usually a garden problem up here, and seem to help control the
rodent population.
Somewhere along the line, Michigan's attention seems to be on the deer
population more than farming. That's too bad. There certainly are way
too many up here, and the existence of serious diseases being spread
through the feeding and baiting is well documented.
Good luck!
-sue
Cloverland Apiary
Calumet, Michigan
906.337.4333
On Jun 1, 2006, at 7:07 PM, Susan Houghton wrote:
> Soes anyone know of a certified source of blood or bone meal in a
> quantity?
>
> Does anyone have experience using either as an animal deterrent? The
> deer,
> racoons, skunks, fox, and turkeys are plentiful on our farm. We can
> get a
> permit to shoot the deer, but would prefer not to.
>
> We have been using Hortonava trellis over heads of lettuce, but we are
> running out, and that doesn't work for cabbage, broccoli, beans, or
> watermelons. Any advice about suggested controls would be appreciated.
>
>
> Susan Houghton
> Giving Tree Farm
> 15433 Turner Road
> Lansing MI 48906
> 517-482-8885
> [log in to unmask]
> Why Wait? Move to EarthLink.
>
> If you would like to access previous postings to the Mich-Organic
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>
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