Livestock Predation Protection part 5 - Toe Catch

Livestock Predation Protection , part 5 Continued from part 4 , Trapping has came a very long way since the days of Jim Bridger , Hugh Glass and the Mountain Man trapping era , when it wasn't regulated. Traps have been improved upon , changed and modified. Gone are the days of unregulated trappers and trapping. Traps are not inhumane as many would want you to believe like PETA , HSUS and groups as those. Traps with teeth or bone crushing strength are gone from normal use as "Disney" and "Hollywood" portray. Today's traps are tried and tested and in most states are heavily regulated as to their use and placement to avoid conflict with the general public and pets. Regulations are in place and agreed upon by Local , State , Federal and International government organizations as well as Local , State , National and International trapping associations and trappers themselves. The use of Snares or Cable restraints is no different in most cases than the use of a leash on your pet dogs. They can be used in trails leading through tall grasses , crawl unders , game trails , etc. Check your State and local regulations and laws before setting them as each state has different rules about their use. Cage/live traps , are exactly what the name implies they are a cage that will trap and hold the predator for removal. Cages can be used in and around buildings , barns , outbuildings , brush piles , etc. Cages come in a wide variety of sizes from small enough for rabbits and squirrel to Raccoon and Opossum to Bobcats to large enough for Hogs , Mountain Lions and Bears. Cages are used by Wildlife Agencies , Animal Control Agents , Trappers and Home Owners alike. Dog Proof (DP) are a foot enclosing trap and like cages are used in areas are not an option because of pets for the removal of Raccoon and Opossum. However not intended for them they have caught Skunks , Fox as well. Foot holds , are used for everything from Weasel and Mink up to predators the size of bears. They are very effective in holding a predator by the foot and when used correctly won't harm the predator or any livestock or pets that may get caught. I know there are many who will not ever set a trap or allow anyone to hunt to protect their livestock from predation and that's their choice and I'll respect their right to that totally , while others will and I will respect and support that right as well. I will encourage everyone either way to support others rights to do so if they choose to. When others locally and throughout your state hunt and trap to harvest the excessively abundant wildlife and predators on public and private lands in your state they are actually indirectly helping to protect you , your homestead and your livestock from harm and predation be it the deer eating your orchard or garden to the coyote who is attacking your livestock. If you have livestock on your homestead it is your responsibility to protect them as best as possible. Each and every state allows for you to protect yourself , your loved ones , your homestead and your livestock from attack. Some states require you to contact a wildlife official to get the ok to do so , while others allow you to do so freely by any means possible. I urge you to contact your State wildlife agency and know what the laws allow for your state. If you don't and you do something illegal and get caught then you deserve the punishment. Also if your state bans or regulates you to the point you cannot use hunting or trapping as a tool to protect your homestead and livestock and you voted for it or allowed it and tied the hands of every homesteader and outdoorsmen in your state from protecting or helping protect yours and every other homestead and are you're loosing livestock , then you have nobody to blame except yourself. I'm in no way trying to belittle anyone with these final statements, but only trying to open their eyes to the reality and scientific based data that proves and far out ways anything that can be gained by it not being available for your use. Toe Catch.

Livestock Predation Protection part 4 --Toe Catch

Livestock Predation Protection , part 4 To the 4th and final ring of defence against predation. I can see the wheels turning now in the heads of some thinking "Wait part 3 was about perimeter fencing , so how can there be a 4th ring" Well the fourth ring can take place anywhere on the homestead and beyond (where legal of course) and is just as valuable to you , your livestock , pets , wildlife , neighbors and the ecosystem in general. Predators play a very vital part in the ecosystem at large and I am in no way saying , condoning , approving or stating that they all need to be killed or eradicated. That is the farthest thing from my mind and as a hunter , fisherman , trapper , conservationist and outdoorsmen in general I see the need for predators and will fight with all my strength to not see that happen in the least. I do not and will not condone the "Kill them all on sight" mentality I have seen out of some people. However I in no way agree with the thought of "Don't kill anything , live and let live" mentality of so many lately , at all. Each predator has a role they play in the local ecosystem. They have a place and there is a need for each of them. If there were no predators at all just think of all the other animals that they help to keep in a balance as well that would soon overrun us. Moose , Elk , Deer , other Predators , Rats , Mice , Bugs , Etc. the list goes on and on. However if we never harvest any Predators soon they as well would overrun us. There are several ways to utilize the 4th ring of predation protection. I will try to quickly touch on as many as possible. However I can't go into great detail on them all as I would have to write a book to do so. Hunting and Trapping are the two major parts of this 4th part. Even if you don't or can't partake in these , be it Physical , Emotional , Spiritual or Legal reasons that don't allow you to do so yourself there are ways they can be utilized by you and you never actually have to partake in the activity. Hunting , be it for wildlife like deer or some predator has the ability to help control the population of each and every wild animal that state game management officials use to help control the wildlife population to a manageable and habitat sustainable population. To maintain a population that the habitat can healthily sustain. Hunting deer can add to your health with the benefit from the lean , healthy meat they can provide. If you yourself don't eat meat or wild game can donate the harvested game to an organization that will find a family who will utilize it. Hunting deer will also protect your fruit trees , crops , garden , livestock feeds , possibly livestock themselves and finally human lives in general from deer and vehicle accidents. If you don't hunt yourself that is fine , but you can benefit from allowing another onto your homestead to do so if legally hunting is allowed. Hunting of predators like Raccoon , Coyote , Fox , Bobcat , Bear , Etc. Also have some of the same benefits as hunting Deer. Many eat predators , I have eaten many , but also understand it's not for everyone. The furs , claws , skulls , etc. from many of these can be sold to financial benefit your homestead as well. Hunting them also will help reduce the population that will eventually target your livestock. Trapping , can be utilized as a tool to help protect your livestock from predators and also benefit your homestead financial the same as hunting of predators. If you can't , don't or just don't understand trapping there are many who can and will in every state. Be them Animal control agents you will pay to remove the predators or local trappers you may charge you in the off season or remove problem predators for rights to trap on your homestead during trapping seasons. If you would like to do so yourself and aren't sure how there are trapping organizations in each state who usually hold a year get together "Rendezvous" where you can contact trappers from around the state and many have demonstrations you can watch and ask questions at. To be continued , Toe Catch

Livestock Predation Protection part 3 --Toe Catch

Livestock Predation Protection, part 3

OK , we've covered the two inner rings of protection. Now let's move to the third ring of defense. The perimeter fencing , cross fencing , etc.
This ring of defense is very important to the health and well being of you , your livestock, neighbors and the predators needed in the ecosystem.

Perimeter fences will be your first line of defense from predators both wild and domestic alike. It keeps your livestock contained to your property and provides a barrier between them , you and the outside world. Many people just throw up a few fence post and stretch some barbed wire and call it good , not much in defence there , but that's their choice. Others will spend thousands on building a elaborate fencing system that Seal Team 6 would be lucky to penetrate. We don't need anything like that.

Depending on the size of your homestead will dictate how elaborate you want to go. A good woven wire of at least 4' - 5' tall and a couple of strands of barbed wire on top will be plenty to keep out most predators and most livestock contained. Don't cut corners here , remember this is your first line of defense. Don't over space your post , keep them at a reasonable space apart. Mine are 8' - 10' apart depending upon rocks and I've seen 20' expansion and the fence is never tight enough and can be pushed down fairly easy in the center. Keep the woven wire close to the ground and pulled tight , but not overstretched. Missouri University Extension http://extension.missouri.edu/p/G1192 has a very good article on fence installation "How to" describing how to build all fence styles.

Woven wire with 2 - 3 strands of barbed or electric wire on top will keep out most predators. I prefer two strands on top and one 10" - 12" from the ground on the inside of electric wire (high tensile) for predator control and this will help "Train" livestock to stay off the fence and help keep out predators , but this can be very time consuming to maintian and expensive to run unless you use solar chargers , which present their own issues. If you do this make sure you use a charger/energizer with enough joules ( 1 joule per mile , rec.)

Cross fences help to break up your homestead into smaller units to allow for rotation of livestock to ease grazing on a certain area , in times of issue livestock can be moved closer to your home to help keep a better eye on them until the issue can be totally addressed.

Using woven or welded wire around the perimeter of your homestead will also benefit you if by chance a predator does gain access. They will typically use the same spot repeatedly and finding that spot can be made easier to spot with them. Most larger predators trying to gain access with this type of fencing will try to go under the fence causing what is called a "Crawl Under" and allow several different options to help control them.

Gates can be and usually are a weak point in fencing and care has to be taken to strengthen them as far as predator control goes. Depending on your gate there are several options , but the most comments is probably to add woven wire to the gate to stop predators from just crawling through the gate. However most gates don't set close to the ground and allow predators to crawl under the gate. I tried to lower the gates and then the gates would sag and drag and never really worked right. However what I did do that worked great was to use a much taller post to attach the gate to then I lowered the gate , added woven wire and added a cable for the top of the post to the top of the gate approximately 3/4 of the way out the length of the gate from the hinge side to help keep the gate from sagging and dragging and then dug a trench directly under the gate when closed and buried cinder blocks to ground level. In the trench. I then poured them full of concrete to keep them from digging under the gates.

As always there is more to come and am always open to hear ideas and have discussions.


Toe Catch.

Livestock Predation Protection, part 2 --Toe Catch

Livestock Predation Protection, part 2 OK , we did the inner ring of defense. Let's move out to the next ring and talk about the pasture and areas outside of pens and buildings , but still inside the perimeter of your homestead. To some this will be obvious again and to others not as clear or understood. You might ask , "What can I do to protect livestock in the open from predation?" Many things can and should be done around the homestead to help control livestock predation from both domestic and wild predators alike again. Again for this article we'll discuss the smaller homesteads, but most of this will work on a larger scale as well. Guard animals add a great benefit to protection of livestock in the pasture and fields. Large Guard Dogs (LGD) , Donkeys , Llama have all been used for centuries to help protect and herd livestock. They bond with the herd and with herd mentality they take on the role as the protectors of "Their" herd. Each have pro's and con's to their use. Let's start with Llama. Pro's are they require no special feeding other than the same as the flock they are protecting. For years a gelding male was thought to be best for protection purposes, but recent studies show unbred females are better for this purpose , can be used singly and need no other Llama , may herd flock to safety , may attack a predator , many become very bonded to the flock , very alert to their surroundings. Con's are , intact males will try to breed with sheep , spit a lot , very aggressive at times (especially intact males) even towards humans , some will never bond and ignore the flock , if multiple Llama are together many times they will bond together and not bond with the flock and can sometimes harass livestock. Donkeys , very much like the Llama Pro's and Con's alike. I personally have several donkeys and love them as protection. They should not be fed feed and supplements only intended for ruminants. Donkeys also need trace mineral salt, not the white salt eaten by sheep or goat. Donkeys will also drink more water than sheep or goats. Intact males should be avoided for aggression issues towards other livestock. Never try to stop an attack from a donkey on Predators they can and often will turn that aggression towards you. Allow them time to calm down after a confrontation before going near them. Donkeys lack the undercoat of horses and need shelter in the fields to escape rain , wind , snow and ice. My donkeys are kept in separate pastures and not given access to each other , other than for breeding purposes. I have 1 intact male who is kept pretty much by himself and for breeding only. LGD , several breeds are out there who are bred specifically for this purpose. Dogs need feed for dogs , not feed for sheep , goats , horses and cattle. LGD may defend against multiple predators at once , several LGD's can be kept in with livestock without much ill effect like Llama and Donkeys. LGD can be very aggressive towards predators and many swear by using nothing but LGD for livestock protection. Cats , I personally am not a huge fan of cats , however they have a purpose on the homestead therefore I tolerate them. I keep a couple around the homestead to keep down on the rodent population. I personally will not keep them intact because I do not want to be overran with kittens. Cats themselves can be preyed upon by larger predators like Fox , Coyote and Bobcat , but I am willing to chance that to help keep down on rodents. I have seen them stalk and kill poultry and when they do they most go immediately in my opinion. Geese and Guineas are great alarms to alert you and the other protectors to the presence of anything out of the ordinary be it 2 legged , 4 legged or slithering on it's belly. More to come on predation protection and as always comments , suggestions and discussion are always welcome with me. Toe Catch.

Livestock Predation Protection Part 1 --by Toe Catch

Livestock predation protection. Part 1 There are several steps that can be taken to help prevent livestock predation for wild and domestic predators alike. For this article I will discuss what I call the 4 rings of defense. We are focusing on the smaller homesteads and not the large farm and ranch , however these same techniques can be used on a larger scale as well. I'll start with the inner ring and the most obvious to most people. The inner ring is the last line of defense and consist of secure pens for the livestock. Rabbits in off the ground pens and inside a closable building. Chicken coops with sturdy wire runs and closable and latched doors and windows with no gaps and openings. Small predators such as Snakes , Rats , Feral Cats , Mink and Weasels only require a very small opening to gain access. Larger predators such as Raccoon and Opossum will find any weakness in pens , boards , openings and exploit them. Keeping a close eye on pens and runs for any disturbances is a wise idea. Repairs should be made immediately as these will only get worse with every visit from a predator. Wire runs can be strengthen around the bottom (often gained access by predators) by simply running a 2x4 board from post to post and attaching the wire to the board with fence staples. Running an electric wire around the outside of these runs about 12" from the ground also helps with another close to the top to keep them from climbing over the run. Larger livestock also benefit from having secure pens or access to buildings or barns that can be closed at night for protection from larger predators such as Roaming Dogs , Coyote , Bobcats and areas that have them LARGE CATS , Wolves and Bears. Obviously a homesteader can house 100 chickens pretty easily, however housing 100 goats or sheep inside of buildings would not be near as easy. Secure pens and buildings are the last line of defense against predation upon livestock. I know some are going to say "Duh , this is obvious" , but you would be surprised at the number of people who really don't understand or know and have been made to feel "Stupid" if they start to ask the "Obvious" questions. Lights on timers , radios playing inside buildings , motion sensors attach to lighting around buildings and pens , Scarecrows placed around the homestead and moved frequently are all part of this last and inner line of defense as well. When dealing with predation sometimes you have to think inside and outside the box. More to come on predator protection. Toe Catch.

Growing Vegetables Indoors In the Winter by The Mad Potter

There are many vegetables and plants that can be grown indoors over the winter the most common of these are the herbs. Most herbs will do well in a south facing window, sun room or Florida room if you're lucky enough to have one. However not everyone is lucky enough to have these optimum growing conditions. If you do not have good natural sunlight or the length of sunlight needed during the day you will have to look into supplemental lighting. I recommend a good halogen grow light or an LED with a full color spectrum this will not only benefit the plants but make the room more enjoyable by adding some extra sunlight.

Plants that will do well inside over the winter are herbs, onions, garlic,spinach, lettuce microgreens, tomatoes, and peppers.
Herbs will do well basically in any sunny window that faces south or southwest in direction (you can see these files in the group information). Bush beans can also be grown but pollination is tricky.

Greens such as lettuce, spinach, kale, beets, microgreens and other salad items do well in just about the same temperature and same conditions that the herbs will grow.

Tomatoes, peppers, and other fruiting vegetables are going to require more light this is were the supplemental lighting may come into play if you did not have optimum conditions. Pollination will also be a factor with these plants there since there are no bees to do it naturally for you you will have to do this. Tap the stems to get the pollen to drop from blossom to blossom or use a small paint brush and very carefully wipe across each flower transferring pollen to the other stamens.
Be sure your rooms can meet the temperature requirements for each plant to grow, flower and produce fruit for you.

The next factors that will depend how well your plants do inside is planting medium. Use a good potting mix or garden soil mixed very well with compost. Be sure to place some drainage in the bottom of the pot so when watering they're not standing with their feet wet. Also add a shallow dish underneath each pot to collect the water that drains out. These plants should never stand in water nor should they never be allowed to dry completely out. And don't forget you're going to have to fertilize these plants.

Good luck with your indoor gardening. With a little time and patience it can be very rewarding in the middle of January and February to have fresh produce from your window sill.

BUILDING A DOOR -by Unicoi Ludd

Building a Door- Most buildings around the farm are going to need a door of some kind. I've been making one today for a utility building so I thought I'd outline some basic steps that I hope will make it go easier for your next project. One mistake people make is framing up their building and then trying to make a door to fit the opening. It's much better to measure the opening and then build what is called a "pre-hung" door & frame. By building this on a flat surface you will not struggle with trying to fit a door into an out of square space and trying to attach hinges etc. Measure the rough opening in the framing and make your door frame 3/4 inch less in width and 1/2 inch less in height than the opening, this will leave room to set the frame in and square it in the opening with shims before screwing it to the frame. I built this frame from PT pine 2x6's. For this project I wanted the classic farm look of a plank & cleat door but I also wanted it insulated. I have a leftover sheet of 2 in. Solid foam insulation so I next built a frame 2 1/8 in. Thick to mount the planks to and fill with insulation. In the corners are triangular braces which are crucial to keep the frame square and rigid. Now I laid out the 1x6 planks and determined that with 7 planks there would still be a 3 in gap. You could divide the desired width by 8 and rip all the planks to an equal width or, as I did, simply rip 1 plank to 3 in. The important thing to remember in this situation is not to place that narrow plank on the outer edges or centered because the eye will pick that up. Put the narrow plank off center in the field and it will disappear. Now I laid out the cleats across the door and a diagonal brace to prevent racking or sagging. I also added a piece for the latch hardware in the center. Secured all to frame with galvanized ring shank nails.the door is 3/4 in narrower and shorter than the frame to allow for swing and swelling. Next remove the door from frame and instal a stop molding to prevent door from closing too far and seal the edges from drafts. Lay the door back in the frame and instal the hinges, latches etc. with this procedure I can simply place the entire assemble in the opening, square the frame in place and secure to the framing. And all I'll have to do then is put trim around the interior side.