Day 72 - Garden Prep

Today was all about the garden.  Mowed down weeds, tilled, weeded, raked, etc.  We have most of the ground ready to go for planting tomorrow.  I know, we're late but if I don't have plants ready for the ISF at least maybe the majority of the crops I need to process will hold off until after the fair is over so I can get them all put up!  I'm betting with nice weather and some good watering, mulching, weeding strategies I should still have some veggies for the ISF.  Plus, I have a nice crop of volunteer squash, pumpkins and sunflowers currently coming up.  Great for harvesting but not so good for ISF since I am unsure of the variety name and if it was a hybrid who knows what this generation of plants will look like.

Set the live trap to catch our woodchuck.  Will probably catch a skunk (again - went to check the live trap on Friday morning thinking we caught one of our black cats but no it had a lovely white stripe down the middle.  Back away slowly, slowly - then run for the house and the husband).  We are actually trying to live trap our bobcat (personally I think she's too smart) so that the DNR can take it away from our chickens.  However, we will probably first catch all the other critters around here first.  Well, this way Alan can keep up with my parents who last summer had quite a coon streak going.

The  bobcat is either getting more aggressive, more desperate or is feeding young since it took my goose (which had to be quite a fight) and I seem to be missing more and more of my barn kitties.  Not good.  Plus, my chickens have to stay in the coop and outdoor cage which probably doesn't make them too happy even though they have plenty of room it's not the same as free reign of the yard.  But the bobcat has not just been hunting at night (lock-up hours).  It also kept us up from it's yowling a few nights ago at 2 AM.  Honestly - where were the neighbor dogs?  Can't blame the neighbors if we had a dog I think at this point I'd keep it in the house at night too - although my big neutered male barn cat seems to be the only thing left standing that has fought with it to protect the acreage.  Go Purple Kitty (aka Pumpkin and Oscar) - don't ask!