Sunday, February 28, 2010

Is Deer Control Management?

Sunday, February 28, 2010

An hour away from face off time for the Olympic hockey game. I cannot miss this one. I remember so well what 1980 was like for me as a memory of incredible team spirit and my own six year old hockey player just learning to skate. Not many ways you can relate hockey and Olympic events to deer and gardening but I'll try.

I have written about deer many times because so many gardeners call or write to us asking for advice on how to deal with a problem that seems to get bigger every year. Once again I'll refer gardeners to a page on our Vermont Flower Farm website named Deer Control. The piece offers a continuum of strategies leading up to becoming a deer hunter. One strategy before hunting is fencing which is much more practical for most gardeners.

Yesterday's mail included a letter from Scott Fallon. He and his wife, Lauren own Specialty Agricultural Products, LLC and Scott wanted to mention some new products. This is a company I have had personal, positive experience with which is why I want to mention it again. For over twenty years Scott has dealt with the increasing demand for deer control. First it was around production gardens and tree farms but in more recent years it has included urban areas where lot sizes might only be 75 feet by 100 feet but the deer population per acre is in the dozens.


I am interested to see the recent change to even heavier fencing materials capable of holding back lots of deer. It's also nice to read that the fencing materials have been coated to make their life expenctancy longer while decreasing visibility so the fences aren't an eyesore to the public.

If you have deer fencing problems and have reached the point of installing fence, try http://www.nodeer.com The 800 number for New England is 800-483-8889. The email address is Sap5902@hotmail.com. I'm sure they have a solution.

Writing from Vermont where it's cloudy on the mountain, 39 degrees with a 3 mph wind. The weekend has been lost in a blur to me. Hope yours has time left!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
http://vermontflowerfarm.com
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3 comments:

Larry said...

As a former Vermonter, I'm enjoying your site. I'm an avid gardener in Wisconsin farm country.... praise be... never a deer in gardens in 37 years! Rabbits are a huge problem however. LC

vermontflowerfarm@outlook.com said...

Hello LC;

I only made one stop in Madison Wisconsin for a few days. I sure enjoyed the lakes and streams around the state. Have an uncle in Traverse City MI and actually have had a number of summer visitors to our nursery from there. Always a surprise. Never knew TC is the cherry capital--I always thought the state of Washington.

Glad you found us.

George

vermontflowerfarm@outlook.com said...

Hello all;

Rec'd an email suggesting that I should have mentioned zoning.Many communities have local zoning laws and several require a permit to erect fencing. Some have provisions that exclude agricultural businesses and some are very specific on even the type fence that can be installed. No matter how crazy the deer make you, determine your legal responsibilities first.

George