Wednesday, November 5th, 2015
Almost 4 PM and the sun is fading fast. Although the temperature has been around 48° most of the day, the 4-6 mph wind has kept it feeling much colder. At about 7 this morning I was bundled up and out working at the flower farm trying to finish the fall clean up. It rained on and off a little --just enough each time to put on a rain coat, then take it off again.
By late morning my coffee was gone and I needed a snack. When I returned to the flower farm, my eye caught a section of fence along Route 2. Something looked odd. As I approached I could see the reason was a bear had climbed up over a 4X4 post and in the process of going down the other side dragged some of the fence with it.
I tracked the animal through half the daylily garden and came to the picture above. This is not a big bear--perhaps 3-4 years old-- but it would no doubt surprise some by it's size. The print is slightly bigger than my outstretched fingers which spread about 8 inches each way.
Later in the day when I was rototilling the oppostie end of the 5 acre property I came upon a place close to the northeast corner, again by Route 2, where the bear walked back and forth trying to figure out how to get out of the fence and back across the road. He probably wanted more of friend Carol's bird seed. I rode the perimeter of the property in the golf cart a couple times and found another place where the bear walks in and out through a broken spot. I have no idea what he is finding to eat among the flowers.
Dealing with critters of the woods is something that comes with gardening. When moose go through the fence it makes a mess because they are so big. With deer it's easier to fix and with bear--well, they usually are more careful.
Hope you don't have too many critter problems where you live. There's little native food for the animals this fall and I expect the bears will be into hibernation earlier this year as a result. If you have any animal tales to share, I'm always interested.
Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where Gail and Karl the Wonder Dog just returned from a late afternoon walk. Karl apparenlty senses a cold night as he immediately stretched out in front of the wood stove. Good dog!
George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
On Facebook as George Africa and also as a Like page Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm
Always here to help you grow your green thumb!
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