Market Farming

[sojourner <sojournr AT missouri.org>]

Leigh Hauter wrote:

> What is the reason for these changes?
> 
> Is this just because the suburbs are rapidly moving in on our farm?
> 
> Is it because there aren't any poor country people left who poach deer all
> year long for food (and therefore keep the population down)?

I think there is less hunting in general going on, and more idiots
crashing around and shooting cows and horses or each other (or more
often nothing), so predation from hunting even during normal hunting
season may be less.

I know people who go "deer hunting" every year, and have been for 15 or
20 years, and have yet to get a deer.  I don't know HOW that is possible
given that they're thick as fleas most places nowadays, but it is.

> Where there other deer predators in the 1950's?

When I was a kid in the mid 60's to early 70's, it was still common to
see black bears in the country and at the girl scout camp I used to
attend.  I think its been about 20 years since the last reporting of a
black bear in those areas, which are more suburban now but still a lot
of rural areas.

So (though I don't think black bears are big on deer predation) I do
think that "natural" deer predators are fewer these days.

> Is there something we are doing as farmers to make the world a more deer
> friendly place?

I've been told that, yes, we do.  Deer are "edge browsers" and farms,
small farms, and "country living" developments create edges, so I'm
told, that provide the proper conditions for deer.

Holly ;-D
Contrary Peasant