Market Farming

["Wagbo Peace Center - Tracy Meisterheim" <wagbo AT torchlake.com>]

We're in the northwoods of northern Michigan and have more that our share of
deer. With 2 1/2 acres of vegetables, we were quite concerned about deer
damage. We seem to have come up with a combination of "barriers" that is
working so far. We've had no deer in our gardens at all.  The main deterant
seems to be using horse manure as the base for our extensive compost piles.
Out in the pastures, deer eat like cows. They will eat close to cow manure
but not near horse manure. There seems to be some connection between our
garden soil that is heavily dressed with horse manure compost and the lack
of deer.  We also placed our chicken coup near the garden and built their
run to encompass the garden. It's two 5' chicken wire fences, placed 6'
apart. This gives the chickens plenty of range, they eat the migratory
insects, and in theory, the deer can't make the 5' high, 6' wide jump to
cross it. Our other garden is an old pasture with double strand electric
fence around it and horse manure compost added. Even when the gate remains
open, there haven't been any problems. Maybe they just haven't found it yet
. . .

Tracy Meisterheim
Wagbo Peace Center
East Jordan Michigan