Market Farming

["Rainbow's End Farms & Orchards" <rainbowsend AT swva.net>]

IN Georgia the ranks of coyotes was swelling to
the point that huge packs sweeping through the
back yard was a nightly occurrence. They would and
did kill anything that they could outnumber. My
"attack" donkey didn't keep them from coming
through every evening.

 Here in Virginia we have vultures that are three
time the size of indigenous vultures that were
"introduced" to clean up the dear carcasses on the
parkway. They, too don't sit around to wait for
something to die...they kill. This I have
witnessed as they swooped into a chicken pen to
devastate a flock. Others have attested to their
killing of sheep.

As an environmentalist I treasure the environment
and all animals. As a farmer/rancher  I cannot
help but feel the need to protect family, stock
and investments. I have watched as hawks and
vultures killed poultry, coyotes sought to
outnumber cattle, something much larger shredded
one of my 250 pound sheep, and deer devastated
newly planted orchards.

Trouble is this isn't theory or academia, but
animals ingressing into what has been farmland for
hundreds of years and the newly introduced
varieties not even being indigenous. For example,
buffalo may be great on the great plains or given
similar vast spreads to roam, but having seen a
huge difference in terms of impact upon the soil
and pastures just by introducing a few Angus into
my Dexter herd I cannot even conceive of the
damage that huge bison would do to the grasses,
trees, and creeks. As for wolves being
introduced..THAT has to rank right up there with
other great ideas like kudzu!

 Rainbows End Farms and Orchards
880 Central Academy Road
Stuart, Virginia  24171
276-694-4324