North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Lisa D. Ishimuro" <lishimuro@yahoo.com>]

Once when trying to catch a raccoon in a neighbor's homemade have-a-hart trap ( the raccoon killed all my hens) I caught a skunk.  Leaving for work, all dressed and ready and late, I thought I would be nice and just pull the trap door open with the long string that was attached...and let the skunk go.  Well he let go all right.   Does anyone know what skunk mixed with tomato juice smells like in a shower?? .....  When I finally got to work, one of my coworkers said, " You smell just like my dog did when he was sprayed".......sigh.

On another occasion, at my current home, I caught one in a trap, using cat food again.  This time I was trying to get the ground hogs but did not know about using cabbage as bait.  I used "lead poisoning" this time and left for work, thinking I would deal with it when I got home. A construction trailer was on my property then, near where the cage and dead skunk was. They called me at work saying the stench was getting into the trailer through the air conditioner vents. So they got a front end loader and had the whole trap dumped across the street in a vacant field. I left it there for about a year, and finally was able to use it again.  My cat still loves to roll in that area on the driveway.....

Two weeks ago my sour cherry produced enough for  8 jars of cherry jam and enough for several pies.   No nets, no spraying.  Came out great!   Have a safe and happy 4th!

Zone 6   waiting for badly needed rain

Lisa Ishimuro
Environmental Protection Specialist II
Bucks County Conservation District
1456 Ferry Road
Doylestown, Pa. 18901
215-345-7577 Ext. 102

lishimuro@yahoo.com

www.bucksccd.org