North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Harrick, Barbara" <b.harrick@ilslaunch.com>]

Hi Jim--I'm surprised you haven't found the fake grape clusters at
hobby/craft stores. Usually anyplace that has a good fake flower
selection will have the grape clusters.

http://www.artificialfood.com/product.jsp?prodId=5290&catId=709
the plastic clusters are 2 dollars at this link (Chicago).

http://www.christmasandfloral.com/category/349517
more colors available at this site (Washington State)

Barbara

Barbara Harrick
Senior Technical Editor/Writer
International Launch Services
1875 Explorer Street, Suite 700
Reston, VA 20190
office (571) 633-7430
fax (571) 633-7536

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    I get the beads from a store that sells hobby and craft supplies.
Red, 
spherical, beads come in several sizes.  Some are faceted and work as
well 
as the plain ones.  I buy beads that are the most similar to the size of
the 
fruit that I'm trying to imitate.  I use these in my cherry and
amelanchier. 
I leave these beads in place the year around.
    Then there are (red) berry beads..................they look so alike
red 
raspberries that people are fooled and attempt to pick them.  They come
in 
three sizes and I use all three to duplicate actual, possible, berry
sizes. 
Darcey (I believe that is the name of the importing company) now sells
black 
berry beads but they don't fool the birds so I spray painted them black
and

now they are effective in the black raspberry patch where I also hang
red 
berry beads.  I put these beads out as soon after the raspberries start 
flowering and remove them as I pick the (ripe) fruit.
    These decoys aren't always 100% effective but they help.  My biggest

problem is robins and the beads are quite effective on them.  Cat Birds,
I 
don't know about, because they are easy to scare off and they don't
come 
back whereas robins can be scared off but they forget the scare and
wander 
back.  Black berry beads don't work on chickadees but my Morus alba 
(Black-fruited Mulberry) keeps them out of the berry patch.  And, if I
pick 
more than one or two mulberry fruits, the chickadees land in the tree
and 
scold me - That's THEIR tree!!!
    Grapes?  I haven't had success with grapes.  I tried individual
black 
beads but the birds weren't fooled; they seem to know the difference
between 
a lone bead and a 'bunch' of grapes.  I'd like to try plastic
bunches of 
grapes but I don't have a source.
    Strawberry decoys are easy!  I paint (pebble size and larger) stones
red 
and scatter them in the berry patch as soon as flowering ceases.  I have

zero problems with birds eating strawberries.
    Peaches and apricots haven't attracted birds (yet) but, when that 
happens, I suppose I'll figure something out; why don't you invent
something 
and tell me about it.

Jim Fruth
Brambleberry Farm
Pequot Lakes, MN  56472
For jams, jellies & syrups:
www.bberryfarm.com
(877)265-6856 [Store]
(218)831-7018 [My Cell]



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