permaculture

[Marimike6@cs.com]

lynnann says "the DNR has strict laws about livestock within 1000 feet of the 
lake...so...alas I am without goats and chickens at this point in my life.

"They did suggest that I could keep native foul for eggs and butchering 
(seems like an oxymoron to me???), just no domestic birds or foul...but I 
have had 
trouble finding any information about keeping "wild" birds along the lake. 
Housing would be the biggest concern during the winter up here....I 
mean...geez...they all fly south for the winters as a rule...."

lynnann-- I would give your local chapter of Ducks Unlimited a call, and tell 
them you want to attract some ducks to your property. Ask them what wild 
ducks like to eat that's easy to grow next to a pond. I think they'll be 
happy to 
tell you.

My first impulse was to suggest wild rice

http://www.ipmcenters.org/cropprofiles/docs/mnwildrice.html

but I think you may be a little too far south for it. That would have been 
good, because even in a worst case, if the ducks don't clean your stand out 
you 
can still eat the rice.

All this is with the presumption that you're not going to be keeping those 
birds, but instead shooting and eating them. Before trying to trap and cage, 
you 
should check one more time with the DNR to see what methods of trapping they 
suggest. I have a strong hunch they have some rules and requirements.

Michael