Sweet Corn

[2LaneCruzer]

Turtles?I have to admit that I've never had THAT particular problem. :laughing: (Although I did have a big snapper lay her eggs next to my beans last year.)
I had the deer get into my tomatoes two years ago... I thought it was odd since they stepped over my beans to get there.

I haven't had much problem with turtles since I started planting my tomatoes in raised beds; come to think of it, I haven't had much problem with turtles period. I assumed it was turtles, since they ate the bottoms out of the low hanging tomatoes.

 

[TomSeller]

We have been busy with some other projects, just planted today. So for my family corn is a long ways out.
<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/rural-living/431692-sweet-corn-0703150847-00-jpg"/>

I finally got around to planting my corn 3 weeks ago, so I am only slightly ahead of you. On the plus side, it came up very well.

 

[TomSeller]

Went out this morning and one of my tomato cages was laying down. I just figured the big storm last night blew it over, although it had fallen opposite the prevailing winds. I was examining it, and noticed that all of the leaves on that tomato plant had been eaten away at the top, as had the leaves on my squash. Looked like they had been cut away with a weed eater. I put the tomato cage back up, and noticed the deer scat near the tomatoes and it finally dawned on me; the deer had been grazing on my tomatoes and squash...first time I have noticed any thing like this in the 40 years I have been raising tomatoes. I've had problems with squirrels, turtles, and other unknown varmints, but this is the first time I have seen a deer nibble on a tomato. Plenty of lush vegetation this year, but LOTS of deer. I just hope they leave them alone from now on.

Once deer started in on my squash, they never left it alone. Momma teaches baby and the rest is history. Now I have a Deer fence with hot wire. Momma learns once but baby has to learn 7KV on its own.

 

[Baby Grand]

Once deer started in on my squash, they never left it alone. Momma teaches baby and the rest is history. Now I have a Deer fence with hot wire. Momma learns once but baby has to learn 7KV on its own.

We have experienced the same.
For dumb animals, they sure learn quickly.
I'd love to plant sweet corn, but I'd have to protect it, like Fort Knox, to keep our band of raccoon vandals from tearing it all down.

 

[Old Junk Man]

That,s always a factor. If your trying to raise plants & livestock. there always seems to be some varmit or insect that wants to get a easy meal. I Live trap during the warmer weather and release at the edge of the city limits. During the winter I take the pelts. Ive got chain link fence and a little yappy dog. I don't have a deer problem. Moles are my Nemesis. Ive got a victor mole trap and have been successful with it a few times .Some times my own goats manage to get where they don't belong and can do a lot of damage in a short time. The old timers tell stories about sleeping in the corn field during the time it was making. they stayed out with the dogs to prevent theft by both human and animal varmits.

 

[cat fever]

I finally got around to planting my corn 3 weeks ago, so I am only slightly ahead of you. On the plus side, it came up very well.

Glad yours came up good. Not sure how ours will do. The soil is not the best, we'll just have to wait and see.
On the bright side it rained a little bit last night. First rain we've had for weeks.

 

[cat fever]

That,s always a factor. If your trying to raise plants & livestock. there always seems to be some varmit or insect that wants to get a easy meal. I Live trap during the warmer weather and release at the edge of the city limits. During the winter I take the pelts. Ive got chain link fence and a little yappy dog. I don't have a deer problem. Moles are my Nemesis. Ive got a victor mole trap and have been successful with it a few times .Some times my own goats manage to get where they don't belong and can do a lot of damage in a short time. The old timers tell stories about sleeping in the corn field during the time it was making. they stayed out with the dogs to prevent theft by both human and animal varmits.

Can you imagine what it must have been like for those who lived 100 years ago and beyond? The gardens they had were life and death. If ours don't grow we just go to the grocery store and buy whatever. Not sure they all had that option.

 

[TomSeller]

Can you imagine what it must have been like for those who lived 100 ago and beyond? The gardens they had were life and death. If ours don't grow we just go to the grocery store and buy whatever. Not sure they all had that option.

Right. They weighed a lot less, were in better shape and took their gardens, fruit trees and livestock seriously.

 

[Jstpssng]

That,s always a factor. If your trying to raise plants & livestock. there always seems to be some varmit or insect that wants to get a easy meal. I Live trap during the warmer weather and release at the edge of the city limits. During the winter I take the pelts. Ive got chain link fence and a little yappy dog. I don't have a deer problem. Moles are my Nemesis. Ive got a victor mole trap and have been successful with it a few times .Some times my own goats manage to get where they don't belong and can do a lot of damage in a short time. The old timers tell stories about sleeping in the corn field during the time it was making. they stayed out with the dogs to prevent theft by both human and animal varmits.

I've been harping on my parents about that... every year they live trap woodchucks, squirrels, and the sometimes the occasional coon and bring them out to a back road to release them.
I'm the guy living on a back road; I compete with squirrels, raccoons, weasels, deer, rabbits, etc for my livestock and garden. The last thing that I want/need is somebody else's problems. (different road, 200 miles from them)

 

[Old Junk Man]

Can you imagine what it must have been like for those who lived 100 ago and beyond? The gardens they had were life and death. If ours don't grow we just go to the grocery store and buy whatever. Not sure they all had that option.

I heard the stories about during the depression. The old timers claimed all the game was gone. all there was where squirrel and they where scarce. some claimed you had to keep guard on everything they would steal from the smokehouse. and even milk your cow in the field. One guy told me they grew twenty acres of corn. Used it to fatten a carload of hogs. They shipped the train carload of hogs to market in St Louis and the hogs didn't bring enough to cover the freight. He stated when they returned home his father shot & killed every hog they owned and let most of them rot where they fell.the hogs and other livestock roamed free(it was open Range) and you had to fence to keep livestock out of your crops. He stated you never killed a amimal on the open range that if it was a hog had your ear marks or a cow that had your brand. The true owner couldn't recognize his animal without its hide or ears LOL! those who survived where tough and knew how to do without and make do with very little.