This is why we didn’t have very many vegetables to eat last year. We grew plenty – had tons of plants. Our success in home farming was evidenced in the fat, healthy deer family that live on our 20 acres.
This year, Somebody vowed to construct a durable, deer-proof fence like the panelled fencing, before any plants grew big enough to feed our deer. Then, he planted the strawberry plants. Not two days later, he found the nibbled plants and hoofprint you see above.
There were plenty of other hoof prints, all over our home farm. Luckily for us, not many other plants had sprouted tall enough for Bambi and friends to eat. Just the strawberries.
So, he bought fencing supplies in Denver and every night after work, he has headed straight down to the home farm to put up a heavy duty fence. I will keep you updated on the progress and whether or not it works. All I can say is, it better work! As much as I love the deer (read not at all) I want to eat my veggies, not plant a home farm just for them.
donna says
what you need is a green house. that is the only way to keep the wild animals out. put the plans on your back porch…. hummmmmmmm a green house…….
Jen says
Have you tried a deer spray? I use a natural spray product that stinks awful when you first put it on…but works. Neighbors are constantly complaining about losing produce/flowers to the deer…but we haven’t lost anything… Unpack on wood
Annie @ Mama Dweeb says
We tried deer spray last year, but it was quite pricey. We kept having to reapply it after the rain. Let’s hope this fence works! Josh also heard another thing that might keep deer away, but it is a tad weird – hair! Supposedly, if you put human hair on the ground deer stay away? Yeah, no idea LOL
Brandi @ Flip Flop Mama says
Oh no! Hope he gets that fence up soon!
blueviolet @ A Nut in a Nutshell says
I hope the fence keeps those stinkers out this year!
Kelly says
Hopefully Josh gets that fence up quick! We have a privacy fence so that keeps the deer and other critters out, but not the birds unfortunately.
Jenn says
Aw, poor Bambi, no more strawberries! LOL
Sam says
Wow, deer! Bunnies eat my plants. It’s very discouraging. I hope your fence keeps them out!
Brandy says
Awww man! Gardening is TOUGH. Those little wild animals get into everything. My Dad lives on our family farm and he does a farm stand in VT every year. Farm Fresh, he prefers everyone support local farmers. Anyways, he has the hardest time with little animals.
Annie @ Mama Dweeb says
If we are successful at keeping the critters out, we might grow enough for a small farm stand this year! That is our goal. I agree with your dad. In fact, we bought our soil from a local farmer!
Katie says
My dad & mom used to always get so mad at deer and rabbits – but me being the animal lover loved having them around!
Annie @ Mama Dweeb says
LOL this does not shock me at all Katie! I love how much you love God’s creatures! I love them too, even more when they eat someone else’s produce hehehe
Dug says
Oh, no. That must be frustrating. We have been talking about starting a vegetable garden for several years now but have not yet. One of the concerns is animals. We do have strawberries in the front yard, though, and they were fine last year.
I am stopping by from Mom-Bloggers-Linky and and following your blog. 8^)
carol y says
Time for venison.
We have gopher problems-awful!
Cat Davis says
Oh goodness, what a nightmare. Maybe you guys need a dog. 🙂
Crystal @ Simply Being Mommy says
Oh no. I hope the fence works.
Jennifer S says
As much as I love deer, I’d be irritated! Last year we had rabbits nibbling on everything from flowers to veggies.
Nancy says
I live on 20 acres near Wichita, Annie, and deer have eaten, so far, 30 Rose of Sharon, 20 Austrian pine trees, 4 flowering trees, and who knows what else. They didn’t seem to care much for our vegetable garden, though, so I guess we were lucky there! This year we expanded our vegie garden to about 1/3 acre. Rabbits seem to like our garden, unfortunately, and have already nibbled the leaves off my broccoli. Hope your fence works for you. Is it the recommended 7 ft. tall? Expensive!
Marianna says
Someone once told me to have my boys pee around the garden because urine keeps them away. No idea if it’s true because I sure wasn’t trying it. lol