tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884610467022224157.post709775930804031470..comments2023-08-28T04:49:47.536-07:00Comments on Milkweed & Teasel: RabbitsJennifer Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10003650742439806128noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884610467022224157.post-81602119390071048722010-04-26T07:56:38.632-07:002010-04-26T07:56:38.632-07:00Paula - I'm not sure if home bred rabbits are ...Paula - I'm not sure if home bred rabbits are more or less stinky than wild ones, you will have to let me know.<br /><br />I'm glad no one seems put off by the animal harvesting in this blog. So far today I've only trapped and killed a mouse that was eating my seeds in the greenhouse. But I fed the mouse to the crow in our larson trap. He ate it all but the tail, which he pulled off. That was something I didn't know about crow eating habits.Jennifer Monterohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10003650742439806128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884610467022224157.post-77849454296233860422010-04-25T22:40:27.702-07:002010-04-25T22:40:27.702-07:00Rabbit guts stinky!? this is also good to know, be...Rabbit guts stinky!? this is also good to know, because I'm figuring on keeping rabbits some day if I can bring myself to off a chicken.<br /><br />I'm kind of with Tamar, in that I'm interested to know what you will kill next (and what other interesting things there are to know about it, like stinky guts).Paulahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16171802310115844104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884610467022224157.post-24259006358983541732010-04-25T13:18:55.941-07:002010-04-25T13:18:55.941-07:00Thank you for the explanation Jen :o) I hadn't...Thank you for the explanation Jen :o) I hadn't thought of the potential for exploding gases (!!). I like the logical ('recycling?') appeal of leaving the guts out for scavengers to benefit from.Mariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01656390046187780127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884610467022224157.post-7708455039432092982010-04-25T12:03:23.560-07:002010-04-25T12:03:23.560-07:00Maria - It's just personal preference. A lot o...Maria - It's just personal preference. A lot of gutting is done in the field if you intend to eat the animal. Grass in the stomachs of animals like deer or rabbits begins to ferment and build up gases, and can 'blow' in the carcase contaminating the meat with stomach contents. <br /><br />The guts can be emptied out discreetly someplace, and scavenging animals will happily feast on them, so everybody gets a free meal. <br /><br />And, rabbit guts are unbelievably stinky. I wear gloves when I clean them as the smell stays on your skin for days. In the house it would be unbearable. <br /><br />Once the guts are out, the meat is fine. Then, as you rightly said, it is a benefit to have a clean surface and light to cut up the carcase for your freezer.Jennifer Monterohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10003650742439806128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884610467022224157.post-24501748271337365392010-04-25T10:55:38.834-07:002010-04-25T10:55:38.834-07:00Great post, and an amazing abundance of rabbit! I ...Great post, and an amazing abundance of rabbit! I agree it is very tasty meat. And now a question to show my lack of knowledge.... what are the advantages/ reasons for gutting & cleaning in the field rather than at home? (where you would have access to, I'm guessing, a flat clean surface, and better light?).Mariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01656390046187780127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884610467022224157.post-2436056063178581442010-04-24T03:29:24.635-07:002010-04-24T03:29:24.635-07:00Tamar - Again, if you're ever this way, we'...Tamar - Again, if you're ever this way, we'll take you rabbit shooting. I've got a .410 you can borrow to hone your skills for when you're home with your own gun. I expect you already have good sea legs from all your fishing and shellfishing work.<br /><br />Paula - You may not have the same problems with the crows as you've got bigger birds of prey there to discourage or even prey on them. <br /><br />Nothing here keeps their numbers in check. Our only hawk-like bird gets mobbed by crows and driven off. But if you start finding half eggshells in the garden, it could be crows. <br /><br />Good luck with the hen project - I definitely recommend it!Jennifer Monterohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10003650742439806128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884610467022224157.post-60781334776175149902010-04-23T18:08:44.344-07:002010-04-23T18:08:44.344-07:00Good to know! I have crows that hit the yard regul...Good to know! I have crows that hit the yard regularly- I've seen the large white grubs they pull out, so I've let them alone. I'll probably bag all my corn to keep them off that, but I didn't know about them going after eggs. I want to have hens eventually, so I'm glad I asked! <br />Thanks!Paulahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16171802310115844104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884610467022224157.post-90033227915935167492010-04-23T17:22:37.292-07:002010-04-23T17:22:37.292-07:00Damn, Jen! Wish I'd been there! I've bee...Damn, Jen! Wish I'd been there! I've been given to understand that my husband's Remington 1100 .410 is a great rabbit gun, and I'd love to give it a whirl. Reading the post, though, I was there with you -- rolling around on the wheat, trying to keep my balance.<br />When we do try rabbit hunting, I'm going to try the flick (although I'll look for some seriously detailed instructions), but it seems to me that innards all over is the inevitable result of the first few attempts.<br /><br />As for the corvids, I find myself feeling a sense of solidarity with them. They're so smart, and they do such interesting stuff, that I'd have a hard time killing them. Besides, ours chase away the hawks that threaten the chickens. But I understand the necessity.<br /><br />I just can't wait to see what you kill next.Tamar@StarvingofftheLandhttp://www.starvingofftheland.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884610467022224157.post-87469218440361863942010-04-23T01:20:16.607-07:002010-04-23T01:20:16.607-07:00Colette - Enjoy your trip to Wales with Lily. I ho...Colette - Enjoy your trip to Wales with Lily. I hope you come back, but I understand if you need to wait til your daughter reaches her 30s! I'll forward your post ;-)<br /><br />Paula - The corvid family (crows and magpies mainly) preys heavily on wild bird nests and chicks. We try and keep a check on the corvid population by trapping them for a couple of months in the spring. This gives the overall bird population a chance to raise a brood or two with more success. <br /><br />Once we start seeing fledgings getting on, we stop trapping and leave the corvids to raise their own broods. <br /><br />There is a pair of crows working our garden right now. They go into the chicken houses and steal the eggs as soon as they're laid. I lose nearly a dozen a week to them.Jennifer Monterohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10003650742439806128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884610467022224157.post-90371587678021927242010-04-23T01:09:19.841-07:002010-04-23T01:09:19.841-07:00HKS - I don't know about hunting skills, there...HKS - I don't know about hunting skills, there's just so many rabbits at the moment it's hard not to hit them. <br /><br />There's a terrible rabbit disease here called myxomatosis which hits heavily populated areas when weather conditions are right. We're thinning them out now to harvest the meat and aid the overall population. <br /><br />I dice the meat into chunks and freeze it, and use it like chicken. It's delicious and very low fat.Jennifer Monterohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10003650742439806128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884610467022224157.post-3848604579599107972010-04-22T19:18:33.443-07:002010-04-22T19:18:33.443-07:00Fascinating stuff.
Why trap magpies and crows?Fascinating stuff.<br /><br />Why trap magpies and crows?Paulahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16171802310115844104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884610467022224157.post-9963241310689670442010-04-22T16:05:50.393-07:002010-04-22T16:05:50.393-07:00Yep. Makes Poppy Cottage life seem so boring!!
S...Yep. Makes Poppy Cottage life seem so boring!!<br /><br />So I'm off to Wales to http://www.smallholdinglife.co.uk/ and a bit of this http://www.wonderwoolwales.co.uk/<br /><br />With 16 year old PMT queen at home, debating is I ever need to come home!! After all I'll have the Lily fluff with me............Colettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05918092647201479349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884610467022224157.post-68452657217233212852010-04-22T14:14:25.712-07:002010-04-22T14:14:25.712-07:00Holy rabbits batman! They look huge, you have some...Holy rabbits batman! They look huge, you have some mad skills in the hunting department. What are you gonna do with all that meat?Harvest Kitchen Sistershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00783862213886376760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884610467022224157.post-69336740167110065612010-04-22T10:14:26.828-07:002010-04-22T10:14:26.828-07:00Kate - Funnily enough, the original River Cottage ...Kate - Funnily enough, the original River Cottage house is in the next village. The owner is Mike's old boss and he offered the cottage to Mike pre-the TV series. But we're happy here.<br /><br />Nigel reckons that he gets around 90% success! I know good water dowsers are scarily accurate, so maybe Nigel is too. Who knows what's in these old ways?<br /><br />I forgot to say that he suggests you take your watch off when you dowse or it can interfere with the readings.Jennifer Monterohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10003650742439806128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884610467022224157.post-78837257595485514122010-04-22T08:28:03.175-07:002010-04-22T08:28:03.175-07:00Your life is starting to look/sound like the River...Your life is starting to look/sound like the River Cottage series. Pretty awesome and jealous making!<br /><br />Did Nigel say what his accuracy rate is? I'd be curious to hear if it's better than random chance.Katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18017959421018964001noreply@blogger.com