We tangled with the crows last summer and came way out on the losing end. They patiently watched us plow, measure, make rows, and plant, showing special interest in the seeds we’d chosen. From their keen attention, we could see they were partial to sweet corn. They practically drooled when it came out of the bag.
They watched patiently as we planted, then staked out our scarecrow complete with small twirling pie, pans. Slightly interested, they eyed him from a distance, as though they might not have seen his identical twin earlier that day. By the time we got out to check our garden the next morning, all the corn was scratched up and the pie tins torn up. They’d been a little too big for the crows to fly off with. Bud cursed. Back to the seed store, we got a large plastic owl and inflatable snakes for the garden. Instead of planting that day, Bud risked his life getting it on a high branch not too far from the garden to terrorize the crows. They battled over who would roost on that evening. More cursing and posturing.
The next morning we replanted and scattered the inflatable snakes about the garden. The crows were impressed, circling the garden, giving the corn time to sprout. As it got taller, they got more interested, knowing the tiny tender kernel at the end of the shoot still remained. When Bud saw the crows braving the snakes to snatch shoots of corn, he’d had enough. Infuriated, he went for his shotgun. They disappeared the instant he walked out of the house with it. Trying to get the upper hand, went back in and brought it out in two pieces. They didn’t react to the disassembled shotgun, peacefully plucking corn shoots. He stood behind a tree to put it back together. The instant he snapped it together, they fled, obviously familiar that old trick. Determined not to be defeated, he went for his bow and arrows. What a waste of time!
These crows were obviously smarter than we were. We abandoned our efforts to save the few pitiful shoots left as the smart alecks among them even took to flying off with our useless rubber snakes.
I planted more corn in starter trays on the patio, determined to have corn. Once it got a few inches tall, we transplanted it to the garden. It thrived, growing tall and producing beautifully. We were looking forward to a bumper crop when a fox and her kits got into the garden and ate most of it in one night! They also loved our canteloupe. It’s good to be at one with nature!
We grew corn one year, And sugar snap peas. No crows, BUT when I went to pick the ripe ones there were none. I solved that mystery when I found our four year old in the middle of the vege patch happily munching away. We never did get a single one into the house!
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She ate her veggies that day!
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Sure did !
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In French lessons at school we always seemed to be translating poems and fables about how clever crows are and it seems to be true.
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They are!
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Training my crows to collect rubber snakes is paying off big time 🙂 thanks 🙂
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Mine loved them.
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Reblogged this on Nutsrok.
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🙂 Very Nice
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Oh dear. Guess we all truly do “share everything on God’s green earth”;including our corn! I can see Bud getting out his rifle. Too funny!
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And the crows got a good laugh, too. Like watching Heckell and Jeckyll cartoon!
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Maybe you should try inflatable corn. You can`t eat it, but at least you could be entertained while you watched those pesky crows trying to figure out what to do with it. Ha ha.
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Was like Heckell and Jeckell cartoon before we gave up!
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Oh well, perhaps you need a glass house!
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I’d be ok with that, but the neighbors might hang curtains!
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I meant on the outside of my house!
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Out here the oddest thing I have seen getting into crops was Emus.
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They must have been fence breakers for the good stuff!
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Out here there are no fences, just cattle grids on the road.
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Oh.
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