If only rabbits really just ate carrots. The reality is, they are just as smart and wily and sarcastic (oh trust me) as Bugs Bunny, but really, they will eat anything, including plastic. They saunter down the rows of green beans nibbling off the growing tips, one by one. Amazingly, they don’t actually eat the beans, just the shoots and the flowers, which stunts the plants. But even worse, they have discovered our MELONS. I can’t tell you how heartbreaking it is to hunt around for these sweet gems, only to find the baseball-sized melon half eaten. They are voracious, and we honestly worry about our melon supply. Did we plant enough for the CSA and the rabbits too? We’ll find out!
What are we doing to control them, you ask? Well, we put up a fence. That worked for about two months until they started wriggling underneath it. Then they started having babies and the babies can get through the holes. I think we might have a benevolent coyote or a raptor, because one morning we arrived and there was a rabbit all tangled up in the fencing, missing a head. Let me explain, before you get teary eyed, that these are not cute cuddly rabbits. These are jack-rabbits, the lean, steely eyed, quick-witted ones that will out-smart you and then go eat your drip tape. Oh, yes, they’ve been chewing holes in our drip tape, which is probably the worst of their crimes. It means that each time we irrigate, it’s a farm circus for hours, as we run around trying to patch all the leaks springing from rows all over the field. What a headache. But I digress. In terms of pest control, we also have Gus. Gus is Aubrey’s ridiculously small, achingly adorable side-kick of the canine persuasion. If you are too close to the ground, he will attack your face with kisses until you fall over.
He also hunts baby rabbits. He would try for the adults but his legs are much shorter. Much, much shorter. But his hunting skills are on the up and up. Go Gus! Sasha is getting better at catching the babies by the hind legs. She got one back in June, and I relocated it to the Putah Creek Reserve, but not before getting attached (because I am a sucker for baby anything and I was concerned it wasn’t going to have enough food. I know, it’s embarrassing.)
Our current rabbit plan is to find where they are slipping in under the fence, and stake it down with some irrigation staples. We are also thinking about putting up some cardboard along the bottom two feet of fence to block their view of our oasis of food, and keep these babies from squeezing through the holes. Hopefully they can’t jump more than 5 feet high. Ha. I won’t make any bets on that. The rabbit battle continues!
-Marisa
This week in your boxes:
Full share:
Half share:
Fruit share:
Sauteed Shishito Peppers (half share folks, you’ll receive Shishito peppers in the coming weeks)
Shishitos are a delicately sweet and usually mild pepper from Japan. They are often likened to Spain’s famous Padron peppers for the flavor. They are best when picked green and small. We love them sautéed in garlic and olive oil with a dash of coarse sea salt on top for a tasty snack.
Ingredients:
1 basket of shishito peppers
2 tbsp oil oil
2-3 cloves of garlic
Coarse sea salt to taste
Heat the olive oil on medium to high heat, add garlic and peppers at the same time and toss. Sautee until peppers are slightly browned and wilted. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve. Yum.
Enjoy!