disaster strikes
June 8, 2010
The pumpkin patch isn’t doing so well. I generally don’t mind deer and turkeys, but last night I was about ready to take a shotgun to them. Seriously! I had a beautiful idyllic little pumpkin patch, and then all of a sudden it was under attack. 
I have seen both turkeys and deer wandering through the patch, and so I am not entirely sure what is going on. Whatever it is likes the llama poop, and has dug multiple holes in each of the hills. It doesn’t care for (or about!) the pumpkins, just something in the llama poop, or something in the hills? I am not sure. Maybe some fungi or insects in the llama poop?
Bottom line is that I need a fence. My mom and I went out and created some makeshift hill guards, but we need a fence. Tall, strong, and preferably carrying an electric current.
We set to covering the hills with salvageable plants, and replanted where there were too many plants gone. I am going to go to the farm supply store today to research fences…
p.s. if you have any ideas or suggestions about what this might be, or how to protect from it, or what kind of fence to get please let me know in the comments section!
living in the woods and making stuff 
June 8, 2010 at 5:37 pm
I think it might be raccoons. They are the most clever and the most dexterous.
June 9, 2010 at 1:58 am
Torrey
It could be turkeys, but if the seedling pumpkins are there I doubt it…same with deer.
My guess is it could be skunks. They eat grubs(and other insects) and commonly dig up any place they can find lots of grub worms(larva of May/June beetles). They have been known to tear up golf course fairways, lawns…where ever the grubs are. There is really no good control other than to kill the grubs…that would take Merit insecticide.
With manure present there could be many insects or rodents in that area.
One other thing about all of this is that when you plant in an old hay field there are many things in the soil esp insects…but may also be rodents and other critters. They are common in no-til fields when farmers plant into this kind of habitat.
The best fence would be an electric one for skunks and larger rodents, tho a sturdy wire fence will go a long way to help keep them out.
For the electric fence you need fencing wire, fence posts(various kinds), connectors to hold the wire, a battery (special chargeable one or solar) and a pulser that puts the current out on an intermittent basis …so not to shock and kill but just shock anything that touches the wire.
here are a couple of sites with skunk damage info – http://icwdm.org/handbook/carnivor/skunks.asp
http://www.crittercatchersinc.com/critters/skunks/skunkdamage.html
http://cecalaveras.ucdavis.edu/skunk.htm
Let me know if you want more precise info – Sorry you have the problem.
Once the pumpkins get up and going they should be OK…
June 18, 2010 at 4:04 pm
Thanks for the info Moni! I have been in and out of town and haven’t been able to do much yet…I am hoping to put up a fence soon though. The patch has been seriously rifled through..oh well.