The Fox

This is a picture of my daughter many years ago in the wilds of Alaska.  She would live remotely for the winter months in between her jobs that ran during the spring and summer months.  One year she was able to develop this close proximity to a wild fox during one of her winters.  Looks cute doesn't it!

This is the same 'cute' kind of fox that has taken several ducks and chickens from our farm.  We now have to keep them all penned up surrounded by an electric fence.

Free Range Ducks before Fox

Now he has to use a enclosed fence post to crow

After Fox

"Foxes tend to use a pouncing technique where they crouch down to camouflage themselves in the terrain, then using their hind legs, leap up with great force to land on top of their targeted prey.^[2] Using their pronounced canine teeth, foxes grip on to their prey's neck and either shake until the prey is dead, or until the animal can be disemboweled.^[2] The gray fox is one of only two canine species known to climb trees; the other is the raccoon dog."  We never found any evidence of our lost ducks.  But we finally found the den in the front of the house under an old fallen tree.  The hole is cavernous!

Kids idea to trap fox

The final straw was the day the fox took several baby chicks and ducks.  I tell you again...farmlife is harsh!!

In the meantime, life moves forward in more pleasant ways...

Lost teeth

Birthday Parties

Life, like our statue of justice, is blind - it is neither good or bad.  It is what we do with it that gives life it's value.  They tell us new beekeepers that we must learn to work within the framework of the bees life and not impose our own ideas of what should be happening.  Likewise, living amongst the beaver, the foxes and the insects!  - I suppose - one most conclude that a farm has it's own personality that we must learn to live in sustainably.  To borrow part of a definition of 'sustainability' - 

'Moving towards sustainability is also a social challenge'  I would have to agree with that!!

And..Rainy days for everything to grow