tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post3133202508291945815..comments2024-03-05T03:21:10.473-05:00Comments on Shim Farm: Cooper and BobCat's Most Excellent AdventureShim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-41517095842625256452012-03-02T15:37:16.811-05:002012-03-02T15:37:16.811-05:00I've just about convinced Eric that we need to...I've just about convinced Eric that we need to leave the beavers alone where they are - they're a kilometre from our house, for heaven's sake! We had a huge "discussion" about their fate. I say, leave them. He says, trap them. I think I won. I mean, they do cut down trees, but they don't do a huge amount of damage. It's not like they're going to flood our forest or anything, but I'll keep tabs on them now that I know they're there.<br /><br />The idiot who cut down the hedgerow is not our direct neighbour who steals firewood for a hobby. The farmer who cut the hedgerow is across the street, but waaaaaay down the field, thanks to the long-lot division system. I spoke to the city yesterday, and as long as he has a permit (which he did, apparently), he's pretty much allowed to do whatever he wants. But it still doesn't make sense. That elm tree was ancient and wasn't in anyone's way. In fact, all of the trees weren't in anyone's way, which is why I marvel about it. He did it for the money - plain and simple - because it's all being transformed into firewood. Still, the reality and lack of foresight pisses me off so much. I'm still not done with the whole matter, and I'm scoping out what my next course of action should be, because this should not have happened!Shim Farmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-6115877129647918982012-03-02T01:59:38.484-05:002012-03-02T01:59:38.484-05:00I didn't know beavers lived in places that wer...I didn't know beavers lived in places that weren't in the middles of lakes and streams. Ok, so I don't know much about beavers... <br /><br />Was the neighbor who cut down the hedgerow the one who caused you to lock the wood door on the barn? <br /><br />That little nest in the tiny tree was cute. Not so very smart, but cute. :)Robinhttp://www.farmfolly.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-84841509896477446252012-02-20T18:49:59.396-05:002012-02-20T18:49:59.396-05:00Hi Lyssa, that walk would take me 30 minutes in th...Hi Lyssa, that walk would take me 30 minutes in the summer, but in the winter, slogging over plowed fields covered in snow, let's say it gets a bit long. I really should buy a pair of snow shoes, but I know myself, I'd probably only use them three times a year!<br /><br />Miriam, I believe the beavers aren't doing any harm, so we might as well leave them be. They can live from 15 to 20 years in age - that's pretty remarkable. I don't see the point in spoiling their habitat. Now I need to convince Eric of that...<br /><br />On a different note, I'm more frustrated by our neighbour cutting down irreplaceable trees in his hedgerow for firewood than I am about the actual highway being built. <br /><br />Realistically, our infrastructure in Montreal stinks - our roads are terrible, our bridges and overpasses crumbling. We need this highway badly, however, the environmental impact remains to be seen. This drainage work was not planned at the outset, and I'm sure it won't be the last inconvenience we encounter because of the construction.<br /><br />But on the bright side, because of the new highway, our road was turned into a massive crescent, cutting traffic from 3,000 cars a day to about 100, I'd say. No more speeding maniacs, just locals who are for the most part respectful of the 50 km/h speed limit. That's one added benefit we didn't account for when the work started.Shim Farmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-68759137026264644732012-02-20T16:05:04.596-05:002012-02-20T16:05:04.596-05:00This post is bringing back all kinds of memories: ...This post is bringing back all kinds of memories: my mom has some property near Rocky Mountain House in Alberta, and many summer days the first year or two she had it were spent demolishing beaver dams, trying to keep damage to the creeks and surrounding trees to a minimum. But then she asked herself whose property was it anyway, and left the beavers to live out their engineering destiny in peace. So now there is a kind of beaver/human equilibrium that everyone seems happy with.<br /><br />I am so sorry about the destruction that is happening because of the highway project - it must be very distressing to see, especially so close to home.Miriamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04500606532723836054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-19135000764763155372012-02-20T14:36:03.704-05:002012-02-20T14:36:03.704-05:00That's a pretty impressive walk!That's a pretty impressive walk!Lyssahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09063475025297754001noreply@blogger.com