SurvivingInfidelity.com^®

I grow vegetables in my garden. After 5 years the galvanized hardware cloth that line each raised bed must have deteriorated because now I get gophers. So much hard work, finally something is ready to pick and the gopher gets it. I dig out the earth to expose their tunnel and set a trap that kills them quick when they try to fix the hole in their tunnel.

Yesterday it didn't kill the gopher, it injured it so to put it out of its misery I clubbed it over the head with a mallet and it died quick. I said mantras and prayers for it.

It didn't want to die, I didn't want to kill it, but I had to do it. Not pleasant. But I accept that this is a reality of growing food, of eating and living. If you are not killing a gopher yourself a farmer is doing it for you.

I posted something about it on FB and some vegetarians wrote really rude and ridiculous things to me.

It was all a very odd experience.

The whole purpose of gopher existance is to feed coyotes, bobcats, owls, and hawks. Or in your case, worms. I too have gophers who have burrowed into the bottom of old wine barrels. And its infuriating. Ate half of my entire tomato crop. I have replanted in plastic pots for now... but I also have rabbits.

I really need more coyotes who want to do something other than climb the plum trees and break the branches.

I've had a couple mice in traps lately that didn't get killed. Shovel death is gross and a suffering animal is awful.But I wont use poison.