Country Lore Readers' tips to live by
(Page 2 of 5)
June/July 2003
By the Mother Earth News editors
Peppermint Protection
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I recently discovered an effective yet humane way to de-mouse my pantry. We live in an old farmhouse and at the onset of winter, mice invade our home. Our pantry is a favorite target. I put an empty box of peppermint tea in with my paper recyclables and noticed the mouse activity dropped dramatically. I now place a few squares of cotton cloth sprinkled with peppermint oil in the pantry, refreshing them as needed. No mice, and it smells wonderful!
SUSAN WOMERSLEY
Topeka, Kansas
How to 'Plant' Morels
I read the article in the April/May 2002 issue about morel mushrooms. I am crazy about finding them and have my secret spots, too.
Here's how to increase the odds of growing these delicious fungi in your own back yard: Submerge a batch of morels in a pan of water with a plate on top and place the pan in the refrigerator. After a few hours, take the pan to your back yard (or other "secret spot") and pour the water around a tree. The idea is that the soaking water now contains tiny morel spores. Twice after having done this, I had yellow morels grow in my suburban yard, miles from the woods.
ROY SHEPARD
Culver, Indiana
Poultry Pest Patrol
Mosquito Munchers
Why do some folks jokingly call the mosquito the state bird here in Minnesota? Because they're big, they're aggressive, and there are lots of them here in the summertime. Most—if not all—people hate them, but our Muscovy ducklings (shown above) just love them—for feed, that is. Young ducklings, from the second day of their lives, go after those bloodsuckers all day long. By the evening, the little ducklings are so stuffed they can hardly move. They probably take care of thousands of mosquitoes and other small insects.]
O ur yard is practically mosquito and tick-free without using any chemicals. Grasshoppers also are a favorite snack, if the mother ducks don't get them first. The only bugs the ducks don't care for are the box-elder bugs, except when they see a flying one, mistaking it for a mosquito. I'm keeping the ducklings out of the garden, though, as they like to nibble on young vegetable plants, too.
ANDY TOMSEVICS
Isanti, Minnesota
You can order Muscovy ducks from: Sand Hill Preservation; (563) 246-2299; sandhill@netins.net ; and Hoffman Hatchery; (717) 365-3694; www.hoffmanhatchery.com .
—MOTHER
More on Muscovys
I read the article on chickens and pest control (February/March 2003), and thought I would drop you a note about my ducks.
I have three horses boarded on 6 acres here in Kentucky. For years I had a terrible problem with face flies, deer flies and ticks. We even had the 2-inch-long "horse flies" in huge numbers; one year, I swatted 15 during an hour-long riding lesson. The bites are terribly painful, and the horses go crazy trying to get away from these bloodthirsty pests.
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