Photos: Why you plant kale

Little cottontail
Photo by Wayne Pridemore

According to Wayne Pridemore "The cottontails have been out exploring the neighborhood more as the weather has turned warmer. They seem to be scoping out what has been planted in the garden, kale is a favorite. Enjoying a little rest in the warm sun has become a daily routine."

Munch
Photo by Wayne Pridemore

I have a very large Bing cherry tree that we planted 20 years ago. In the intervening years, I think I have harvested and eaten a dozen cherries. Turns out that birds like their cherries slightly less than ripe. I call the tree my Giant Bird Feeder.

Then there are the Asian pears. Some years I have gotten huge amounts of fruit from them, some years not so much. Last year the entire crop disappeared from the tree without a trace of criminal evidence. No fruit with a chunk pecked out of it lying on the ground (birds). No half eaten pear halfway across the lawn (squirrels). No leaves ripped off with the fruit, strewn under the tree.

After many conversations with neighbors, it appears that I provided raccoons with a heck of a feast. They ate the six strawberries, too.

So I'm not planting kale. That is what Wayne Pridemore says brought the bunnies into his yard, where they ate everything else. Thing is, I think that Wayne likes his cottontails, so he'll probably keep growing kale.

And I'm putting up a Wildlife Preserve sign.

DKH