Why is She (or He) so Cotton Picking Happy? Grateful for everything?

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A picture of a childpicker from Lewis Hines photos 

Why is She (he) so cotton picking happy?   To understand it more fully, I think I'll go back a generation or two to the lives of my mother and her family. I have no photos as they had no camera back then, but I have stories and readings from others regarding picking those cotton fields. I only came to more fully understand that expression about three years ago, driving down long miles of cotton fields. Now of course, almost all fields have giant machines, but still looking at the vastness of the picking area on a small cotton field, I am awed by the idea of Joy in Hand picking Cotton.  I did have hubby pull over and I looked closely at some of the plants and saw how hard they would be to pick and painful too! And I thought of my family and others who were cotton pickers to earn the much needed extra money for what we now call poverty families sustained by dirt farming and a few jobs like working in coal mines or temporary hard labor field or farmhand jobs. So the cotton picking bridged the gap between hunger and starvation.

Miles and Miles of Cotton Fields in Alabama in 2013

School was let out for farm pickings.  On the mountain, almost everyone was poor, so there was really no stigma to picking barefoot or in worn out tattered shoes and clothes. Maybe the first day or two was a bit fun for the kids and adults.  They perhaps caught up on news of one another prior to the start of the day and on the brief lunch break and while toting those bags to the scales.  But then the harsh reality of the long hard days of work of 12+ hours a day to be repeated over and over and over. I cannot imagine such a hard and painful job, dragging the bag in the stifling Alabama heat, bent over almost upside down to get that cotton. Fingers would bleed as they were stuck over and over. Hands would cramp.  Although an adult was expected to pick both high and low on the plant, if a mother or father brought the younguns along, I understand the adult picked high means bent over but not as much squatting down or breathing upside down to pick the bottom of the plant.  I would imagine that a shorter adult would have advantage on the picking of the plant but unless they were super strong, the cotton bag would be so heavy to drag around at the end of the day.


I have been told children were expected to work as long as adults but often fell behind on their work and the adults I imagine had to scold over and over to look all around and get all the cotton! The field boss would not look kindly at wasted cotton and I was told pay was reduced even further if he saw it.  I never heard my Mother complain about her cotton picking days.  Simply "we did it to help out".  And that was the attitude that it was expected that all helped with picking, canning, animals, housework, do your school work, you just do! Oh there were occasionally fishing and playing in the yards, but it was not an everyday joy.  You see with Granny's garden and their efforts, I know no one ever starved but I imagine that the children never knew how marginal they were. And that if, for example, the well failed, so would they.

Leather gloves were a thing of rich folks in those days. I heard of picking in rag wrapped hands with the fingers open to careful picking, some used old socks that could not be mended and the more wealthy had new cotton gloves at the beginning of the season.  These were not supplied by the field owner or his supervisor. In the 1910's through 1930's I cannot imagine many of the pickers with leather gloves.  In fact the only leather glove I found at my Granny'w when I played dress up was a carefully packed in a box pair of leather going to church gloves my Mother bought her, that like all the precious gifts were kept in a bureau or chest in original box and papers. Somehow that was customary for that generation....They didn't return or regift as moderns do, but they cherished the gifts, no matter, how "off the mark" they were.  My sweet Mother born of the Country and then 90% citified didn't realize HER mother needed cotton ones even for her garden, that's what she used, but I imagine that Granny would have preferred her cotton gloves or no gloves at all. But mostly Granny put those strong wonderful hands straight in the dirt and on the plants. all that gardening.  But I digress, back to the Cotton picker gratitude.

For the 1910's to the 1930's cotton picking meant:

• Getting up before sunrise and coming home after sunset often 12+ hour days
• Eating a biscuit or two for sustenance and drinking water from a pail with a dipper
• Poor fitting shoes, if shoes at all
• No gloves, just rag wrapped hands
• Breathing the perpetual dust and toxic cotton spray and then later many got Farmers lung, pneumonias and tb
• Sunburn, torn hands, cuts and scraps and hurting backs and feet
• A pittance for pay and no minimum wage and no benefits other than brief break
• Walking both to and from the fields
• Being so Dog Tired that some just laid on the floor after evening meal to tired to wash up
• And then repeating this over and over and over until the crop was in
• The field supervisor was not friendly or understanding and wanted no excuses and would have none
• You were replacable in an area that needed any kind of coins they could earn.

So hence I ponder the expression Why is S/he so Cotton Picking Happy? It is the attitude of perpetual gratitude, no matter what life's situation. I hope someone can say the same of me, that no matter what I've got the Joy Joy Joy Joy down in my heart.  

At least most of the time.   Blessings.....And this is a special edition for Thanksgiving

Special ponderings on Phillipians 4:4 And dear Lord please make me as grateful as the Cotton Pickers, that I am grateful in the rain, in the drought, on the mountain or in the valley, in sickness or health, in sadness, in sorrow, whatever! Amen

 PS. If you have enjoyed this, please subscribe to our blog to see more......and as always feel free to share it! LITLA

 

The Garry Farm Tips - Picking up Pecans, which to keep and how to store and prepare!

 One of my favorite things to fix with pecans from the Garry farm - Pecan Pies

 
Strangely we are getting a few pecans this year... In the midst of the drought, what the squirrels haven't gotten, (and the cats have chased the squirrels), now the crows are trying to get green pecans and fly off with them. On the ground, the armadillo seems to like them as do the raccoons and the deer.   So I like pecans, but over the years I've learned a few ways to id which to keep and how to store and want to share them.  Take a careful look at the picture below and see if you can tell which of the pecans are prime (this year's and expect to have good pecan meat in them), culls,  secondary pecans (those with green husks) and last years or even prior year pecans.

#5  Good pecans.   They fell out of the tree a bit early but with our dry weather in a few more days, you simply peel the cover shell away and use them

#4 Cull pecans.   The dark shells are dried out from last season and the other pecans have bite marks on them.

#3 One possible good pecan, The green coating may dry sufficiently to get the pecan out,  Although the second pecan has a crack on the end of it, since it might ave been bitten by a rodent or other disease bearer so I'll pass along on this although I'm super frugal!

#2 All have pin holes in them, probably from worms.  Even if part of the meat maybe unaffected, it will yield a bitter taste.

#1 Hurrah this year's pecans and expected to be prime.  The truth will be told after they are shelled.

Oddest event while picking up pecans, squirrels nailed me with a green covered pecan and yes it hit me in the face and even worse covered with squirrel saliva.. ugh.  I really think He beaned me with it on purpose.  I did go and wash my face before continuing.

Best non human helper with pecans..... I had a cat who would bring me pecans to the back door.  They were always there as she had observed me gathering them and these were for me!!!! I so miss her.   She was always a ferocious mouser and squirreler as well.  

Advice on picking and storage, gather daily or twice daily to beat your native competition.  Bag immediately and put in freezer.  These will insure that if there is a pin hole in one of your nuts you will not find all ruined when you get around to shelling.

What to do with the shells?our trees have had no toxic chemicals so all of the shells, etc make excellent compost.  Be sure to bury deep as they will certainly attract the predators!

Length of time - in the freezer - for us they have been good three to five years, usually don't last that long, unless they move to the back of the freezer.   What if you are not a baker?

Roasted pecans - great to go with your salads, or yogurts, or in your homemade granola at the very end.  Toss them in your stir fry.   You'll get a new flavor and crunch factor!

Toasted pecans are a great snack as well.   If you are not a pie maker, you may want to try some homemade cinnamon buns with the pecans highlighting them both inside the rolled up dough and sprinkle on top as well. 

A pecan pie in the making.   Once the pastry is made and the custard is cooked and you learn how not to over or undercook the pie, it's not too complex! And really it is almost as easy to make two as one. They freeze well!

Dried Peach and pecan granola yes it was good!!!!

 And on Yummy I love to make cinnamon rolls with pecans as well

I have never made pecan butter, but I bet it would be very tasty.....Well hope this has been educational and helpful. To see some of our farm's recipes, please do stop by The Garry Farm in facebook.    Also I tend to be a bit of an improviser and encourage you to play with your food as you eat and cook it and cook with joy and love.....Let's see.....mmmm pecans in soft cheese spreads, shakes, great protein source, pecans with cooked oatmeal - why not!  Oh and the best reason to go to weddings in addition to getting all covered with happy smiles and loved!!! Those wedding cookies.......    Please eat food that comes to you with no preservatives, or toxic sprays,  eat local and lots of veggies and fruit. Real bread - made with fresh real grains - the sturdy stuff!  Go to your real local market and meet your farmers.   Those farmers have to eat and there is some good cooking going on in a farm kitchen.   Have a blessed day.  And live your life with Joy.  Be a food adventurer.   Your recipe is only a bit of a road map..... Don't be afraid to get off the main road and invent your own recipes.   I don't care if you never saw anyone cook. You can cook.  It is a hobby that will feed you and free you from the food evils of takeout, fried and greasy food.   And if it's the first time you've read a blog here's one of my signature's on covered pies ...... The I love you pie!!!   Blessings to You from The Garry Farm in Bowdon GA..............LITLA

Compost pile Tips, Part I - Uninvited chemicals/toxins in your compost pile

      No toxic chemicals on The Garry Farm plants or trees or vegetables/fruits.  No thank you!

 

That compost pile you have been working on for days, weeks , months and in some cases years may have herbicides and other dangers lurking in it.....That you put in unknowingly.....I'm assuming you want to have natural and healthy compost pile so you can either incorporate it in with your soil or make that lovely compost tea. 

Whether or not you want it to be 100% organic is up to you, but I know of no one who needs or wants to be dosed with herbicides from their compost pile, I know for sure, I do not! 

Now let's focus on those unintended toxins in the compost pile that you don't want on your plants and trees.  And talk a bit on how they may have gotten there in the first place! 

Names of common toxic herbicides are "Aminopyralid, clopyralid, fluroxypyr, picloram, and triclopyr are some of the most common and prevalent  known as pyridine carboxylic acids."  Now, some of the weeds they kill can sicken and kill farm animals.  What we do is hand pull those weeds.  Takes a long time but it's the way we operate.  If we are not steady on the job of looking for and destroying these, our goats can get ill and even die.  Our goats for us are a source of milk and also our great friends.  

Dow Chemical maker of pyridines has a 12 page document and says it's fine to have for pasture and cereal crops but not for tomatoes, potatoes etc and not for compost.  I per sonally disagree and pray this is yet another reason I am committed to make our own cereals, and carefully source out all the grains that we use but don't grow.  Now to give Dow it's due here's is their introductory lines to their 12 page summary about issues relative to pyridine.  They have truly seemed to minimize the dangers but they are in this for the economics .......they want to sell this as a safe product but realize that they are being scrutinized or a 12 page "consumer friendly" doc would not be out there.   Here it is from Dow "It is possible for some herbicides to end up in hay, silage,animal manure, compost usedfor soil amelioration,mushroom substrates, plant mulches and animal bedding.Through product stewardship, Dow AgroSciences strives to minimise the potential for herbicide residues in treated crops to transfer through animals to composts and mulches.This stewardship is done either with potentially affected industries and/or the product label" Dow Agro document found here:  http://msdssearch.dow.com/PublishedLiteratureDAS/dh_08bc/0901b803808bcf76.pdf?filepath=au/pdfs/noreg/012-10770.pdf&fromPage=GetDoc

Now here is a more independent article about Herbicide from Oregon State University written for small farmers (I hope all farmers will read as well).http://smallfarms.oregonstate.edu/sfn/f09Herbicide  It explains the dangers of buying and getting for free animal compost that doesn’t kill the animals it feeds but can harm your plants.  Don’t blame the farmer or backyard hobbyist.  S/he likely didn’t do any of the field spraying even if s/he planted the hay. Some sprays stay in the ground for years.  The individual may have recently bought the place and be assuming there was nothing dangerous without testing specifically for toxins and since his/her animals were fine, thinking, okay all is well.  

Another great reference from Weston Price is here:  http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/herbicides-from-hell-the-next-generation/ 

When the sides of the roads are sprayed, they can get on  your land.  I would like all spraying on our road stopped and if we can catch the sprayers, they usually are glad to move on.   The only requirement about the spray is that it shall not be toxic to animals or humans at prescribed doses.  My lungs are fragile, and they cannot take the spray in the air. I can easily get what known as chemical pneumonia if I am in the presence of chemical spraying on lands. Spraying seems to be less and less due to expenses of the toxins.  I wish there were a state and Federal initial to do away with the use of all public funds in spraying and use of toxins.  and I am glad of that and from my humble opinion even though we are trying to maintain the right of way..... THIS is the “wrong of way” to do so.  Certainly there could be some collaborative effort or solution to the problem of the seemly right of way. I would prefer a wildflower row on the roadside.  Even if we planted them, they would be sprayed.  

Another tip for this compost blog: About those clippings of grass and leaves.  Unless they are from your farm, you are risking getting chemicals of several kinds.  Oh it’s tempting to get those bags ready to go, but you may be poisoning the very mulch pile you are trying to grow to feed your self or others food.  

If you have ever met me, you know we repeatedly say, that you should feed your soul, mind and body well.  Ask everything you can about all farm products you buy, including compost, old hay etc.   I'll add another blog on compost when time allows.  Hope this was helpful.  Feel free to share, but please link its source to our blog.  Thank you,  The Garry Farm,  Bowdon, GA    Nancy Garry 

Massive Massacres by the Panthers our west farm was hit!

The purpose of writing this is to share a warning to any animal lovers within a few hundred miles of us.  You could have an unexpected visit by a panther and lose not only your animals but your peace of mind.  The panther is a carnivore and will eat pet cats, dogs, ducks, chickens, baby goats and cows and pigs, etc. In addition they carry the Feline Leukemia Disease which they can transmit to domestic cats and there is no cure or vaccination for that debilitating disease.  It is not a pleasant article but it is "real to life on a farm".  God will heal the heart but since poor animal management decisions made in Florida are suffered by Georgians or Alabamians if that is the correct language.

Warning, in addition to the bear spotted in Carrollton, please be on the alert for relocated wild Panthers from Florida as well as other wild panthers. The Garry Farm has had a screaming entity that lives in the woods and then created the most horrific massacre ever experienced by our farm.  NOT A JOKE folks. It is a predator in a most unnatural setting. I've heard the sound for a few weeks and yesterday found out its animal kingdom entity. I used to think a tv set had been left on a nature channel. and checked all around. It is not a screech owl, a coyote, a fox,it is not a fowl. The animal can easily maintain 35 mph - no problem. In less than a 6 hour travel they could be from our farm to Atlanta, or N. GA, or Alabama, no problem... The screams start early am - around 1 to 3 am - at least that's when the sounds woke me up. . It moves swiftly and powerfully. I saw a deer on the side of our road that was not hit in any fashion. How did it die? no usual hit marks by automobiles.. I suspect it ran itself into heart attack. It was fairly young. The woods predator would easily knock me over if it so desired. Normally they do not attack humans but they might not be happy if humans interrupted their dinner plans. They are in the woods of Georgia thanks to the release program of Florida who released them into natural reserves in the wetlands between our states as Florida had an excess and they were seen as an endangerment to household pets and small animals. so under the auspices of save the nearly extinct animals hundreds were released in the everglades. as the everglades became encroached by roads and construction of all sorts etc, the animals spilled over into GA and Ala. Tall fences DO not keep out foxes, or panthers... Sadly the predator does NOT respect borders or boundaries and doesn't read maps and is a real and present danger to farmers as well as anyone with pets that go outside. Hubby told me some local farmers have also lost livestock. 

Less than half of what was slain on the farm..... (the white geese had already been relocated). 

Here's a picture of one of the beauties up close when I was helping hubby move them to their huge pen with 6 foot high fences and shelters and pools..... 

Ironically the panther is less and less endangered and has taken out all by three of our large Saxony ducks flock which was on the critical endangered list. Can you see how big that pure Saxony drake was and he was NOT even fully grown!

An update to the blog is that all but three of my adult Show Quality Holdread ducks were slain by panther and what appears to be cubs it was training to kill prey as well as possibly a presumptive first strike by male panther ...   I cannot bear to post pictures of the slaying and only recently did my husband give me the full count as I have been very critically ill and he thought the stress would have been very bad.  He was right. Though initially upset not to be told the full truth, after crying and crying and crying about the tragedy, I knew he was right...I could not have stood the news at a time I was having such serious medical issues. I thought the birds were in the back part of the huge fenced in grassy lot we had them in.  After egg laying, they are let out to explore the grass and enjoy live.  Just before the incident I was saying to hubby, if my health continues to do poorly, please keep our precious ducks.  I loved the duck eggs and love to see them grow up and waddle and chat so so.  So fun and friendly. When I think of their last few hours of life, I cannot.  They were asleep when it happened and it's a miracle that the two girls and one guy survived under a mass of death and destruction.   A precious friend said I can start over.   I'm afraid I cannot, I no longer have the diversity for the breeding program I need, but more importantly I no longer feel I can keep anything safe on our farm and if I start from ordering babies for the future, It is too late for this season.   So basically our three year old breeding program will be set back at least two more years and that is a long time in my life. Sending babies in air transit will be too hot on the plane and certainly not bode well for transit.  Holderead doesn't ship eggs, I would gladly try that with this breed.  I saved for almost two years to buy these special birds. I bought two boxes full and ordered 25 birds a box two boxes at over nine dollars a bird plus express shipping so the babies alone were hundreds of dollars, more than we could afford, truly, but I had saved and skimped and sold to buy them. It would cost us well over $500.00 for two boxes of express shipped babies if I could buy them now plus express shipping if mailing temps were right and birds not already prebooked..And then there was the special feed that they needed for months before the first egg even arrived.   As we sold out geese, white puff headed common ducks and other bird groupings, the funds went to the new special duck fund! It took a long time until laying begain - I was so excited to get them as Saxony ducks are an endanged breed that was well known for large body type and great weather diversity, withstanding extreme cold and heat very well.  I know it's not much compared to other person's animal losses, but I'm so destraught and discouraged by constant predators, two legged human types, four legged, slithering kinds, fox, raccoons, oppossums, hawks and more  I know that this animal can come back and likely will as they do have "hunting memory!" The odd thing there was a very open pen with about 11 roos/hens due for relocation and it was not selected.  I guess there is a preference for ducks, they are so friendly and trusting and then they are no more.  

I only know if I had been in or near the pen, I would have fought with a frying pan and a hoe to protect my beloved ducks and safe as many as I could.  Yes the lightweight wannabe seasoned farmer weighing in at 100 plus pounds would have taken this on. I chased coyotes in flip flops with two hoes! I still have duck nightmares and I cannot think of this without tears.     I am praying God will give me full amnesia about the massacre.

For more about the panther:

" Florida panthers live alone, unless a pair is mating or a female is raising cubs.  Males roam much larger territories than the females.  A male can make a territory over 200-250 square miles in size."  The female had finished her birthing and was teaching cubs how to hunt.  cubs will kill in imitation but usually only eat what mother brings them until they are fully trained. 
To read more about the relocation program go here:  Florida Panther

If I have affronted anyone by my blunt openness I am sorry.  I have thought and prayed about posted the massacre scene and I do not want that in your memory as well as mine.  When humans try to decide to relocate animals, they so often fail.  The foxes in GA were relocated in areas along the river rafting and they also have invaded cities and countryside.  The fox  by no means a rare animal, they are an ever present danger anywhere.  Rabies from them continue to happen every year at any increasing rate.    California already limited its fox relocation program and recognized that "Non-native red foxes pose a documented threat to many vulnerable species and ecosystems because they are so highly adaptable and are such adept hunters."   

I would add amen and THAT for any species that is a meat hunter we should study the impact on communities, farmers and backyard hobbyist or anyone that has a pet......

Well be knowledgeable that there are things that lurk in the dark and they are not all our friends....

Massive Massacres by the Panthers our west ga farm was hit!

The purpose of writing this is to share a warning to any animal lovers within a few hundred miles of us.  You could have an unexpected visit by a panther and lose not only your animals but your peace of mind.  The panther is a carnivore and will eat pet cats, dogs, ducks, chickens, baby goats and cows and pigs, etc. In addition they carry the Feline Leukemia Disease which they can transmit to domestic cats and there is no cure or vaccination for that debilitating disease.  It is not a pleasant article but it is "real to life on a farm".  God will heal the heart but since poor animal management decisions made in Florida are suffered by Georgians or Alabamians if that is the correct language.

Warning, in addition to the bear spotted in Carrollton, please be on the alert for relocated wild Panthers from Florida as well as other wild panthers. The Garry Farm has had a screaming entity that lives in the woods and then created the most horrific massacre ever experienced by our farm.  NOT A JOKE folks. It is a predator in a most unnatural setting. I've heard the sound for a few weeks and yesterday found out its animal kingdom entity. I used to think a tv set had been left on a nature channel. and checked all around. It is not a screech owl, a coyote, a fox,it is not a fowl. The animal can easily maintain 35 mph - no problem. In less than a 6 hour travel they could be from our farm to Atlanta, or N. GA, or Alabama, no problem... The screams start early am - around 1 to 3 am - at least that's when the sounds woke me up. . It moves swiftly and powerfully. I saw a deer on the side of our road that was not hit in any fashion. How did it die? no usual hit marks by automobiles.. I suspect it ran itself into heart attack. It was fairly young. The woods predator would easily knock me over if it so desired. Normally they do not attack humans but they might not be happy if humans interrupted their dinner plans. They are in the woods of Georgia thanks to the release program of Florida who released them into natural reserves in the wetlands between our states as Florida had an excess and they were seen as an endangerment to household pets and small animals. so under the auspices of save the nearly extinct animals hundreds were released in the everglades. as the everglades became encroached by roads and construction of all sorts etc, the animals spilled over into GA and Ala. Tall fences DO not keep out foxes, or panthers... Sadly the predator does NOT respect borders or boundaries and doesn't read maps and is a real and present danger to farmers as well as anyone with pets that go outside. Hubby told me some local farmers have also lost livestock. 

Less than half of what was slain on the farm..... (the white geese had already been relocated). 

Here's a picture of one of the beauties up close when I was helping hubby move them to their huge pen with 6 foot high fences and shelters and pools..... 

Ironically the panther is less and less endangered and has taken out all by three of our large Saxony ducks flock which was on the critical endangered list. Can you see how big that pure Saxony drake was and he was NOT even fully grown!

An update to the blog is that all but three of my adult Show Quality Holdread ducks were slain by panther and what appears to be cubs it was training to kill prey as well as possibly a presumptive first strike by male panther ...   I cannot bear to post pictures of the slaying and only recently did my husband give me the full count as I have been very critically ill and he thought the stress would have been very bad.  He was right. Though initially upset not to be told the full truth, after crying and crying and crying about the tragedy, I knew he was right...I could not have stood the news at a time I was having such serious medical issues. I thought the birds were in the back part of the huge fenced in grassy lot we had them in.  After egg laying, they are let out to explore the grass and enjoy live.  Just before the incident I was saying to hubby, if my health continues to do poorly, please keep our precious ducks.  I loved the duck eggs and love to see them grow up and waddle and chat so so.  So fun and friendly. When I think of their last few hours of life, I cannot.  They were asleep when it happened and it's a miracle that the two girls and one guy survived under a mass of death and destruction.   A precious friend said I can start over.   I'm afraid I cannot, I no longer have the diversity for the breeding program I need, but more importantly I no longer feel I can keep anything safe on our farm and if I start from ordering babies for the future, It is too late for this season.   So basically our three year old breeding program will be set back at least two more years and that is a long time in my life. Sending babies in air transit will be too hot on the plane and certainly not bode well for transit.  Holderead doesn't ship eggs, I would gladly try that with this breed.  I saved for almost two years to buy these special birds. I bought two boxes full and ordered 25 birds a box two boxes at over nine dollars a bird plus express shipping so the babies alone were hundreds of dollars, more than we could afford, truly, but I had saved and skimped and sold to buy them. It would cost us well over $500.00 for two boxes of express shipped babies if I could buy them now plus express shipping if mailing temps were right and birds not already prebooked..And then there was the special feed that they needed for months before the first egg even arrived.   As we sold out geese, white puff headed common ducks and other bird groupings, the funds went to the new special duck fund! It took a long time until laying begain - I was so excited to get them as Saxony ducks are an endanged breed that was well known for large body type and great weather diversity, withstanding extreme cold and heat very well.  I know it's not much compared to other person's animal losses, but I'm so destraught and discouraged by constant predators, two legged human types, four legged, slithering kinds, fox, raccoons, oppossums, hawks and more  I know that this animal can come back and likely will as they do have "hunting memory!" The odd thing there was a very open pen with about 11 roos/hens due for relocation and it was not selected.  I guess there is a preference for ducks, they are so friendly and trusting and then they are no more.  

I only know if I had been in or near the pen, I would have fought with a frying pan and a hoe to protect my beloved ducks and safe as many as I could.  Yes the lightweight wannabe seasoned farmer weighing in at 100 plus pounds would have taken this on. I chased coyotes in flip flops with two hoes! I still have duck nightmares and I cannot think of this without tears.     I am praying God will give me full amnesia about the massacre.

For more about the panther:

" Florida panthers live alone, unless a pair is mating or a female is raising cubs.  Males roam much larger territories than the females.  A male can make a territory over 200-250 square miles in size."  The female had finished her birthing and was teaching cubs how to hunt.  cubs will kill in imitation but usually only eat what mother brings them until they are fully trained. 
To read more about the relocation program go here:  Florida Panther

If I have affronted anyone by my blunt openness I am sorry.  I have thought and prayed about posted the massacre scene and I do not want that in your memory as well as mine.  When humans try to decide to relocate animals, they so often fail.  The foxes in GA were relocated in areas along the river rafting and they also have invaded cities and countryside.  The fox  by no means a rare animal, they are an ever present danger anywhere.  Rabies from them continue to happen every year at any increasing rate.    California already limited its fox relocation program and recognized that "Non-native red foxes pose a documented threat to many vulnerable species and ecosystems because they are so highly adaptable and are such adept hunters."   

I would add amen and THAT for any species that is a meat hunter we should study the impact on communities, farmers and backyard hobbyist or anyone that has a pet......

Well be knowledgeable that there are things that lurk in the dark and they are not all our friends....