Strawberry theft
I admit that we don't get up to the allotment as often as we should, but does that mean someone else can harvest the strawberries in our absence? I think not. Apart from the rhubarb, and the perennial potatoes that keep appearing, the strawberries are our best crop and the children especially like picking them. So when I first spotted all the flowers I knew we were in for a bumper yield this year.

But two weeks later when I called in to see what was on offer I was met with bare stalks. Not one berry to be seen. My first inclination was to blame local 'youths'. Perhaps the same ones who had, a couple of years ago, started a camp fire next to our shed and ended up burning the whole place down. The netting over the bed was more or less in place, but I could see several places where I imagined gangly arms had been thrust through to pilfer our fruit. Humph. Oh well. I re-pegged the nets, did a bit of disgruntled tidying and left.

The next week we were back. A glorious day, birds singing, clouds puffing and three-year-old laughing in the wheelbarrow as we bumped down the site. Suddenly my eye was caught by a strange bouncing red thing moving away to the trees. It was an animated strawberry making its way down the path ... in the mouth of a squirrel. Pah. Caught red-handed, or perhaps red-pawed. Here was my scrumper.

The nets are now rhinoceros-proof.
http://tinyurl.com/5poxpz

Its not mine Phoenix, its from The Gardeners World blog, I thought it funny.Its usually the wildlife that steals everything I try and grow. I'd love to have a cherry tree and grow raspberries but I know the birds will eat them before I get them.

I did that once in my old house and a bird got stuck in the netting, I felt so guilty, I wouldn't do that again, I also feel greedy saying its my food, I do wish birds would learn to share, their manners are terrible. 

Golden rule when planting or sowing in the garden is, 2 for you 1 for the birds, but nothing for grey squirrels, maybe an arsenic bush

One for the pigeon,
One for the crow,
One to rot,
And one to grow."
Thats how the rhyme goes but it doesn't say anything about squirrels.

I don't like the way they bite through the wire on the birds peanuts but we don't have the problem with them we used to, the 2 Jack Russells see them off.

Grey squirrels are vermin and can carry the Rabies virus, so make sure you dont get bitten by one.
When i moved here many years ago the woods were full of red squirrels,now you you have to up north to see them. I believe in some parts of the country they are carrying out culls on greys,unfotunately you will always find some misguided people shouting murder.

Hi Val
Glad they still have their tails,they are delightful !