Page 23 - LIfesOuttakes4

Journal Of A Gardener At Harvest Time

Note: This is the middle of a three part series on racoons

and gardening.)

August 17 - Dear Diary, it is that time of year again

when the leaves are turning red, and everyone is working at

a hurried pace trying to get their crops in. My corn is just

starting to show signs of ripening. My neighbor didn’t

plant any corn. He said only an idiot would plant corn

because the raccoons will just get it all, and he’ll, instead,

buy his at the farmer’s market. I told him a person just has

to be smarter than the raccoons is all, and no one would

catch me buying corn at the farmer’s market when I can

grow it myself. I can’t wait for that first ear, dripping in

butter and salt. I can’t write anymore because it is making

me hungry.

August 20 - I was just ready to eat my first ears of

corn today, and I found out that the raccoons had hit my

patch. They had taken everything that was ripe, about two

dozen ears. I have plenty more, so I’m not worried, but I
plan to put an end to it. Some of my neighbors have been

complaining that their corn patches have been hit, and they
have lost every ear. Some of them have been trapping or

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