Anybody who has read Beatrix Potter’s “Peter Rabbit” is probably aware that adorable bunnies are anything but cute to farmers (even if they are wearing little blue jackets). In fact, this knowledge that rabbit are a bit of a pain in the ass, is probably pretty broadly know. I was aware that rabbits could be a problem, but never really felt the direct effect until this year.
We have a rabbit or two dwelling somewhere in our yard, and over the past week or so, it has systematically devastated our entire bed of cabbage, as well as a number of our other transplants. This has led Eliza and I to feel a strong degree of animosity toward the bunnies in general. We have currently set out a number of havaheart traps with the hope of catching and removing the adorable vermin, but so far have not had any luck.
Here is the thing, as a realist and fairly educated individual, I know that the rabbit is not acting out of any malice. Animals will act as animals do, and if humans happen to be around to feel the impact of animal actions, that is simple the nature of things. I don’t think rabbits are evil creatures that need to be annihilated. Still, that being said, I can empathize with people who have lost significantly more to animals. I know our friends at Greenbrier Farms were having some real issues with hawks killing their chickens, and I have heard of many occasions of deer cause widespread farm damage. This isn’t because the animals are horrible creatures, it is just that their interests in survival conflict with our interests to produce food or livestock.
It seems almost ironic, that once we get our chickens out of our garden, and end their reign of destruction, that we should get a rabbit that began its own campaign of vegetable annihilation. Animals are fascinating and sometimes adorable, but they can also be very problematic when they live in places we don’t want them. On top of the rabbit eating our veggies, three of our chickens got out of their enclosure yesterday and quickly devastated a number of the raised beds Eliza had worked tirelessly on. It was a frustrating occurrence to say the least.
Anyways, here’s to control animal pest . . . preferably as humanely as possible, though, if the rabbits eat too much more of our vegetables, I might decide to cook up a rabbit stew once I catch them.
