Author Topic: Cow in polytunnel! (Read 2238 times)

Alexihen · « **on:** June 10, 2009, 11:33:01 »

Three weeks ago my neighbour's cow wandered out of her field and nearly a mile up the lane, past lot of open field entrances, before coming round a bend and into my polytunnel. I couldn't believe the damage - most of 72 strawberry plants demolished, lettuces, onions and radishes uprooted and trampled, 8 feed sacks tipped over and emptied and three plastic watering cans dented and punctured. Also in the outside veggie beds she managed to take out nearly all my garlic and courgettes. My neighbour is not a rich man and the compensation he offered me, apart from clearing up a bit, was a jointed rabbit ready to eat. Only in France! I've put the rabbit in the freezer for colder weather casseroles, but have to start again with the salads and particularly the strawberries.

Duke Ellington · « **Reply #1 on:** June 10, 2009, 12:21:43 »

charlie888 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 10, 2009, 12:22:35 »

And I thought the cats were annoying!!!

That's going to have to be a bloody good rabbit pie to make up for all of that :o

Old bird · « **Reply #3 on:** June 10, 2009, 12:24:20 »

Oh Poor you!

That is something that I have not had any experience of - thankfully!

In a couple of years you will be laughing about it??!! - but yikes!

Old Bird

:D

GrannieAnnie · « **Reply #4 on:** June 10, 2009, 13:00:15 »

Now THAT is a sad story. So sorry for your losses and extra work. That cow must have thought it found pig heaven though and what a story you have to tell that no doubt beats ALL allotment stories.

hellohelenhere · « **Reply #5 on:** June 10, 2009, 13:14:37 »

What a nightmare, sorry to hear it! We used to have a farmer nearby who didn't maintain his hedges and fences - in Mid-Wales, this was - and he had one ewe who was particularly wild and always getting out. She'd get into my mum's veg patch and cause devastation.

A neighbour of a friend of mine in Ireland had a similar problem with a herd of cows, she called us one morning to help drive them out, *again*. In that soft wet ground they really caused immense damage, all the grass was hollowed out with deep footprints, it was a mess. We managed to drive them into a nearby field - which turned out to have a marijuana plantation in it! That was a surreal moment, herding the cows through the cannabis plants and hoping they wouldn't crush any... :D

I hope there's some easy way that you can secure your land against cows. What options do you have? Is it a matter of putting a gate in, or will you need to put an electric fence?

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #6 on:** June 10, 2009, 13:55:34 »

At least it wasn't a bull! It must be devastating though. That farmer owes you a lot of favours, so take advantage.

cleo · « **Reply #7 on:** June 10, 2009, 13:57:37 »

Blimey-that`s one to `milk` for all it`s worth. Get together with the farmer and charge all the tourists 3 Euro to see

`La vache qui voulait etre jardiniere` ;D

shirlton · « **Reply #8 on:** June 10, 2009, 14:29:59 »

It's at times like this that I'm glad to be a townie. So sorry about all your stuff being damaged

Fork · « **Reply #9 on:** June 10, 2009, 14:32:30 »

I have cows just the other side of the hedge from my plot....but its quite a thick hawthorn hedge and I think they would struggle to get through.

There would be steak on the menu if they did ;) ;D

Hector · « **Reply #10 on:** June 10, 2009, 15:03:49 »

We had the same problem with goats Alexihen...wrecked a 24 foot glasshouse and all my Primulas. Same thing, guy was elderly/poor health and of limited means...so never pursued

Alexihen · « **Reply #11 on:** June 10, 2009, 15:14:57 »

No I couldn't "milk" the situation, my neighbour is not a position to do more. It may sound odd, but I have thick roofing felt as a pathway straight onto the ground between the polytunnel and small barn. You can't believe how damaged that is when a cow walks over it, seriously deep hoof dents everywhere. Can't put up a gate because constantly have vehicles going in and out, but in over three years here it's the first time and hopefully the last. Just a shame the weather was hot and the door was open at the time - all part of life's rich tapestry.

Plot69 · « **Reply #12 on:** June 10, 2009, 15:56:19 »

I think I would rather have settled for the cow jointed and ready to eat !

Kea · « **Reply #13 on:** June 10, 2009, 16:04:43 »

And my husband thought I was being silly when I wouldn't leave the washing on the line when we were out at the cottage we stayed at last summer because of the cows going past at frequent intervals with no gate to stop them.

hellohelenhere · « **Reply #14 on:** June 10, 2009, 16:16:31 »

I suppose you could put a cattle grid if it does become a problem, I bet that's quite a pricey solution though.

gordonsveg · « **Reply #15 on:** June 11, 2009, 11:22:17 »

Sorry to hear about your trouble alixhen, did you manage to save anything????

cornykev · « **Reply #16 on:** June 11, 2009, 15:58:46 »

I would have had the cow in exchange. ;D ;D ;D

Digeroo · « **Reply #17 on:** June 11, 2009, 16:34:39 »

What about an electric fence. Hope it left some manure ;D ;D

saddad · « **Reply #18 on:** June 11, 2009, 17:14:01 »

Cows regularly used to wander down our lane when I was a child... as there was a factory further down the hill I was always driving them back to the farm...
made me late for school sometimes. The sheep were more of a problem they would regularly graze off my cabbage/lettuce etc. The farmer was just too idle to repair his fences... >:(

hellohelenhere · « **Reply #19 on:** June 11, 2009, 19:16:33 »

Yep, it's usually down to lazy fence-keeping. Very dangerous, too, to have cows wandering about the roads unattended. I was in a car crash in Ireland when a farmer chased (someone else's) cow out of his yard onto the road, and it ran straight into the side of our car. Although he had been chasing it on horseback with a stick, he pretended that it had 'just run out of nowhere'... :/

It wrote off the car - luckily we were all OK but it easily could have been nasty. I now use a seatbelt on EVERY car journey, however short - on that occasion I hadn't put one on, as 'we're only going just down the lane' - nearly broke my nose on the driver's seat in front of me. I don't want to spend my last moments in life thinking 'ohhhhhhhhh nooooo why didn't I put my seatbelt on??!!'

The cow didn't appear to be injured, by the way, though it may have been fairly bruised. It hit the car hard with its shoulder and flank.

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Author Topic: Cow in polytunnel! (Read 2238 times)