The Old Folks Home

[Wisher1000]

Linda, stop offering to get rid of your birds! Hasn't it already been determined what you can or can't keep there? Is this the new neighbors? Did they move into the house where he says those people left because of the birds? If so, he already knew about them when he moved there, tough tooty! You worked in LE. You know you need to report this - and now. Have the sheriffs out, tell them you fear him, not just for your birds, but for yourself. Tell them you know he can follow through because of all the gunfire that you thought was just target practice, but now that he has made threats, you are concerned for your own safety. If you're not concerned, you should be. I know you are used to being around men with guns, but those were LEOs, this is the other kind........ Transcribe the message, exactly, and let them read along as you play it for them, that way, you can provide them with a copy to attach to the report, so it will be on file in case the recording is lost. Making a copy for them will assure they get it on the report, without them having to write it out themselves. Also, make sure you relay the statements he made about killing them with a knife. He sounds like a psychopath. Invest in some CC cameras for the exterior of your home, Sam's Club has a full setup for the cost of a couple of game cameras. Don't play with this, strike before the iron gets hotter.............

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[chickisoup]

YES!!! speaking from personal experience dealing with crazy, bully, potentially violent neighbor, document EVERYTHING! All contacts, date, time, etc. Call the police, NOW! Be pro-active. Mention you felt very threatened (don't be afraid to play the defenseless female card

) "mention" his regular habit of target shooting with high powered assault weapons, his stated intention to slaughter your animals and that you fear he won't stop with them!!!! Trust me, this approach works. He is trying to see if he can get away with intimidation, if you let him now, it will only escalate later. You push back HARD, right away IN THE RIGHT WAY, and he will have no choice but to back off because he will no longer be dealing with you but with the law FIRST and he will know it. You wait and it turns into a stupid he said she said, you make yourself the victim NOW, which you are, and he will be in the bullseye from then on. Waiting to get the police involved until his next shooting practice will only make you seem as the crazy, trouble making neighbor .
You have the chance to play the victim card, use it now when it will have the most positive impact in your favor.

ETA Wisher posted while I was typing and I agree with everything they said, very well put BTW!!!

The security cams are a great idea but remember, those will only document who killed your birds and you don't want to give this nut the chance to let it get that far! You do need to make sure at least one of the cameras is clearly visible on your house too!!!

 

[bamadude]

Speaking from personal experience as a crazy person, i would check my local laws regarding trapping humans. Im pretty sure its legal here. Also gander mountain has h and k 12guage shotguns on sale for $200. A box of 25 target load shells is $7.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

...
My mom used to boil all the life out of the corn and then bury it under butter. I read up on it and learned you are supposed to have the water boiling. Run out, pick ears & shuck them. Throw corn in boiling water for a couple minutes and then eat. AW, food for the gods. it was so good and haven't used butter on corn since.

That's what I was always told.

I also like to keep the shucks on, soak them for a couple hours and then put them on the grill, shucks on.

this will be the "straight out of the coconut" melting point type.

we normally sell copra to a mill. They use heat to expell the oils.

The "good stuff" is cold pressed so I will need to rig up a press.

If i do it right, I may be bing back a 5 gallon drum of the stuff each trip as a new cottage industry.

I figure in the experimental stage I can easily make a half gallon.

When I go home I get a "spa" treatment on my lanai. It includes a manicure, pedicure and a coconut oil hair/scalp treatment

We grate coconut meat straight from the nut then gently heat it to extract the oils. While it is luke warm, its applied yo the scalp and massaged in. Its fairly close to heaven having the scalp massage with this warm, wonderful oil. Me who has a bit of psoriasis does not produce a flake for months.

It seems like another CocoBeach Farms product is being born.

I will also be bringing back jams and jellies made from all the fruits in season. I know for sure I will have Mango, Pinapple, Durian and Papaya. All organic. I sent over 6 cases of jars with the clothes people gave me for the local orphanage.

Good idea.
My wife has been buying virgin coconut oil from the Philippines for a couple years. Are you familiar with this company?
http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/virgin_coconut_oil.htm

I love corn on the cob also can hardly wait till it comes into season. I love to make mine in the microwave in a microwaveable steamer,a little water in the bottom and cook 2 min. Per ear and done.i found that it keeps the kernels from getting mushy doing it this way.

I planted some of the corn my daughter brought from the elephant sanctuary in Thailand.
They give each visitor a pouch of the seed telling them to grow it and bring the corn back to feed the elephants again. I have no idea what variety. I'm just hoping it's non-GMO>

...

"Well, you're on the property, and that upsets them."

Whilst standing in the doorway of my covered porch, he referred to the voice mail message I hadn't yet heard; he had said he'd take a shotgun to "shut up the f'n geese." When he relayed that bit of information, I stopped being nice and placating in response to his anger. "No, you won't," I said, quite sharply. He acknowledged he might not shoot them because he didn't want to be arrested, but he WOULD take his f'n knife and f'n slit their f'n throats. (He used the real word quite liberally.). "I CAN do that."

That's when I finally snapped. "No, you can't. You harm my livestock and I'll have your ***. We're done - I said I'd take care of moving them no later than May 31st. We're done now." I snatched the screen door out of his grasp, closed and locked it, turned on my heel and went into the house, slamming the front door as hard as I could.

He'd had the gall to start telling me I could carry five gallon buckets of water for my f'n geese at the new property (in lieu of building a pond for them first, which has been my plan...)

Yes, the geese are really loud and noisy. New people moving in on that side are strangers, with different cars driving in and out, and kids love to run back and forth along the fence to watch the turkeys, ducks, chickens, and geese. That starts 'em off. Yelling at them does NOT make them shut up, though.

I do know that as soon as I have the geese moved to the Ranch, with adequate and secure housing, I will be reporting weapons fire to the Sheriff's Department every time that neighbor starts to "target shoot" with his high caliber and/or automatic weapons. He has several of both, as well as the shotgun he threatened to use. He likes to show off his special guns for visiting friends and relations. Local ordinance says three acre minimum for shooting practice. He has less than two.

The voice mail message just might come in handy then.

How close is his house to your animals?
I have a neighbor within a couple hundred feet of my coops. They didn't even know I had chickens. In fact, my 4 closest neighbors didn't know. Clearly they aren't outside or have their windows open at 6 AM.

So what's he going to do if wild geese start making noise.
We have owls that are quite loud going off in the middle of the night.

He does sound a little disturbed and disturbing.

Linda, stop offering to get rid of your birds! Hasn't it already been determined what you can or can't keep there? Is this the new neighbors? Did they move into the house where he says those people left because of the birds? If so, he already knew about them when he moved there, tough tooty! You worked in LE. You know you need to report this - and now. Have the sheriffs out, tell them you fear him, not just for your birds, but for yourself. Tell them you know he can follow through because of all the gunfire that you thought was just target practice, but now that he has made threats, you are concerned for your own safety. If you're not concerned, you should be. I know you are used to being around men with guns, but those were LEOs, this is the other kind........ Transcribe the message, exactly, and let them read along as you play it for them, that way, you can provide them with a copy to attach to the report, so it will be on file in case the recording is lost. Making a copy for them will assure they get it on the report, without them having to write it out themselves. Also, make sure you relay the statements he made about killing them with a knife. He sounds like a psychopath. Invest in some CC cameras for the exterior of your home, Sam's Club has a full setup for the cost of a couple of game cameras. Don't play with this, strike before the iron gets hotter.............

Sam’s Club

Electronics & Computers

Security & Surveillance

Security Systems
Security Systems

• 
  *$199.88 after $100 Tech Savings* Q-See 4 Channel Full D1 Security System with 500GB Hard Drive, 4 700TVL Cameras, and 100' Night Vision
  
  (52)
  $199.88 Buy now Free Shipping

That last one is pretty cool. With 100' night vision, I wonder if it would also serve the dual purpose of a game cam to see what's visiting the coops. Aim one at each coop.

I installed several stealth cameras here years ago. One is aimed down the driveway, one on the patio, one on the back stairs, one on the back porch and the front porch. I filtered a block of unwanted cable channels and each camera would display on one of those blocked channels. My filter quit working and I haven't fixed it yet. The cameras are all still there sending the signal to my distribution panel. I need to get the system up and running again. There have been a lot of advancements and cheaper prices since I installed it about 10 years ago so I may redo the whole system.

 

[ozexpat]

The http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/pure-coconut-oil.htm is what is produced at the local mill for a few dollars a gallon

the gold label version would be what i am going to hand press

 

[Dragonfly216]

Coconut Oil?

If you want the good stuf, I will press virgin coconut oil for you. It will be very very fresh. Totally organic.

Will trade for eggs.

Omg, I'd LOVE some of your coconut oil! I have no eggs till August at the earliest and October at latest, but they will still be young birds. But I sure will pay you money for it! I've been ordering mine off of Amazon, really great stuff. But I don't think I could get fresher oil than yours!

 

[CanuckBock]

Speaking from personal experience as a crazy person, i would check my local laws regarding trapping humans. Im pretty sure its legal here. Also gander mountain has h and k 12guage shotguns on sale for $200. A box of 25 target load shells is $7.

No no no...no shooting off guns like he does...two wrongs don't make it right.

​

The concern when he gets caught where he don't belong then becomes over how much NOISE he subjects the neighbourhood to...

Rick's father lived in the outskirts of Calgary and I would never just POP over his fence to see if he had anything worth lifting. He had a way of laying out boards with very long rusty nails he had not gotten around to removing quite yet...he even hooked the garbage cans up to electricity to zap stray rubbish dogs. Rick's Mom can attest to forgetting to switch it off and blowing herself outta her pink poofy slippers a time or three.

They lived right beside the railway tracks at a crossing and there was one engineer that use to lay on the horns something fierce. Rick's old man was a thoughtful resource, full of ways and means....mean fer sure! He got an old wooden step ladder he did not much care for...a bucket from the cistern full of human honey...placed the ladder and pail on the top rung just at the right height where the engineer would be sitting with his summer tanned arm out the window laying on the horn for the crossing. Ever after his LESSON, no more than a mere regulation sounded ***TOOT*** was heard ever after from that one.

Quote:

First off...I presume you are zoned for poultry. We here have an isolated agriculture designation...we never looked at any property period that did not have all the amenities we required for our dreams to continue...zoning for creatures, ample good water, lots of land, good decent soil...I inquired about volume from the well, tested water chemical & biological...tested soil too. I am sure the real estate agent thought I was nutso and don't care...you can change some things but the basics MUST BE IN PLACE to enjoy animals hassle free. I have a letter here ready to be grabbed from the Municipal District clearly stating our zoning. We never bought this place because we wanted some life sentence where we cut acres of grass with no animals on it.

We are completely isolated as in we own all three sides of this "Bermuda Triangle!" OURS alone. Triple fenced to keep things out and keep things in...so my animals are NEVER outside my property where I might be liable for any injury they could cause. Lost one silly old chicken hen to an owl in 2007...my fault for not doing a religious night head count and that is that for predation for over 15 years. Keep it that way I sure hope.

You are to answer ONLY to the zoning allowances. If'n you are gonna start flinging mucky sand back in the face of this Moronic newbie...ensure you are perfectly legitimate and pristine as the blowing snows yourself. Yeh, I know, it sucks having to be perfect but we can't be calling the "kettle black" if we don't have our own ducks in a row. Don't work well...

NEVER EVER promise them any due date for nothing...what you do on your land with your time, resources, and property (livestock, poultry, canines) is your business and yours alone. Take that May 31st deadline and he can stuff it where the sun don't shine. No bargaining...for what gain to you does making any promise to the likes of him do period? So when does some Butthead decide your schedule...is he PAYING for this...contributing in some positive way to your life situation and would this appease him in some small way to stop with the stoopid whining? What is the reasoning for making even the slightest of allowances to him let alone talking to him? Do you feel guilty...tuff luck Bucko--move if you don't like it here; it's ME FIRST on my land too. Why are you making any accommodations to him...so what, he don't harm your property--out here if you are found messing with someone else's stock, there is plenty of rope and lynching trees waiting to be used. We deal with livestock abuse just like we deal with poachers out here. Sometimes people go missing out here in the wilderness...not even bleached bones are ever found...I have many good friends that I could call upon to help me with any of the odd few bodies that might not have minded their own biz...should it ever come to that--not saying it has...not quite yet perhaps...country laws reining???

People mind their space and I'll mind mine--if you don't like the view, you are free to look away OR don't like the sounds, get out of ear shot. A few of the locals need a tuning up on occasion...especially when they move in (like the "crazy lady" as I am told she is called did) when they think they can bring their former mindset baggage with them. I have only ONE neighbour that has been here longer than we have and he minds his P's and Q's and we mind ours. Rick plows out his driveway coupla times in winter because he has no tractor and we all get along jest fine thanks! I call him up when the cougar comes down in the fall to tell him to put his yard dog away till the cat travels thru and basically that's all the interactions we have.

Grandfather clause...oldest residents hold priority to keep doing what we have always done each year--up to the Greenhorns to apprise themselves of what is going down in the neighbourhood.

We have padlocks we use on all our buildings and all exterior coop doors are locked.

It takes mere seconds each day to unlock the doors...not so quick if you don't have the keys!

​

I agree that locks are meant to keep honest people out but as Rick says, it slows the other ones that are dishonest down just a tad...tad long enough for us to come up behind them making the ruckus busting in where they should not be in the first place, eh?

The ruminants are used to keep the ditches clean and clear (not just fire hazards from a tossed lit cigarette but no place for two or four legged varmits to sneaky hide); which benefits all of us here.

​

Property is triple perimeter fenced and cross fenced inside in everything from hardware cloth around the bird yards to more page wire fencing to keep creatures where they belong and confuse any predator jumping the fence in the dark; it's a maze and that ain't no corn or sunflower jaunt!

Planted the nastiest shelterbelts imaginable...Caragana is not a nice nice hedge to mess with and when you leave your DNA behind in blood on the thorns after hugging it, we'll be CSI processing it to add insult to your physical injuries!

​

​

Our gates are intimidating to say the least and LOCKED...I don't get any strangers at my door...EVER!

​

You call ahead or you simply just don't get into our Sanctuary. Before Rick secured the burl log there on the back gate...said he was going to make it pivot...look out his window, don't like the riff raff at the gate and BONK...down goes the burl log...not just crushing yer head but crushing yer vehicle...bwa ha ha.... Now kindly quit bothering us here...get lost before we "Release the hungry hungry hounds! To be fair, we'll give you a head start...so get running...starting...NOW!"

My retired police officer friend made me both of these...​

Rick says to me that dog time with the five Heelers each night out in the front pasture was a deterrent of sorts...and here I thought I was just playing with me puppies!

​

The ongoing joke even about the yoke at the front gates is to get some large black rubber belting and make it look like this BIG SLING SHOT! I know, I know...the mat at the door reads, "GO AWAY!"

I am not so much anti-social as I am about deciding when I want to interact with people and when I do not. I like people...but on my own terms thanks! Not up in my face and on my place and I would certainly not be discussing MY biz with anyone! One lady once asked me how many animals I had and I just said, "Obviously not enough!"


Ever since we had our security cameras up...the stopping and peeing on the roads that surround our place has ceased...darn eh? Was hoping for some blackmail footage to help cover the costs of being semi-retired...guess we just have to be content with being TIRED and quit hoping to REcoupe a bit extra for the kitty. Rick chose a system with great infra red night vision...works even at lower than forty below though most criminals are less then chipper to be out and about in that kind of weather; thieving is more a summer occupation for the likes of dem. LOL Criminals are basically lazy and don't want to WORK...so while they will try harder than they usually do to steal, if you make it so they can see the cameras are up and running, they usually don't bother with you too much then because if something goes missing, the evidence of the taking is on harddrive. I laughed because we were talking about this yesterday and I said that I never notice things like security cameras...I am stupidly oblivious to them...but Rick said that that is expected...the ones that DO notice security cameras are just the kinds you want to SEE them. <<evil laughter>>

I do agree that cameras are meant to catch the people victimizing you and are great for court purposes but all in all...the main thing you really want is to be LEFT ALONE to enjoy your personal piece of heaven. Not to be bothered by personal assaults to your space and to your possessions. Threats uttered at you on your porch don't make your day and far better people don't think you are approachable...have a tough time even breaching the entrance to your property is better. I mean we have to fence the place off for the birds' protection right...so what is a little over the top to keep the humans out too. They are by far more noxious as far as I am concerned.

So a to do list of three items.

Firstly, file an official complaint as Wisher and others have said and do type out that voice mail for the report to make the authority's lives easier. Crime always seems to make MORE WORK for those of us that should have it easier, not made more difficult but such is life I guess! What are you waiting for is right...it is only going to get worse with these grunty kinds of Neanderthal dolts and I have personally seen Rick use a huge big stick to desecrate a fly but I can tell you that because we here happen to look like a BIGGER more enthusiastic threat than the locals...nobody bothers with us...might be too much trouble, eh?


Secondly, I would post yer property for NO TRESPASSING, keep your gates shut and locked (not welcome, don't invite troubles ON your property and up in your face), and then go investigate a security camera system. Some even just buy cameras that are fake duds and place them up strategically...sorta like those that don't own a dog yet post signs like these....

It is not so much the NO Trespassing and Beware of DOG that is scary...it is the last line "Rat Ranch" that probably makes a few squirm..."RATZ...Oh YUCK!"

Sorry, have to break for a few pics to share...my SIL went and bought me two X crossing signs and I made time this last weekend to put them up. Both these two gates run on the same fence line...so looks pretty neat.

​

Sign even mimics the lawn ornaments I have in the bird yard...Momma duck and ducklings!


Chicken Crossing sign​

Only complaint thus far about the two crossing signs...from the girl dog Fixins...

"Really?," Fixins says, "I am SO not bocking like a chicken to get to use this gate!"​

Decent security camera system at one of the big box stores will run you in the range of around $500...I would avoid security system companies because I am thinking you or your handy man can run cable just as well and will not run you into the hole for five or so grand...blah! Keep in mind that residents like squirrels can chew thru any cables, so string your cable where they don't conflict with the rodent's normal thru fares.

Check to ensure the system has a monitor...the one we bought did not even though the display had one...duh...so check the contents LISTING on the package for the system you buy, or just open it up and see what is there and not. Seems a lot cheaper to get the cameras and such as a bundle and then go buy a monitor at another big box store...computer desk top model monitor works fine and if you need connectors and such, go to the electric wholesalers instead of the company that makes the system...it seems the ADD ON parts are overly priced...camera system itself is economical but they seem to get you on the additional parts and gizmo's.


And third and lastly. I think it is HIGH time you had a barbeque at your house out on your big ol' porch and patio in front of all those neighbours...I am talking a very thorough affair where you order up lots of Porterhouse (not T-bone, we are talking quality cuts of beef...nothing but the very BESTEST) steaks, get a sack of potatoes, and a mess of that new corn that's out and maybe the fixins for a nice romaine Caesar salad (extra greens can be fed during the BQ to the birds as treats!)...when I make my Caesar's I use a blender--add in all the regular ingredients for normal dressing but add mozzarella cheese to make it creamy and extra special...blend the whole mixture and num num...extra dietary greens!

Who are you inviting...every single BIG intimidating MAN you know... If I did not already reside with Mr. Intimidator himself, I could personally invite a ton of intimidation myself...ex military, ex cops, ex bikers, ex security forces...would be an interesting kind of dinner party conversation and I would have to watch the seating arrangements but I mean you are going to think of every big <albeit loveable teddy bear> man you know and invite them over the next weekend or so.

Do you know when the Dufus next Door is home? Plan the "affair to remember" and have all these good ol' boys swing on by. Feed them, let them make their presence known, heck if you explain the reason for the get together when they arrive, maybe a few of the boys can sydle on over to HIS HOUSE and have a little "talk" with the fella on HIS porch. If you know a few that can sport some "off duty" on the way home from work uniforms, side arms, tasers, the more the better that just happened to drop by because their FAVOURITE SIL IS HAVING A GATHERING ...Heck, as a single lady of the former forces you should make this an ANNUAL EVENT! A tax write off on your security system. An annual refreshener course that the nice lady next door that has ALL the animals has these friends.

Sadly, the only language dolts like this understand is force and intimidation. As per Rick's own advice...if someone is going to rattle our cage down here...we are going to react WAY overboard ourselves to the threat. Nobody, I mean NOBODY wants to mess with the psycho maniacs (can you see the eye twitch and the Crocodile Dundee sized blade come out to peel off the apple slices?) so in times past when we had someone who maybe THOUGHT we didn't know where the bear crapped in the Buckwheat, Rick and a few of his friends have paid visits on people that thought maybe we could be an entertaining target to amuse them bullies.

The thing about bullies is they always choose to intimidate a nice person...one like yourself that is kind, giving, and caring. Nothing wrong with you being that way...and don't you DARE change because many of us like you just that way. Just make sure to have a BQ in the near future to make sure the neighbourhood KNOWS why you can be kind, caring and giving...I'm a flake myself and giddy with excessive happiness in my life...because back in the shadows, stands the man I married with the stony grim gaze that will willingly remove any thoughts of harvesting from the giddy one, that would be me; the easy mark. I can be me because I'm backed up by a fate worse than death.

Brutes only understand force and you need to entertain a force to be reckoned with--GOOD TIMES! Stay Sweet...enjoy your retirement--entertain a few of yer rowdy friends now and again! Keep things in perspective, eh?

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[ozexpat]

canuck - i am in the midst of replacing gates like yours because they are nothing more than step ladders

stuff keeps the honest criminal out - makes them move onto the next place but wont stop a crazy neighbor.if its about stealing, then its risk versus reward. if its about crazy people then its a different story.

most chicken folk cant afford triple perimeter fencing

 

[bamadude]

Im sticking to my guns on this issue. And its finally speedo weather. Yay

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Im sticking to my guns on this issue. And its finally speedo weather. Yay

It's even Speedo weather in winter, here, if you're crazy enough.