There is a smallish, solar-powered, electric fence charger, for under $100. If you get one of them, and run a strand of electric wire around the planned patch, it should keep the cows out. If you put a notice up in the local feed store, etc., you might get one used for less. The larger version says it is good for a couple of miles of fence, so a little one should do for a pumpkin patch. You just mount it on a T-post, facing south, and pound in a ground rod next to it. It will need to charge for a full day before you hook it to the fence, but you can do that prior to building the fence. It has a battery, so it can cope with a few cloudy days. And, as nosy as cows are, I would put the post and charger INSIDE the fence! If solar won't work because of too little sun, there are battery powered ones, running off either 9-volt batteries or car batteries. You do need to change the batteries, but they should keep the cows away. As far as I know, cows will eat ripe pumpkins, so they will probably eat the vines and immature ones as well. You WILL have to direct the vines back inside the fence as they grow, since they spread far and wide. If your grandad has any spoiled hay, it would make a good mulch, keeping the pumpkins off the wet ground and keeping the soil moster, making watering less critical.

Sujiwan: 1. The two common types of sour cherries are the Richmond type (of which Montmorency is one variety, Meteor is another), and the English Morello type, of which Northstar is one variety, as well as the new Surefire variety. Richmond type cherries have yellow flesh and lighter colored juice, while the Morellos have dark red interiors and produce a much darker juice. Montmorency is historically the dominant sour cherry variety planted in the U.S., so if you can remember that your grandmother's cherries had yellow interiors, the trees were almost certainly Montmorency if planted in the 50's or 60's. If the cherries were dark red inside they could have been the old English Morello, though that is less likely. The genetic dwarf Northstar was not yet around at that time. I have grown both types, and prefer the Montmorency, although there are enthusiastic partisans of the darker Morello cherries, which are more common in Europe. 2. The only major pest of sour cherries is the cherry fruit fly, which may not have been present at your grandmother's location, but is fairly common in the the mid-Atlantic region. I have seen it on my own cherries at pitting time, where it shows up as a small white worm surrounded by black frass, close to the pit. The best ways to deal with the cherry fruit fly are to pick the trees clean at the end of the season, which prevents the larvae in infested cherries from dropping down to the ground to pupate. It is also helpful to hoe around the base of the trees once or twice during the winter, which exposes pupae in the ground to cold and drying and kills them. I still grow sour cherries, and almost never see the fruit fly today, although we pick and freeze over 25 quarts every season, and still have some to give to the neighbors. I do not spray sour cherry trees except for dormant treatments with oil and copper. This helps to prevent aphids, and the copper helps to delay onset of bacterial canker disease, which is responsible for the early demise of most cherry trees in the Mid-Atlantic region. Branches showing canker infection should be removed as soon as they are identified, since the cankers can spread. 3. Birds can show great interest in sour cherries, depending on the species you have around and their numbers. Robins and Mockingbirds are the most common customers for cherries here, although a mature cherry tree can be so productive that there are usually enough for both birds and people. That has certainly been the case for me. I don't think we lose more that about 10% of the cherries to birds. 4. A Montmorency cherry on a full-size rootstock such as Mahaleb or Mazzard can become quite large -- as much as 25-30 feet when mature -- which can put most of the cherries out of range of your ladder unless the tree is regularly pruned down. Montmorency on a dwarfing rootstock such as Gisela 5 may be more practical for a smaller yard, especially if you want to minimize future pruning. My personal preference is for the Meteor variety, a Richmond type that mimics Montmorency in every respect, but has some genetic dwarfing that keeps the tree at about 12-14 feet. Meteor is usually available from Gurney's Nursery, though I don't see it at many others. I have grown a large Montmorency (now removed) a couple of Northstars (removed due to bacterial diease), and currently have two Meteors, one fully 25 years old and one youngster of 5 years. The older tree has seen some canker, but I keep pruning it off and the tree keeps producing lots of cherries. 5. For Denninmi: If you had Northstar trees, you have grown Morello type cherries. I agree that the Northstar is particular canker prone, and checks out early. I also found the Morello cherries to be slightly smaller and more tart, although the dark juice is beautiful. Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Lots of replies but I'd might as well join in: It's a three stage process. 1. No later than the middle of August, (in Delaware) make sure the area you think the chiggers call home is mowed, and/or sprayed with a good outdoor insecticide spray. Then make sure you use something with deet in it to spray around your shoe tops, sock tops and pants legs. 2. Because you just realized you've got a dandy case of chiggers and had forgotten number one, you should try to kill the chiggers that may be still sucking at the feeding tube (?) they inject the digestive enzyme that causes the pimples and itch. I use something with deet in it to lightly spray my legs up to the knees at least.* (It is said that chiggers don't burrow in but insert a feeding tube.) 3. Now use a dilute solution of vinegar and water in a very small basin. (I use a cup and a half of vinegar that seems about the right for the amount of WARM water). The reason for this is to neutralize as best you can, the digestive fluid already in your skin. A little soap will help the mixture to penetrate. (hopefully) Take your time and give the solution time to work. Do NOT use a towel. Let it dry. *I used to take a shower with a cake of dog flea soap which seemed to help (as soon as I realized I had chiggers). This does nothing to immediately stop the itch, but at least it prevents more places that itch. It is best to remember to do number one, but I never do. I walk through weeds on my way to the compost heap and get chiggers almost every year. This year was bad I think because of the frequent rains.

Thanks everybody! Jeanerz, I believe it was Kay who said to pour some detergent around a daylily. To repell ants. Chris, I need to google those flies, after I put vanilla on my skin I became an 'attraction' for some new flies I haven't seen before, pale orange with black transparent wings. Thanks Kay for Oil of Peppermint tip! I looked for it in Walmart but couldn't find, they told me to look at the baking aisle ;) People are complaining here about gnats, we didn't have those before! I heard a suggestion to put dryer sheets in your hair :) My Soul on Fire was one of the best performers last year and increased well as you can see in the pic. If you lost yours and want it again I can share. Bunnies have been behaving so far, knock on wood. Lalaland :) :) Get Shores of Time it is pretty! Though certainly not among my best budded and doesn't increase rapidly (which is actually a plus for me).