Sorry to be the naysayer, but large, riding mules, don't make the best protection animals for sheep. Larger mules are haters of small things, can be VERY rough on littler animals, calves, colts and sheep. They both bite and kick them to show dominance. Mules may hate dogs more, but certainly are not the best with small animal, mixed livestock herds. Locally, the sheep folks use the donkeys available from the Bureau of Land Management that come around with sales. They sell donkeys(burros) and mustangs, usually pretty inexpensively. Donkeys do a superb job of sheep protection. Get along with the sheep well, just are rather small animals for riding. Some are trained to drive, but you need training skills first. You do have to prevent donkeys from eating the sheep feed (contains urea, will founder or poison equines) and over-eating on rich grass. Sheep and donkey also need seperate salt mineral blocks, no copper for sheep, poison. Horses need the copper but no urea. Donkey or mule, they WILL FOUNDER if let get too fat, eat rich Spring grass. Once foundered, they founder more easily again at the next chance. Foundered, mules or donkey can't protect the sheep, or be used for riding or driving. Donkey will need hoof trimming a couple times a year if ground is not hard or rocky to wear hoof off. Best method if donkey is not well trained, is for vet to tranquilize him, tie legs up, then trim by farrier. Sounds rough, but safest for the people, donkeys kick HARD and FAST, can be deadly if they catch you in the head. Donkeys look sleepy and soft, quite deceiving. They will both bite and kick, like snakes striking when they feel threatened. Well trained, they can be fine pets, live for MANY years. Mules are pretty special, takes a certain kind of handling to get along with them. You might check for a local Mule and Donkey Association in your state, learn about them BEFORE you invest. Horses are usually easier on beginners, you can always advance to the mules later. We had a mule, molly about 14,2h, She just was very different from horses. She attacked the sheep, chasing and biting at them, could strike with the front hooves at a full gallop. Tried to kill the dog, who thought she was playing. Dog was fast enough to keep clear, mule was young and inexperienced. My Grandma had warned us about mules and small animals. Said they even went after children, if they were small. This mule was respectful of adult people, but we had a little kid coming along, doing children things including being disobedient. So we sold the mule to a man who LOVED her, trained her to plow in his farm garden. We didn't have to worry about a disobedient child going out in the field (when told NOT TO) to pet the horses. Taking no chance on having the mule decide to be bad. Not worth being sorry about later. Good luck with your project. Get VERY educated about Mules and Donkey before purchase. They are NOT horses, think very differently. May or may not work for you. We were just not Mule folks, like our horses better.

Hi there, netxtown et al.! Interesting discussion. Thank you, twosonsmama, for alerting people to the fact that sticky traps are inhumane. While we cannot allow rats or other critters to take up residence under, or in, our homes, there is no need to make them suffer a long and painful death. My question is directed to netxtown, or anyone who would like to answer. I like the idea of the mothballs as a deterrent! My question is: my MH has been in its current location for about seven years now. The former owners, one of my best friends, told me they have never had a rat, mouse, cockroach, or any other unwanted pest, other than the occasional small ant problem. So I wonder, would you recommend that I use the mothball deterrent just as a sort of pre-emptive strike? It wouldn't be very expensive, but on the other hand, I don't like to spend money unnecessarily. I'm thinking about this because my home is in a very rural area, literally surrounded by farms. I'm interested in all opinions! :-)

Just one mule....but I also have 3 donkeys, Amos, Moses and Hobo. However, the mule situation may be changing. I am pretty sure that Mariah is in foal, and if so, she will have a mule foal. The only one that is rideable is Mariah. Badger's Nightlight....whom I call Hell Bitch, after the gray mare in Lonesome Dove, was broke to ride and even a trained cutting horse at one time but she loves to buck....so much so that her former owner considered selling her to a rodeo contractor. She is the best one of the bunch to handle in almost every way, however. Good about her feet, fly spray, bathing, etc. Tue Lo was my daughter's horse and hasn't been ridden in about 20 or more years. My daughter never had very much interest in horses. Gypsy has never been ridden....was an "accident" and when she came along, I had my hands full taking care of Ken, the old man I looked after for 8 years. Sabrina, the mule, is broke to ride but I am reluctant to ride her. She is so quick....I am afraid she would turn out from under me. Plus, I don't have a saddle to fit her. She has no withers to speak of, and she is so fat....like a barrel. I rescued her from an auction where she was destined to go to a kill buyer. I wish I knew more about her background. I believe she may have had a Tennessee Walker or some gaited horse mother because she picks her feet up very high. She has had some training...will hand you her foot if you ask for it and she is good to handle in almost all ways. My friend rode her at the sale barn but I haven't felt lucky...so she is just a pet. Here is a picture of Badger's Nightlight. There is a story to go along with her too. A woman I know went to a consignment sale with 2 other people. She wanted to buy Badger's Nightlight...for her 76 yr old mother, no less...didn't know she bucks...and asked the lady she was traveling with to buy her and she would pay for her when she got back. Well, she didn't have the money, so the lady was going to give her to a guy that is well known for how mean he is to his animals, so she came to me, crying about it. I loaned her $400 to buy the mare but I said, "You have got to pay me back. I don't care if it is just $20 a month, you have got to pay me." She never paid me a dime. Three years later she gave me the mare. BNightlight has horrible teeth. She looks like someone busted her in the mouth because I have owned a lot of old horses and never saw teeth like that on a mare her age...although she was 20 at the time. So I work at keeping weight on her. She looks good but I soak her senior feed and feed her hay that is very fine. I don't ever want her to get down poor. (Actually, most of the time I call her Grandma.)

A good read Cathy. I also do many of the same practices but a 200 cell flat is as small as I go. A few other hints may help with your operation or sales. When transplanting I blow the basil plugs from plug flats onto a tray using a low pressure air hose. If you replant fast plants are not affected. The sales tip I heard years ago was to offer variety 6 packs. One of 6 different basil varieties we called the "Pesto 6-Pac". Other combos include "Medicinal 6-Pac", "Salsa 6-Pac", "Seasoning 6-Pac"....etc. Those 6-packs will fly of your sales tables.