I think the LA series are very well built and if they aren't abused and are maintained will provide many years of service. They are not like the deeres of old but what is made like the days of old these days? not too many things. I took a LA165 home and used the 30 day promise to trade up to a x320 and am glad I did only due to having 3.5 acres of hills and inclines and I didn't think the LA series was enough tractor. I pull a 850lb yard roller and it's effortless and I weigh 240lbs with 90lbs of ballast in the tires. I think the john deere quality shows in all of their series but you can't compare them to the deeres of the past it's not a fair comparison. I spoke to several of the techs from several dealerships that said they have not seen a x320 in for tranny service in forever if that helps.

When I was a teenager, my mother thought chipmunks were cute. My Aunt next door cut down on the amount of cats & Mom was feeding them (the tree rats). The next thing we knew, there were chipmunks EVERYWHERE. Dozens of them, digging up all the bulbs & everything we planted. Emptying all the bird feeders. Running & playing & most of all multiplying. My Uncles were poisoning, trapping & shooting them until they finally got down to a manageable number. In later years, I had a Sheltie who thought it was her job to be on chipmunk patrol & she took it very seriously & kept them away. My Newf isn't that excited over such a small mouthfull but we have an Eskie who likes organic dog toys (mice & such are organic cat toys). Linda

once heard a speech at hosta college between the difference between urban and rural deer ... urban deer.. when hungry.. will eat just about anything ... especially under stress ... rural deer ... as babs notes.. have a lot of production crop to feed on during a big part of the season .. out here.. most damage.. comes in really bad winters ... after that speech i noticed the same effect with rabbits ... in suburbia.. with lawn warrior grass being pervasive.. rabbits go after your garden ... but out here with a former horse pasture that i call a lawn ... the rabbits browse the pasture buffet ... clover.. yarrow.. plantain ... rarely do they bother my gardens ... dont get caught up in your Disney/bambi world ... vermin are vermin ... no matter how cute and fuzzy they are ... and no matter how big they are ... if those two drop a youngin.. then next year you have 4 ... then 8 .. then etc ... if the golden is trained to the property.. let him chase them off next time ...no way he will ever catch them ... but they will get the idea he doesnt want them there ... enjoy looking at them.. on someone elses property .. lol ... ken

Whenever I see damage like this, I am reminded how lucky I am that the deer around here don't seem to know hostas are edible. They walk right by my hostas all the time, but it's frustrating how much they like any kind of flower buds. They regularly like to deadhead the flowers before they've opened. They also like the birdfeeders for the seed. It helps that we still have a lot of natural food for them. Even though I'm in a neighborhood it's hills and mountain sides so there's lots of wild growing weeds and trees they like to eat first. I think my flower buds are for dessert.