“We are Neighbors” – MaineHowls.org
What is Sustainable Farming?
So what is your definition of it……???.
Yes! In order for it to be “sustained”…to continue on in to the future, we are to make use of the Natural Resources of our farm in such a manner, that the ecological balance and biodiversity remains intact. That means that the carnivores need to be present because they are the ones who do that work.
So we are learning ways to coexist with them in a harmonious manner. And how do we do that? First keep stable coyote families on your farm. Second, use good animal husbandry practices. And one of those is the Use of Guardian Animals.
So now I am going to share with you an email one of our farmers sent to me. She and her husband are one of the leaders in practicing sustainable farming. They use Guardian Maremma dogs to guard their sheep and their farm, and have coexisted very peacefully until…… Here is her email
“My neighbor went on a coyote trapping and killing spree, and trapped 12 coyotes this past winter. We definitely have a new pack, who need to learn, once again, the social order of our farm. Coyotes have been pressing close, with the dogs working hard.
It does sadden me, because we had such harmony here and now we have a brazen group who need to learn, once again. I like the group we had! It is a sad one, and now a noisy one as the dogs are barking and working during the day more. Grendall, my family guardian Maremma, is just busy barking and keeping a closer eye on the children and the farm. He comes in and sleeps at night, though. So, he can zonk out then. My one 20 acre remote pasture that is wooded and hilly has the dogs working in there very hard.
Sad and noisy day here at our Farm…”
Stable coyote families are a valuable benefit on our farms. But the year round killing of our Native Wild Dogs throws their complex social world into chaos. And as you can see from this email, this killing greatly affects our farmers too…in very negative ways.