PossumCorner

Yes I'd read that response - doesn't do much to create confidence in any of the claims. The new apple cider vinegar (runs screaming).

Tks, I'll ask them on Sunday for more info. I was only thinking of growing some to line chook nest boxes to deter lice/mites - that's when I found all the legalities of procurement of seed and quantities and permits etc etc - it would cost a couple of thousand to set up a small plot and then it still wouldn't be an economic crop production-wise. Do-able, just not worth doing. A handful of agricultural lime does as well for the chooks, and costs about $10 to keep twenty pens pest-free for ten years or so. But I hadn't thought of hemp as being handy to grow for any other purpose - and would need to put in a few acres of it to get some investment back. Interesting though.

Thanks Snook, it must be hemp oil. Is it useful for anything?

What does it do for humans @juice - I haven't much thought about it. There is a grower/processor near us, fully reg. and all that, and sells the oil at markets for about $20 a small bottle (forget the quantity, could be 10 mil or 200mil, wasn't really paying enough attention to the sales talk). My arthritis is ramping up, is that what it's for, should I look out for it at market and try it? Is it taken like cough medicine, or applied externally?

I think Don Burke was and is still unfairly made the punching bag for the situation - then an now. It's a chicken and the egg thing. Show breeders had already cut off the supply to the general pet public who didn't give a toss about glowing pedigrees - who just wanted a good pet of the approximate breed/type they liked: big, little, quiet, active, pretty, smooth, fluffy whatever. The cross breds were already rock solid filling the gap when he came along and talked about them. Not everybody is dog mad, not everybody is gardening mad, not everyone just wanting a pup watched the show. Didn't need Don Burke to fill the petshop windows with pups, it was already done. Pure-bred breeders had shot themselves accurately in the foot already, yet he has always been blamed for doing it. Sure he gave things a push, but wouldn't have taken the big stand against 'the elitists' if they hadn't rounded on him with blame for something of their own responsibility. On the stats, I have no idea, but every farm in our district breeds and sells for the non-showing market. Usually pure-bred but not working dogs, more household backyard pets - never see them advertised, word of mouth places them. Not puppy-farming in any way, just their own pet dogs.

That's difficult - too easy from a distance to say his vet should have done some straightforward talking, not just hinting. @tdierikx I won't put any links re Jan Spate - but google picks up most of the newspaper articles - and maybe some for and against arguments. Of course with my closed mind I only accept the for. How bloody dare they, but they did.

Especially since Jan Spate was crucified by the system. Systematically. She was the best vet I ever knew, definitely my hero.

Oh NikkiandKane, so sorry, we share your grief. Rest peacefully beautiful Kane.

No images or links. ????

Totally depressing. There was an article, I think Liz Richardson's, in the (Vic) Weekly Times - something similar concerning the Show Horse Council, unfortunately it was used to light the fire before I could rescue it to read. It will be interesting to read their report on this EFA news in the WT, from an informed 'inside horse events' perspective rather than from a political reporter or even the EFA Board itself. @asal as this is dol, I agree with your concerns re ANKC, DogsVic etc also in danger of losing their way. But mostly I just grieve for what the establishment of the EFA was - the way forward - which has ended in people tearing themselves or others apart over the past few years. I wish the old Eques forum was still ticking along to get some insight, me being so out of touch these days. Any thoughts @WoofnHoof ??

So sorry to hear that Bruce is gone, the right choice but still so sad. Our old boy Jack will probably not see another winter after this one, and I am already dreading the day.

What, as opposed to having a nose stuck up somewhere else? No, no, I didn't say that.

Beagles are about the best - hope they have good years with you BJ.

We are coping with a blind dog now Mark powell - one of the key things as above is how much they rely on whiskers to not hit their face on things, if you get him clipped (what's his name by the way) be sure to ensure none of his whisker are clipped either by accident or intention. And use lots of touch in his day to day doings, because one day years from now, like most dogs he will lose some or a lot of hearing. That makes its own problems for communicating with a vision challenged dog, so being accustomed to some touch communication lessens that distress. He looks a super little dog, I hope all goes well for him. I also have a totally blind pony - and a lot of the same commonsense advice works well, like different footing near food and water, or around anything dangerous to walk into such as a tree (or a coffee table).

Is that a little mist of green grass? That's about what we have and it is so welcome. Just need another nice fall to back it up before it dries off. The euros will appreciate it, I was just looking at the "asparagus hay" shot. Oh and thanks, Cleo it is - I mean she is. This little fellow was snuffing around before the drop of rain, I hope it encouraged some ants to the surface for him to find a meal.

For a change from being so down about so much - just before Covid was upon us I had decided life would be better with a couple of peacocks posing around. I was offered a 'lend' of two very special ones, a pied girl and a white boy, whose home had been caught up in the bushfires. These are loosely under what with dogs we call breeder's terms, it doesn't have a name with poultry, not common. Then had the offer of two pairs at a low price as the owners had sold the farm and they had to be off the property urgently. Then was offered ten chicks only if I could take the ten - I only had room for six, but found a home for the other four. So suddenly I had twelve peacocks, another case of be careful what you wish for. Then Covid happened and I wasn't up to taking photos or much thinking of anything but CoronaVirus. This is the pied girl, who needs a name. and the white boy, who will be stunning when his tail/train is full size in spring (they moult their long tales every year). He also needs a name. And the Pea-chicks: growing fast, about half-size now and starting to get some colour. Two male and four female, that was lucky odds.

There are too many images of sheep looking at the sunset to think they are not actually looking at the sunset rather than gazing vacantly into space.

She's still lovely. Super shots Grumpette.

Any improvement is good - baby steps to start, they can't do it all at once. The ABC report gives the same basic information, but some slightly different emphasis. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-10/china-reclassifies-dogs-as-pets-not-livestock/12140312

Rest peacefully Jeune. So sorry LmO, we know what Jeune means to you, staying as a little part of your heart always.

You'd think we'd be a bit past intentionally infecting animals then killing them. Still, in the interests of science ..... @sandgrubber aside from the ferrety/stoatie beasties, are NZers looking at the possum invasion and thinking "we wish".

And she employs an excellent photographer.

I'm surprised at that, maybe the police should be a point of approach rather than Council: menacing is a thing, not just attacking resulting in bite. Menace doesn't have to mean full attack-mode threat, just an attitude causing fear.

If walking on the streets (and being aware in advance) pocket some ziplock bags of something absorbent - like sawdust or organic kitty litter rather than being caught in full view of the passing parade 'doing nothing'. I get away with doing nothing, one of the minor benefits of living semi isolated and no streets. Dogs are still walked out on lead because they have zero traffic comprehension and the farm utes all drive like it's Bathhurst on our dirt roads.

Sad and unfair, so sorry Sandgrubber. Resting peacefully now Patty, but so missed.