Here we touch on some organic ways of keeping or removing animals and insects in your garden, including rabbits, mosquitos, pollinators, and chickens. Farmers looking for more detailed information about livestock or poultry should check out our Manitoba Farm Mentorship program.

Rabbits

If rabbits are eating your lettuce more quickly than you are, there are a few methods you might want to consider for keeping them out of your garden. Build a fence using chicken wire, sprinkle bloodmeal around your garden, or distract these furry critters by planting their favourite food sources somewhere else - even rabbits need to eat.

One aspect of being an organic grower is helping to maintain and increase biodiversity in your area. A rabbit may actually be a sign that your neighbourhood has a healthy ecosystem. An abundance of rabbits may slowly begin to attract predators such as hawks.

Mosquitos

 If you live in Winnipeg, one of the first things you'll want to do to maintain pesticide-free food is register for a buffer zone around your property. During the spring and summer, the city of Winnipeg regularly sprays for mosquitos and canker worms. While the 100m and 30m buffer zones would not qualify your food for certified organic status, it will reduce pesticide contamination to your vegetables and fruits.

To naturally minimize the number of mosquitos in your yard, remove any sources of standing water. Cover rain barrels with screens or lids to prevent mosquitos from laying eggs in your barrel. Some species of birds eat mosquitos, so a bird-friendly garden will benefit you.

Health Effects of Pesticides

Pollinators

Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds are examples of the pollinators that our food system depends on. Pollinators allow flowering plants to produce fruit, giving us the fruit and vegetables that we eat. Many pollinator species are threatened right now, and while there are conflicting theories about the reasons for this, providing a habitat for these insects and birds will help eliminate the stress of dwindling pollinator populations. 

To attract these winged creatures to your yard, include a wide variety of blooming plants. Native species tend to be higher in nectar and pollen than exotic varieties, which are usually bred for their appearance. Heritage and heirloom seeds are a good place to start if you're looking for plants that will be most beneficial to pollinators.

Urban Chickens

Over 300 cities across North America allow urban dwellers to raise hens. Winnipeg has not yet approved backyard chickens within city limits (quail are considered pets, so they're okay), but there are a number of people who continue to work at getting a bylaw passed to change this. If this interests you, check out some of the resources here.

Read to find out what progress has happened in Winnipeg so far:

June 15, 2010 - Winnipeg Ponders Backyard Chickens (CBC article)

July 7, 2010 - Councillors Chicken Out On Backyard Coops (Winnipeg Free Press article)

Learn more by watching the documentary film Mad City Chickens

Join the Facebook group Chickens for WinnipEGGers

Sign the petition Winnipeg for Urban Chickens