"~patches~" > wrote in message
...
> Last year a rabbit started hanging out around the yard. It looks to be a
> cast-off pet as I can get within a foot of it. I shooed it off everytime
> I saw it. I didn't find any evidence of it being in the gardens. The
> past week or so, it has reappeared and there are signs of damage in the
> garden. It has nipped off anything that is sprouting in the vegetable
> including herbs and flower gardens. Now this is war! I sprinkled a
> healthy dose of cayenne pepper around the vegetable beds to discourage it
> before I start planting. The darn thing has clipped a lot of DH's
> sprouting business - maple trees - so more cayenne pepper. I have no
> choice but to trap this thing. I'm tempted to turn the little bugger into
> rabbit stew! Any good recipes?
==========

I had the same problem a couple of years ago...

One suggestion, mix the cayenne pepper and some black pepper with a light
vegetable oil and spray it on the plants; otherwise, the pepper just blows
off in the wind and/or rain.

Supposedly sprinkling ferret droppings will keep rabbits, moles, and
squirrels away... Another option is to lightly sprinkle wood ashes on and
around the plants. Both options are given in a book by Jerry Baker. <shrug>
I haven't tried the droppings or the ashes.

As for when you catch, kill, and clean the rabbit (or any squirrels that
become bothersome)- I suggest the following:

Squirrel (Rabbit) Stroganoff-style


6-7 slices Bacon, diced
2 Squirrels (1 rabbit) cut into serving pieces
3/4 cup Flour
2 1/2 tsp dry Mustard
1 1/2 tsp Thyme
1/2 tsp Pepper
1 1/2 tsp Salt
3/4 cup Chicken Broth
1 large Onion, diced
4 oz Mushrooms, sliced
1 TBSP Butter
2 cups Sour cream
Grapes, halved (handful of)
1/4 cup Sherry
Minced Parsley


Fry Bacon until crisp and set aside.


Roll meat pieces in the flour mixed with herbs/spices, using all
of the flour mixture if possible, and
brown meat over medium heat. Takes about 15 minutes to do this.


Add the chicken broth, cover and simmer until the saddle pieces
seem tender (15 minutes)


While the meat is simmering, sauté the onion and then the
mushrooms in butter and set aside.


When done, remove the meat temporarily and stir in the sour
cream, grapes, onion & mushrooms.
Make sure the sour cream melds with the other ingredients and if
necessary, add a bit of hot water.
Simmer for 5 minutes but do not let it boil.


Now stir in the sherry, add bacon & meat and simmer just until
the meat is heated again. Garnish
with parsley.