In the past few years there has been an increase in the reported cases of lyme disease in human and pets in the state of Virginia. In the past we didn’t have such a concern with lyme disease but cases of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Rather then go into a lengthy explanation about vector-borne diseases I’d like for you to use the link below to do a bit of reading and research.  Even if you live in town it doesn’t mean you won’t have a tick problem. My sister lives on Westover and her flea and tick problem is far worse then mine. I’d like to provide you with the information and this post will focus on protecting your pets and family. This summer will be worse then you can imagine. Please plan ahead.

Vector-borne Disease Control

The first line of defense is your lawn where you pets and family spend time. If you MUST use a chemical spray such as Cutters which last for 8 weeks and fits on a hose-end sprayer, please follow these guidelines carefully;

• Spray after you’ve cut your lawn.
• Spray early in the morning before the heat of the day sets in or in the evening.
• Allow 24 hours before pets or humans walk on treated grass. Spray the backyard one day and the front yard the next so you can safely let your pet out to potty.
• Carefully monitor your children and pets after.

Any chemical can have harmful side effects so it’s important to use only as needed and take the extra precautions.  If you have a big lawn perhaps you could spray the outer areas, bushes and avoid the direct area where your pets and children are.  After a few days there is less chance of the chemical entering the skin and blood stream. Still many pets eat grass and you need to be prepared to supervise.

Natural Flea and Tick Treatments for Lawns

Diatomaceous Earth Food Grade 10 Lb
Diatomaceous Earth - This fossilized skeletons of tiny aquatic organisms. When untreated, the razor sharp edges of this mined product scratch the exoskeletons of hard bodied insects, making them susceptible to fatal attack from natural organisms in the soil. Application rate: Dry: 1 lb. per 500 sq. ft. Solution: 2 tbs. per gal. of water. As a food supplement for pets: 1-2% of food volume.

Diatomaceous Earth will not work right away. You should also reapply every month. You can mix it as a paste and in a hose-end sprayer or by a powder applicator and puff dust around your yard. Sounds like a pain but it works and it will not harm pets, children, wildlife and the environment.

In addition I also use:

Farnam Central Life 3002536 Equisect Fly Repellent - Approved by the OMRI and the EPA. Contains the botanical repellent PyGanic. Also contains botanical and essential oils of citronella, clove stem, thyme, and corn mint. Although it’s a horse fly spray it is approved to kill ticks and fleas on dogs and cats. I use it here. I buy the 32 oz spray bottle then a gallon ( Equisect Gallon
) and refill. Once a week you spray lightly and deeply brush into the coat. Then once a day when you take your fur baby potty give them a quick light spray on the legs and belly. The gallon is 40 bucks but when you consider the price you pay for Frontline and the like it’s very affordable. In fact along with my other treatments I’ll put Equisect in a hose-end sprayer, set it at 3 teaspoons per gallon and spray it in my dog yards, on my fence, etc. It has an oil base and should stick just fine for a while. So I can kill fleas, ticks, other insects AND keep the flies away? I’m definitely signed up for that!

Last year we used a Garlic concentrate which worked great IF I applied it often but it was very expensive over an entire season.

If you have questions or comments let me know in the comments section below.

What this means is that even once you’ve found an awesome food do a search online now and then to make sure its still awesome and hasn’t been recalled. Thats right even the companies with the best intentions rely on human error, greed and profit margins. A perfect example is Nutra Pet produces of some top name brand dog foods such as Evo, California Naturals, Mother Nature and Innova has recently sold to Proctor and Gamble.  Here is an article about it

You should also know that Proctor and Gamble owns Iams and Eukanuba. Iams was petitioned by Peta for animal testing. Read more about Animal Testing.  Long term how will this affect the Nutra Pet foods has got many of us greatly concerned.

Read this site to see the poor dogs used in Iams testing. Trust me you won’t buy it again: http://www.iamscruelty.com/photos.asp

Even the superior food I feed my dogs “Taste of the Wild” owned by Diamond Pet foods produce products in the past that were part a huge recall. Since then it seems that the company cleaned up their act and realized the huge losses in not providing a premium safe product. I search monthly making sure there are no changes in processing.

The bottom line is that you’ll need to continue to research and then watch the health of your dog. If you can consider making your dogs food.  If you want a reality check read this site: http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/ If it scares you it should.

If you would like an excellent book on natural pet health including cat and dog foods you can make at home check out: Dr. Pitcairn’s New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats Do yourself and your beloved pet a favor and take the time to read it. You can spend the money and time now or later at the Vet.

I am researching several companies to see if we can purchase free range meats at an affordable cost along with fruits and veggies to make dog food that can be stored in the freezer. If we all pull together perhaps we can find an affordable option for our pets. If you’re interested please email me and be sure to subscribe to our blog for updates.

Adding to tomato confusion, the government is about to start testing numerous other types of fresh produce in the hunt for the source of the nation’s record salmonella outbreak — even as it insists tomatoes remain the leading suspect.

Click here to read more

or

How do Tomatoes Get Salmonella – From Poop to Produce

Federal health officials are still trying to pinpoint the source of the salmonella-tainted tomatoes that sickened at least 167 people in 17 states since April and claimed the life of a Texas cancer patient. How can salmonella, a bacterium that normally lives inside animal intestines, get on your tomatoes? Click here to read more

We are committed in helping families grow healthy, SAFE and affordable fresh foods for your family. We have so many programs to help you do this right in your own backyard completely automated. Let us help you setup a few raised beds or if space allows we’ll set up a completely automated greenhouse for you AND get as involved in its operation as you need us to. No matter your space YOU, ANYONE can grow healthy pesticide, SAFE food. Call or email us for more information.

In addition they can also provide other home services inside and out- install gutters, decks, fix outlets, light plumbing, painting, debris removal, repair and install doors, windows, lights, alarms, plant irrigation, fencing and much more. No job too big or small. Call or email me for the number.

434-685-1673

If you feed your dog quality food they won’t have to eat as much to feel satisfied and they will stay healthy and trim. You will notice less shedding, a healthy coat, better vitality and the poops will not only be smaller but it won’t smell as bad as it does when feeding commercial dog food. This is enough proof for me!

Here is a site that has recipes for dog treats. Many of them we use here at Dancing Creek Farm. Thankfully we have our own chickens and grow quite a bit of produce. Much of the produce grown here is used to feed the animals. During growing season our guest enjoy added “treats” to their normal diet such as- Baby Bok Choi, Romaine Lettuce, yummy yellow pear tomatoes (less acid), sweet potatoes, peas, collards greens, melons and other fruits. You’d be surprised how much dogs LOVE lettuce and fruit. You’ve seen video of our Princess Sadie that is VERY fussy but she LOVES peanut butter, yogurt and peaches! She gets so distracted with all the fun going on but she has a hard time passing up banana yogurt!

Another great addition is enzymes to help the digestive tract and the absorption of nutrients. Antioxidant support is also a key factor in longivity and overall health. We will be carrying products for pick up from http://www.nzymes.com of course you can order online or pick up when you pick up your baby. These products are good for you too!

Because I have several large dogs I can’t afford to feed organic meats but I can certainly feed them meats made for human consumption. For instance these are a few of my dogs meals. I still feed them a quality food which we now carry for resell at the farm, however thanks to Sam’s Club now in Danville, I can buy meat at a great price.

Fridays Fish Dinner

Canned Fish- this can be tuna packed in water. Jack Mackerel, Salmon – Of course these are also high in sodium so I make sure they only get this once a week. A little garlic clove (minced is fine), a fresh boiled egg, peas or whatever veggie I am growing or there is on sale in a can. Every meal gets a goo dollop of plain yogurt with active cultures.

Where’s the Beef???

I buy large packages of lean beef. At Sam’s they have 80% lean which is fine. I portion it out to about 1/2 a cup raw meat. Sometimes I add raw egg or I whip out the food processor and whip up romaine, strawberries, blueberries, cooked carrots or whatever i happen to have but I make sure they get their veggies. I might add a bit of brown rice but I only give them rice a few meals a week.

Cluck, Cluck

Chicken has gone up in price but if you buy right you can get some deals at Sam”s Club. I buy chicken thighs which are easy to take out the bone. Some people give it raw with the bone but I’m not sure I’m comfortable with this so I bake a large batch and the bone removes easily. One (two for large dogs) is enough then I add a little cayenne pepper, yogurt, rosemary and oregano all which are great for digestive, heart, blood circulation and even joint pain. In fact if you have a dog with joint pain use curry. They love it! Then I add a bit of yogurt and whatever veggies I’m doing that week. Tomatoes are great & even throw in a few grapes!

You can buy chicken livers in big tubs or other organ parts. This is a great addition too. I also add a fish oil gel pill (I buy at Walmart or Sam’s CHEAP) to one meal and of course the enzymes and other supplements depending on the dogs needs.

If you don’t have time to make fresh meals then contact me and I will work out a plan and make it for you. You can easily freeze and pick up monthly or if you want fresh pick up once a week. I can design meals for your dogs special needs, add vitamins or whatever you need. In the summer I will also include frozen treats which the dogs lover using active yogurt and fruit. They LOVE this!

This spring and summer we expect to be even busier then last. Starting Feb you should book ahead. We hope to expand this year and put stables in for horse boarding. We would also like to put some facilities in for people to come out and spend a day or a few hours with their dogs. Its a great way to meet friends and let your dog have some fun with others. Make sure you’re on our mailing list for updates.

Happy New Year & thank you for your business!

My son Michael Fricano and Amanda Wile will be married on August 18th, 2007. My son Michael is a fitness trainer at Perfect Body Fitness in Danville. Amanda’s family owns the fitness center and works there. They met at the gym and the wedding will also be held at the gym.  They are both personal fitness trainers so if you’re looking to get in shape contact me and i’ll give them your number!