Living With Our Bears
We live next door to the forest and so the bears are our neighbors. In spring, summer and fall, they come to Hollybrook to visit and dine of our delicious smelly garbage. They do not hesitate to come out in broad daylight and they are not as shy as we wish they were. We have built our trash containers to accommodate the bears without them having the need to get destructive.
If you are having difficulty with bears and trash, please reach out to board members for ideas on how to keep our trash contained and bears safe.
Here is a link for straps you can purchase:
https://trashlockers.com/?srsltid=AfmBOorcZi3Hi-R_yVAq1183PFDCcYLT74b97kVlMsLy9M2L5suTftep
Use your garbage disposal
Chain or securely tie down your trash container
Use your garbage disposal
Use the disposal as much as you possibly can with anything that will be nice and smelly to attract the bears to your trash. They have a very keen sense of smell. If you do not have a working garbage disposal, double bag the smelly stuff. Better yet, freeze it until garbage pick up.
Do not feed the bears
Chain or securely tie down your trash container
Use your garbage disposal
Do not set out any kind of food that will attract the bears. They will not hesitate to come visiting you if you have left out food for them and you are endangering all of your neighbors. Some of their favorites are birdseed, watermelon, oranges, pumpkin, and trash.
In Hollybrook, we have experienced a bear climbing up to a second story deck after birdseed or tearing a deck storage box apart to get the trash inside.
Chain or securely tie down your trash container
Chain or securely tie down your trash container
Chain or securely tie down your trash container
Bag all garbage before dropping in garbage can to reduce the odors. Once the bears have had some fine dining at your can , they will remember your can and come back repeatedly for more.
If you are having regular visits, chain the lid of your trash can down to deter the bear from making a mess.
If the bears make a mess with your trash, you are responsible for cleaning it all up.
Chain or securely tie down your trash container
Living With Our Ducks
We are very fortunate to have a healthy pond that will support a nesting pair of ducks. Each year we watch the mom duck hatch several broods of ducklings over the spring and summer. Sadly we have to watch nature take some of the ducklings away but we enjoy them still.
Safely Feed the Ducks
Safely Feed the Ducks
Safely Feed the Ducks
- Cracked Corn
- Wheat, barley or similar grains
- Oats (uncooked; rolled or quick) Birdseed (any type or mix)
- Grapes (cut in half or quartered if very large)
- Nut hearts or pieces (any type but without salt or flavoring)
- Frozen peas or corn (defrosted, no need to cook)
- Earthworms·Mealworms (fresh or dried)
Do Not Feed the Ducks
Safely Feed the Ducks
Safely Feed the Ducks
- Bread
- Chips
- Crackers
- Popcorn
- Bread-type products
- Food Scraps
Safely Feed the Ducks
*Feel free to feed our duck families, but remember.......... if they saw where you came from, they will come visit you at home.