The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: plumseverywhere on January 01, 2011, 04:20:05 pm
-
so there we were tucked up in bed last night happily watching fireworks after midnight through the window (well from about 8pm to be honest) when along came 4 chinese lanterns bobbing along straight in the direction of my goat shed/field. I did swear and was told by hubby that I was being unreasonable but...him working for NFU shoudl really have a better understanding about what these things can do surely?! apart from spooking animals and possible consequences of that, I know someone who's goat kid swallowed what was believed to be lantern wire caught up in its hay. the kid died and not a nice death :(
I'm not a miseryguts, honest but we live in a village and our particular half mile of village is sparcely populated by people but densely populated by sheep, horses, poultry, donkeys and my goats. I just can't believe that people are letting them off literally feet away from livestock.
ok, rant over. probably my only rant of 2011. honest.
-
they do travel miles i found one in local field with handwriting on (postcode) of dover so thats a fair few miles to cover about 150-175 miles. but still not good i dont like them due to the reason you explained killing livestock
-
I know what you mean - Mother-in-law put one in our christmas sack and after ready the instructions and a ponder it went in the bin - I think it said virtually no wind, not by trees etc - we're pretty exposed and always have wind and are next to a square of pine trees - I could just see the whole lot going up before it even reached the goat shed!
-
I must admit that I hadn't thought about livestock and we did let four off. I hope it's not too bad in the middle of Birmingham but I won't get any more :-[
Ian
-
there were quite a few went over here last night... my husband said "how pretty" so he got my lecture on how dangerous they are to livestock!
I will now tell him your goat story Plums - that'll teach him ;)
I did smile though, recalling the first ones we ever saw... and I convinced my father in law they were UFOs!
-
Ian it was your 4 then!!! lol, only kidding, well they do look pretty and if I wasn't keeping goats/living next to sheep etc I probably wouldn't have really twigged the damage they do
little blue - they do look like ufo's don't they lol!! was wondering how many drunks were looking at them last night and panicking.
but if they can travel that far it could be they were let off in the city so I can't moan at our neighbours ;)
-
I bought some :-[
BUT in my defence they're made of rice paper and a wooden circular support - no risk to animals (unless they get close enough to catch fire !) ;)
Unfortunately hubby decided to try setting some off last night ::) Cue quick dash onto the trampolene at midnight to free the burning thing off the top rail ! ::)
I doubt it'll ever be wind free enough here for them to work :(
-
Thats awful! poor animal. I have often wondered about these chinese lanterns - where they end up and what happens to them. There are wild animals and birds to consider as well as livestock - they are definitely NOT a good idea.
-
They're a pretty way of spreading litter onto random people's land. Would you throw one onto your neighbour's land?
-
I think the ones Karen got are ok.
-
I'm sorry but I don't get this.
If I walk through the park and drop a crisp packet then I'm a litter lout but if I float it through the air it's OK? Seems to me to be much the same. Mind you the local sport round here is to steal and car and torch it in the country lanes. Usually its a Vauxhall because there aren't any Chinese cars to nick.
-
I got given some, but mine are solar ones that you can hang up outside in the garden and they look pretty. I think I will I stick to them!
Beth
-
I have to say its the first time I've seen them here and I was so livid! next morning I was out there crack of dawn with torch looking for bits of lantern before the goats came out, luckily none in their paddock but they must have landed somewhere - cows, horses, sheep, donkeys and poultry all within seconds of our land.
you are so right, it is litter! sometimes we get bits of balloon landing in our field, quite often from the wacky warehouse 5 or so miles away, very annoying.
-
I agree the risk to animals is a concern regards the wire. I do however have a soft spot for them and they are available without wire; what they should do is if they are to be allowed make them only available wire free and go from there.
-
I agree the risk to animals is a concern regards the wire. I do however have a soft spot for them and they are available without wire; what they should do is if they are to be allowed make them only available wire free and go from there.
I agree, that's why I specifically bought ones made of wood and rice paper - totally bio-degradable and causing no more risk than twigs would :-[ but I feel like the wicked witch of the west now :(
-
I'm a bit of an ignoramus here - what are they?
-
It's a small hot air balloon heated and illuminated by a nightlight so that it floats on the breeze looking ever so cute and romantic until the candle goes out and it land on your lawn next to the four crisp packets, half a pork pie and a part-digested curry the drunks left.
They are loved by the launch party and loathed by the unwilling recipients. Up until recently they contained wire which killed a few cows and horses - Farming Today had a go at the importers.
-
The ones I have don't even have a tealight, it's a piece of cardboard impregnated with wax to fuel it ;)
I'm a totally responsible litter bug ;D (but I'm not really cos after 2 days, there's almost none of the rice paper left to see)
-
Enjoy your moments ;) :bouquet: Who knows maybe the gods will favour you ;D :wave:
-
We have had people letting them off our campsite in the summer - they look really fantastic, yes. But its not exactly ideal when the lifeboat and coastguard are called out by people mistaking them for flares - they are also incredibly dangerous if they were to fall to the ground whilst still alight. We would never give permission to punters to let these things go they are just too much potential trouble.
Baz
-
We spent NYE in A & E (long story but happy ending) we left just after midnight and watched the fireworks on the 40 min journey home, there were quite literally hundreds of these being let off, very pretty to watch, however we then came upon the 'dead' ones in the middle of the dual carriageway and worse still as we came into the town one came down still fully ablaze and caught on a drainpipe of a house, we had to turn round at the next roundabout to make sure it had gone out, we couldnt leave it in case the occupants of the house went up in smoke!! I am not a party pooper, I even bought my daughters these for Christmas last year, they are still in the box, once i realised the damage they were doing to crops in the summer, also wire framed ones getting caught up in machinery and to livestock, in the box is where they will stay.
-
I've put a post on Facebook not to buy them.