We grow strawberries, and the birds get a lot more than we do if we don't net
the beds. This year Karen built a raised strawberry bed about 3x10', and she now
wants to put bird netting over it. It has to be something you can also take the
netting off of so you can work on the bed, pick berries, etc.

I was thinking of a sort of quonset hut arrangement with some long skinny whippy
bendy things bent into half-hoops over the bed, and we could just lay the bird
net over the frame. I was thinking of something like the stuff they make mobile
ham antennas out of. Only problem is I don't have a clue where to buy it. Green
bamboo would be nice too, if it will bend in a 3' diameter, doubt it would. I
was thinking of heavy electrical wire, but I don't have any, and 100' or so of
say 6 gauge copper would run some do-re-mi.

Ideas?

Grant Erwin
Kirkland, Washington
Two suggestions.... maybe three....
1/2" black pvc flexible water line - cut to length, use dowels in the
end to stake it into the ground...
or.
since the "bed" is only 3 x 10 - how 'bout buying a few "hula-hoops"
and using the plastic from them (although the black pvc would be
cheaper than the hoops)
or..
make a quick and dirty wooden framework, with the netting stapled to
it so the whole framework can be tilted up and out of the way while
working the bed.
HTH
Ken.