Possum wool winter clothes

[Rev]

Weve just bought in some woolens from NZ

http://www.nznature.co.nz/

a few different things but the quality is good

also good i think to support southern hemisphere manufacturing and especially the use of Fine Merino and feral possum wool from NZ

they have a few chinese items (with silk in it) but most in made in NZ

ive only just started doing my winter shopping

id rather spend the $ there than on heating bills

i reckon i can get away without turning on the heater till mid june, and stop using it by end august if we rug up right

that'll take a chunk out of last years $600 plus winter electricity bill

the possum wool thing seems to be catching. our local post office guy sports a possum beanie too

i figured the topics relevant here

dressing right is the start of energy conservation yeah?

and darn the feral possums

[watertrade]

I will do my bit to control the possums...

http://www.nznature.co.nz/ecofur2.htm

[elzar]

Yeah i agree on the dressing part.

I hate the fact that i need a jumper in summer when i enter an air conditioned room and why should people want to run heating when a jumper will do the trick??

[reshroomED]

I've eaten possum when I was a little kid but remember little more than that.

When I lived in Tassie, they supplied over 50% of my dog-meat. Big gastards over there.

The fur is *very* fine though (you can actually pluck one if so inclined) so should be excellent for clothing.

ed

[devance]

The U.S. possum.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didelphimorphia

http://www.possumrescue.com/

I like the NZ much better. .

http://www.nznature.co.nz/ecofur2.htm

[chilli]

When I lived in Tassie, they supplied over 50% of my dog-meat. Big gastards over there.

WTF? They are a protected species in Australia.

[XipeTotec]

I will do my bit to control the possums...

http://www.nznature.co.nz/ecofur2.htm

except for the fact that they also buy tassie possum skins to manufacture.

[reshroomED]

WTF? They are a protected species in Australia.

Yes, they are.

They're also legally hunted for fur by permit, and legally culled to limit crop damage.

Regardless of this, when any animal becomes too populous in an area culling is necessary, and I have no problem doing so, with or without a permit. Usually I'd waste no part of an animal but possum fur 'slips' (comes away from the hide) so easily that I never actually tried tanning one. The dog took care of the rest.

It's funny how the furry critters grab the sentiment, whereas crows and such can be literally hunted out of enormous areas without a raising a comment.

ed

[XipeTotec]

Yes, they are.

They're also legally hunted for fur by permit, and legally culled to limit crop damage.

Regardless of this, when any animal becomes too populous in an area culling is necessary, and I have no problem doing so, with or without a permit. Usually I'd waste no part of an animal but possum fur 'slips' (comes away from the hide) so easily that I never actually tried tanning one. The dog took care of the rest.

It's funny how the furry critters grab the sentiment, whereas crows and such can be literally hunted out of enormous areas without a raising a comment.

ed

not really, we have not been discussing crows... there may be just as much resistance if we were to.... in regards to possum numbers... I would imagine that in forested areas within aus(where they are hunted for skin), the numbers would not grow too large due to environmental restrictions...It would be my reasoning that if numbers were to become too populous, it would be within an urban environment (where i doubt they are hunted). Please, dont get me wrong... if NZ wants to clear up it feral problem... which obviously needs to be done anywhere where a introduced animal threatens to ecosystem and lively hood of native species... I have no problem with that.

[reshroomED]

not really, we have not been discussing crows... there may be just as much resistance if we were to.... in regards to possum numbers... I would imagine that in forested areas within aus(where they are hunted for skin), the numbers would not grow too large due to environmental restrictions...It would be my reasoning that if numbers were to become too populous, it would be within an urban environment (where i doubt they are hunted). Please, dont get me wrong... if NZ wants to clear up it feral problem... which obviously needs to be done anywhere where a introduced animal threatens to ecosystem and lively hood of native species... I have no problem with that.

No, we're not discussing crows.

But we are discussing possums, which you have some interesting theories about, although factual knowledge would be more to the point.

Being herbivores they don't adapt well to urban areas, and they're trapped for fur not skin.

I'd recommend a quick google re possums in Tassie and you may find that they are quite a pest when in numbers.

The reduction in the fur-trade had quite an impact on populations (I was there seven to ten years ago and they were rampant in many areas then). I'd imagine that it will only have worsened since, although a 'plateau' will be achieved at some point.

Feeding my dog possum was beneficial to the ecosystem, and didn't require an animal be bred for slaughter. They're the pro's, and I can't think of a con.

ed

[chilli]

"...legally hunted for fur by permit, and legally culled to limit crop damage."

I didn't know that. I had a quick flick over the relevant articles, and it seems like the reason for their abundance is because of agriculture... "In Tasmania, brushtail possums continue to benefit from the clearing and modification of native vegetation for agriculture and forestry. Ongoing damage to crops and plantations means that the pest status of this species endures."

Here's the list of reasons for culling them given by the government:

1. to ensure viable populations of the brushtail possum remain throughout the species existing geographical range;

2. to manage the species as an ecologically sustainable resource; and,

3. to reduce economic loss or damage to nature, and the pastoral, forestry and agricultural industries.

I think the first two are bullshit, the last reason is the real reason.

So it sounds like forestry and agriculture fuck up the possums habitat and cause them to increase in number and the solution is to cull the possums. Sounds like a quick-fix to me.

BTW, do you have a permit for hunting them? Also, although I'm a vegetarian I don't have any problem with killing any animal as long as it is done humanely and for good reason, and I feel just as warmly towards crows as I do possums. In fact, in the last couple of months I've rescued a baby pigeon and two hedgehogs... nothing furry about those. I also let spiders, moths and slaters outside, so I guess I am what you would call sentimental, but not just towards cute little balls of fluff.

Edited May 21, 2007 by IllegalBrain

[XipeTotec]

there is hedge hogs in nz??? agricultural lands... i dint think of possums being there!!! duh!!!

[chilli]

Yep hedgehogs and possums... there's plenty of forests and beautiful wilderness too

[hebrew]

i wish to get some possum skins or even jsut plain possum wool for knitting that istn mixed with merino, anyone got any ideas what it is like to import skins from NZ is that allowed?

[chilli]

 

Here's an interesting point on why the WWF opposes the possum fur industry in NZ.

[reshroomED]

So it sounds like forestry and agriculture fuck up the possums habitat and cause them to increase in number and the solution is to cull the possums. Sounds like a quick-fix to me.

Not quite.

Damaging their habitat reduces population growth. The problem is that agriculture generally involves a proliferation of young, green shoots, and possums find these quite attractive. So we actually create a pro-possum environment (no major predators in Tassie).

 

BTW, do you have a permit for hunting them? Also, although I'm a vegetarian I don't have any problem with killing any animal as long as it is done humanely and for good reason, and I feel just as warmly towards crows as I do possums. In fact, in the last couple of months I've rescued a baby pigeon and two hedgehogs... nothing furry about those. I also let spiders, moths and slaters outside, so I guess I am what you would call sentimental, but not just towards cute little balls of fluff.

Been seven-odd years since I lived in Tassie, but no, I did not have licence to take possum back then.

They were over-abundant at the time, their size made them viable, and that's about it. Roo's have always filled this niche before, but weren't there in enough concentration to justify killing. Mind you, the odd wallaby fell into the cooking-pot. And had there been more wobblies about, I would have taken more.

Balance.

For about $150/yr you can become licensed to use gill-nets, and take abalone, cray, and mutton-bird (in season). How's that for a license for potential abuse?

ed

[XipeTotec]

Being herbivores they don't adapt well to urban areas,

I would disagree... i believe with food scraps and manicured gardens, they adapt quite well to the burbs.

and they're trapped for fur not skin.

fur, skin... its all the same, and u know what I was saying.

also, with roo's previously on you kill list, could it be that you were just too cheap to pay for dog food?

Edited May 21, 2007 by shroomytoonos

[chilli]

"Not quite. Damaging their habitat reduces population growth. The problem is that agriculture generally involves a proliferation of young, green shoots, and possums find these quite attractive. So we actually create a pro-possum environment (no major predators in Tassie)."

Yeah, I understood that the overpopulation was caused by agriculture, that's what I meant when I said "it sounds like forestry and agriculture fuck up the possums habitat and cause them to increase in number" by "fuck up" I meant upset the balance, not just destroy the forest they live in.

"For about $150/yr you can become licensed to use gill-nets, and take abalone, cray, and mutton-bird (in season). How's that for a license for potential abuse?"

Yep, I think the whole thing's fucked up... seems to me that's the kind of thing that happens when humans are in charge of "balance".

Edited May 21, 2007 by IllegalBrain

[reshroomED]

Yep, I think the whole thing's fucked up... seems to me that's the kind of thing that happens when humans are in charge of "balance".

That about sums it up for most human endeavours.

Being herbivores they don't adapt well to urban areas,

I would disagree... i believe with food scraps and manicured gardens, they adapt quite well to the burbs.

and they're trapped for fur not skin.

fur, skin... its all the same, and u know what I was saying.

We're talking brush-tail's here, not your average little mainland poss, average weight would be around 10lb.

Disagree all you like, but give evidence of where brusshy's have done so as I'm yet to see it, and find it very unlikely given their primrary needs.

And it's not all the same, as trapping has cruelty factors that can't be escaped and skins with holes in don't sell. Fur, on the other hand, can ignore such restraints.

So maybe *u* don't know what you're saying.

 

also, with roo's previously on you kill list, could it be that you were just too cheap to pay for dog food?

Ever been to a knackery? Or an abattoir?

Funnily enough, meat doesn't grow in tins, animals get chopped up and shoved in. And in such a humane way too. Of course dropping an animal that has lived it's life wild, and literally doesn't feel the impact, is far more barbaric.

You've formed an opinion on the Tassie possum situation with no factual background, and when I point this out you accuse me of being too cheap to buy pet-food.

Congratulations. As I don't post that often, and am by nature a tad curt in my posts, I thought that I could ignore (as much as possible) the recent deluge of crap that has flooded the fora. Obviously not to be, so on with the gumboots and end of conversation for me.

ed

[chilli]

"That about sums it up for most human endeavours."

With regards to modern industry and agriculture, sure, but that doesn't mean things have to be that way... I believe its possible for humans to live harmoniously with the Earth's other living systems.

BTW, not a big issue but the way you wrote your post kind of makes it look like you're responding to one person rather than two... I refuse to be associated with shroomy

[XipeTotec]

pls delete

Edited May 22, 2007 by shroomytoonos

[chilli]

Shroomy you know I was joking right?

[XipeTotec]

Shroomy you know I was joking right?

yeah... i might actually delete that whole post... i dont want to argue with reshroomed

[ThunderIdeal]

hedgehogs, like, introduced by pommies??

[devance]

I left the door open once and the top drawer of furniture.

I shut the drawer and the next day heard scratching noise from such.

After remembering every science fiction bad ending I managed to get the courage to open it and there was a baby possum.

Just let it go of course.