Sarah Ekenzar

By: Sarah Ekenezar

Ever imagine yourself becoming the personal chef for some hungry wildlife in your backyard? That became a reality for Jeff, an experienced gardener of 20 years, after he noticed some unusual digging activity and half-eaten vegetables in his garden. He decided to install a motion detection camera to investigate, and initially found small critters such as squirrels, and chipmunks. Eventually, he saw a large groundhog eating some vegetables as it looked directly into the camera. He named it Chuck and installed a high fence around the garden with logs and wood under it to discourage any more burrowing. To make matters more interesting, Jeff later discovered Chuck’s mate, whom he named

Nibbles. The pair went to work in his garden, making sure to sample as much as they could, serving as the professional food critics they are.

After some time, Chuck and Nibbles went into hibernation for the winter and Jeff decided he would have a mini garden prepared for their return. He understood that the limited produce from his garden would not be sufficient for both himself and the groundhog couple. So, he secured his own garden and worked on theirs alongside it. He considered the vegetables they liked based on their previous preferences and eagerly waited for them to wake up. The couple emerged from their slumber and were welcomed with a completed garden, and they quickly broke their fast. Just a few weeks later, they had three pups–Chip, Chibbles and Nugget. Even then, the two new parents weren’t keen on sharing anything they found in their exclusive garden. With time, Jeff started to enjoy the groundhog family’s company and

found humor in his newfound position as

their personal chef. “If I

can do a job to protect them and keep them safe, prolong their life…I’m all

for it. I’m just the gardener here and

they’re the wildlife that enjoys it,” he

says. He anticipates more pups being born in the following year and looks forward to expanding the groundhog garden for them as well.

Works Cited

“Guy Builds Veggie Garden For Family Of Groundhogs.” (2021). The Dodo. Youtube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNdts2P-djg