Angry Bears

Isn't there a game called Angry Birds or something?  Well, forget that.  If you want to see some angry bears in real life, drop by the compost container outside of the market where I work tonight.   Should be a good time.

It all started when the city put a compost container next to our dumpster, oh, maybe a week and a half ago.  Great idea for our little place which also has two restaurants in the same building.  The compost will go to the dump and hopefully make its way back into the circle of life.  Anyway, we didn't give much thought into the safety of the thing as it did have chains and O rings securing the lids.  Well, the bears are apparently pretty hungry right now as the early season drought dried up a lot of the wild berries and such.  So to find food they make their way into town.  And last night they easily ripped open the top of our compost and had a feast.  They must've thought they had hit the jackpot ... I mean, usually they have to sift through the garbage, or if you're unlucky, through you're cabinets, to find some morsels of food.  At our little compost bin though, it was like a big buffet for them.

So the city dropped by and wanted to fine us this morning for not having a bear proof container (which is the law up here of course).  After nicely reminding them that this was their idea (and their container) they quickly made plans to switch it out.  So, quite the opposite of what we've come to expect from government these days, the compost bin was switched the same day!

As you can imagine, there are going to be some bears dropping by tonight with some high expectations.  Quite angry they will probably become.  Should be a hoot.   We'll see how 'bear proof' that bin really is.  I told our produce manager to hide in there and pop out 'jack in the box' style tonight when they stop by.  Now that would've been entertaining (or more likely, very gruesome).

On Sat. morning there was a big bear (450 lb) downtown during the day that, at one point, ran right through the Farmers Market.  I'll bet that scared some people.

Bears are a part of life here in the mountains.  Seeing them around reminds us that we are indeed just sharing the land.  I've had far too many encounters with them, three of which involved cubs and their mothers.  Staying cool and not gawking over them like they're zoo animals is important (I'm talking to you - tourists).   Well, the only tie into paleo I can think of here is that I hear bear meat tastes pretty awful.  Have you ever tasted it?