Oh - I’d love to trap a fox . . . . just to be able to see him up close. We have them here, but I only see them loping across a field, at a distance. Always wanted to find a little ‘kit’ and raise it . . . we did that with a raccoon once - and it was so much fun! He was great. He used a litter box and took naps with me, when I was out late, waitressing the night before. He was more house trained than any of our dogs that we’ve had since then! ‘Ranger’ was his name. We eased him back into the wild when he was grown and he came to visit less and less . . . until he didn’t return at all. A Success Story - but I missed him.
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I don’t know about Grey or Red Foxes, but I’ve been really close to Arctic Foxes - they smell REALLY musky. The Aleut village I lived in, some folks had tamed kits, and were sorry once they grew up, Back in VA, I did enjoy seeing 3 Grey Fox kits sunning themselves on my gravel pad about 30 ft from my chicken yard, until Mom tried burrowing under the fence. Another cute factoid - on San Miquel Island, in CA, site of the story “Island of the Blue Dolphins,” the Island Foxes have human fleas (Pulex irritans) that they caught from the locals.
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I saw a video (maybe on YouTube?) about a man who had a fox for a pet. It acted much like a dog - except for the very very strange sounds it made! I recall seeing it sleeping on his chest, as he napped in his recliner! I didn’t know that they had a strong odor. But, then . . . I have never been close to one.
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When do you prune your pears? I do mine in mid February. I would really appreciate getting some scions. I’m going to graft 4 of the Invasive Bradford pear trees. Are you interested. I’m in zone 5B and have many stone fruit varieties.
I do it around Feb as well. Check your private message, please.
My favs…NIJISSEIKI and Korean Giant. Zone 8b. Planted a seur li 2 yrs ago. Got two pears this year. Very sweet. Hoping for MORE next year. Nijiseeiki… very sweet. Korean Giant very good flavor and a good keeper.
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This past year was terrible for me d/t three days of freezing temps (below 28) in mid April, HOWEVER, I’m going to be positive about a great crop next year.
This past year was my first year for grafting. I grafted a lot of scions, and about 20 were successful. I’m going to try and payback in earnest this year.
These are the asian pear scions I can share: Im in 6B
Niitaka (small size)
Chochuro
korean Giant
Hosui
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If you live in the Midwest (i am in East/central KS) and you had to choose between:
Nijiseiki & Shinseiki
which one would you choose and why?
Nijiseiki
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Not in your area. Shinseiki tastes better/sweeter and is larger. Nijisseiki is milder and smaller. Both are very productive.
Nijisseiki has some fire blight resistant. shinseiki is quite susceptible.
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Awesome info, thanks mamuang. I will go with fire blight resistance.
I have an OHxF97 rootstock growing that I need to field graft this spring. I couldn’t decide which of those 2 pears should go on the central leader and get to be more than just a limb on my multi-graft trees.
I will keep the Shinseiki grafts on my mult-grafted tree, but will try remember to watch it closely for signs of FB.
My two Shinseiki grafts both have gotten fire blight. I may need to remove them.
If you can find Shinko, it is blight resistant and @tonyOmahaz5 said his tastes good.
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I am really apprehensive about getting fireblight. If I see it at all, I will probably remove the whole graft and not try again. I realize that there aren’t any truly fire blight proof trees in this area, just ones that are more resistant, have a better bloom time to avoid it, etc.
Yes, I tried growing a Shinko tree a few years ago based on good reports I had read about it! Unfortunately it died the same summer. I was so disappointed. 
I should consider adding a graft of it in another year when I have more available limbs to graft to!
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I have a small Shinko pear that had its first fruit last year
Just one
It was the best pear I ever ate !
I have eaten a lot of different pears, not many Asians.
I hear Shinko tends to over bear and needs thinning.
So maybe this ONE got more flavor because there was just one ?
It was good !
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What a wonderful surprise! I have read here by several members that the first few years a tree fruits, the fruit isn’t always very good. So congrats on your first Shinko! 
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Got a shinko today at Milmont Nurseries!
https://www.milmont.com/
It was the blight resistant tag that really sold me. I hope its as good as you say 
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Yes ,it’s supposed to be one of the most blight resistant of the Asian pears
Shinko is the only Asian Pear I don’t like the taste. It was “nobody home” for me. But I appreciate your warning about Shinseiki as I planned to graft it into a tree soon, will re-think that one, for sure doing Korean Giant.
My favorite brown ones are Shinsui, Hosui, and Korean Giant. My favorite green ones are Drippin Honey and Shin Li. Mine haven’t had fireblight issues so far. Hoping it stays that way!
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Shinko, from my own experience and that of a few people who grow it in the east, it does not taste good here. I removed the tree. At the same time, people in the middle of the country have sung praises about Shinko. Location, location, location.
Even Korean Giant and 20th Century have fire blight but it is minor, a little twig here and there. Shinseiki has a lot more. This with me spraying Kocide annually.
@PharmerDrewee , I like KG and Hosui, too. I have not gotten any good Drippin Honey. Too small sample to say if I like it.
I hope my 4-5 new varieties will set fruit this year. Will report.
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