advice

don't bother planting anything you can't defend,

a fence is a good start,
my squash did not have a fence, 
knew it was a bad idea, but
was convinced by someone that it would be in place in time,

it clearly is not, and the deer are at work


here is what I did to keep the cats from eating the rice leaves, (and I have no idea why they like it)

defend it or don't bother,

also don't plant and expect to harvest tings you are very allergic to,
I finally just cut the winter grain crop to the ground,
I have no hope of harvesting it so that others can eat it,
I thought I could, but I was wrong,
lesson learned.