Tales of a Mole catcher.
Tall Chin Talks
I know it has been a tough start to the year for many, so I can only hope all is safe and well.
Life at Tall Chin Studio’s has been busy and I have been fortunate to have had some wonderful individual and group portraits commissions, as well as some exciting oil landscapes to kick off the year. So a BIG thank you to everyone who has commissioned and supported me to date.
To kick off my first blog Tall Chin Talks I caught up for a quick chat with South Oxfordshire's celebrated Mole Catcher, 'aka' Mole Man Mark, also my father-in-law, Mark Weedon.
It was on Mark's 78th birthday that he proudly announced to the family that he was coming out of retirement to launch his new paying hobby mole catching. "They fell about laughing, but having said that they sprung to action to help design a website and Moleman Mark was launched!"
There are quite a few myths around how to catch a mole, what is the best way to catch them?
The best way is trapping, which is the traditional method. You can try and drive them away with solar repellers, but none of it really works as they're persistent little buggers, unfortunately. Which is why trapping is the only way to get rid of them from lawns.
Do you charge by the mole, how does it work as a business?
I can do but in practice I don't. What I do is charge 100 pounds. Kind of pocket money. It's not really a business. It's a hobby. But I charge 100 pounds, which gives them three months worth from the day I start. And I keep coming back. Usually each mole needs about four or five visits. The first to meet, set the trap and so on. The second to check and reset if necessary and dispose if necessary. It can take several attempts!
Why mole catching?
Before I retired I spent 25 years head hunting, 12 for Egon Zehnder International and the rest at my own BoardSearch. Before that working for Mckinsey but what I enjoyed most about it all was meeting people. Having spent many years trapping moles on my own lawn I thought it would make a good balance. Plus I needed to get out from under my wife's feet and get some fresh air!
Is this a potential family business?
No! It's a hobby although my eldest grand daughter did help catch one on her fathers lawn.
Where can Moleman Mark be spotted?
Mostly South Oxfordshire, West Berkshire and also East Wiltshire as that gives me an excuse to visit my youngest grand daughter.
Favourite animal?
Having been a fan of the Wind in the Willows, I don''t dislike moles, but I do dislike them digging up lawns. My favourite animal is an orangutang because they're actually very close to us in DNA. And I'm really sorry for what's going on in Borneo particularly and Indonesia in general, where they are cutting down their forests to put up palm oil.
Don’t leave them moles in the dark, you know who to call it’s Mole Man Mark!!
MOLEMAN MARK
07887 480014
