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livingontheland - Re: [Livingontheland] Poisoned hay. Was: soil testing

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Chronological Thread  
  • From: Harvey Ussery <harvey@themodernhomestead.us>
  • To: Healthy soil and sustainable growing <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] Poisoned hay. Was: soil testing
  • Date: Sun, 28 Mar 2010 12:07:39 -0400

The folks affected were my friends Rachel and Eric of Waterpenny Farm (Sperryville, VA). The herbicide in question goes under the trade name of "Grazon" or "Graze-on" something like that, don't know the chemical name. And yes, it is so inimical to plant life that it's able to *kill* garden plants even after passing through the digestive system of the horse.

I too don't know how long breakdown takes. But it's something to be on guard against. In the contemporary context, all sources of organic matter from the outside should be judged guilty until proven innocent.

~Harvey

Patricia Ruggiero wrote:
Yarrow wrote:
I add kitchen waste from 1-3 households to my compost. . .and the occasional
bagful of
coffee grounds from local coffee shops. And the bales of hay that are
donated to the community garden in the fall.

The hay can be contaminated with those herbicides previously mentioned.
About 2-3 yrs ago it happened to an organic market gardener in central
Virginia. The couple bought hay from a local farmer to mulch half their veg
beds. A few days later the plants showed signs of stress. Extension Agent
said it looked like chemical poisoning. Very soon the problem was traced to
that hay. Volunteers removed the hay, but I never did read if they got it
off soon enough to avoid poisoning the soil. The food crops were destroyed.

Pat
Central Virginia, USDA zone 7


--
Harvey in northern Va
www.themodernhomestead.us

My book, THE MODERN HOMESTEAD POULTRY FLOCK, will be published next year by
Chelsea Green Publishing.






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