permaculture

["Ava Devenport" <essenheal@iname.com>]

On 07/23/00, "Jeffrey Newman <newman@bcinternet.net>" wrote:

> A friend of mine is looking for ways to control/reduce the large Canada 
> thistle crop....
There are large areas with high percentages of thistle and the only 
economically-viable way he has come up with is to cut them down
> - Jeffrey Newman

Dear Jeff:

The past few years we have been heavily involved with 'Wetland Restoration' 
in some of the State Parks in Indiana and 'Canada Thistle' is one of the 
many wetland area plants that we had to purchase as plugs.  If there was a 
way your friend could get a sod cutting party together, cut out the thistle 
and pot it in small seedling pots, he may find it a very economical way to 
rid himself of this particular problem.  I would begin a search within the 
USDA Agricultural Marketing Service and find the most feasible route for 
marketing this in the US, as we seem to be in need of Canada Thistle.  The 
USDA also 'contracts' for plant material of this type, you could sell it 
directly to them, then use the proceeds to replant native grasses and 
forage.  If all else fails, get a few sheep to graze the thistle.

Blessings,
Ava