permaculture

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

On 07/27/00, "Jeffrey Newman <newman@bcinternet.net>" wrote:
> permaculture digest wrote:
> 

> Ava, do sheep really eat thistle? I though it was only goats. And I don't 
> think Uncle
> Sam will allow thistles across the border, will he?
> 


Yes, Jeff, sheep do eat Thistle, they also eat some spurge, loose-strife 
and quite a few other 'noxious weeds' and they don't smell as bad as 
goats.

If you look on the internet under www.usda.gov then do a search for the 
Agricultural Marketing Service (ams), they most certainly will help with 
sending thistle across the border.  The usda has an entire marketing center 
set up specifically for import/export between US and Canada.  Just make 
sure they know it's Canada Thistle and why it would be exported.  They can 
give you a list of states that the thistle is NOT allowed in, as they are 
noxious weeds some places here, also.

Also, if your friend continues mowing down the thistle before it goes to 
seed, it will eventually not come back. Don't till if possible as seeds can 
viable for up to 35 years in the soil and tilling brings them back up to 
the surface where they'll get the needed sunlight, etc., to begin as 
seedlings once more.

Blessings,
Ava