Re: Johnson Grass Control
Greg & Lei Gunthorp (hey4hogs@kuntrynet.com)
Thu, 24 Sep 1998 16:16:57 -0500
I've heard pigs will get rid of Johnson grass if they don't have rings. It
would be cheaper than tillage. If they structure it right the pigs might
even make some money instead of just spending money on fuel, iron, and
labor.
I think CROPP is still looking for organic hog farmers for an organic pork
marketing pool that they are starting.
Also, one of the organic growers in my area is using a machine that he
mounts on the front of the tractor to top all the weeds above the beans.
Its quite a strange looking contraption. He made it with 8 lawn mower
blades. He can at least try to break the weed seed cycle. Might help from
spreading the Johnson Grass farther.
My dad was talking the other day about how they grew soybeans before they
had herbicides. He said they used to put wheat in at the same time that
they planted the beans. The wheat being spring planted will die off by
early July and supposedly didn't hurt the beans. I've been thinking about
trying a small patch of RR beans using wheat and no herbicides next year.
I'm not organic, so at least that way I have a back up plan if the wheat
didn't work to keep the beans clean. Hopefully I won't have to use any
chemicals. Is that a sustainable approach? I had the dirtiest beans I've
ever seen this year trying reduced chemical applications. So herbicides
aren't fool proof either!
Best of luck,
Greg
Gunthorp's Pasture-ized Pork
LaGrange, Indiana (a stones throw from Ohio & Michigan)
hey4hogs@kuntrynet.com
visit our farm at www.grassfarmer.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Sean McGovern <oeffa@mailbox.iwaynet.net>
To: sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu <sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu>
Date: Thursday, September 24, 1998 2:48 PM
Subject: Johnson Grass Control
>Dear Sannet:
>
>Has anyone seen any research into Johnson Grass control for organic
>rotations? I've seen some tidbits about the alleopathic affects of clover,
>(but no leads on varieties) and repetitive winter tillage to expose and
>eventually kill root stock, but nothing that I would feel confident passing
>along.
>
>There is an OEFFA grower (probably several) who had a big problem with
>Johnson grass in Vinton Soybeans this year. Can anyone help with research
>leads on control without using herbicides? Or herbicides that might be
>allowable in a certified system?
>
>Thanks for your help. Please repond directly to the list so the responses
>will be a part of the archives.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>
>Sean McGovern
>Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association
>PO Box 82234 Columbus Ohio 43202
>(ph) 614/267-3663
>(fx) 614/267-4763
>email: oeffa@iwaynet.net
>Visit OEFFA on the World Wide Web at www.greenlink.org/oeffa
>
>For OCIA/OEFFA Organic Certification services in Ohio, call OEFFA
>Certification Coordinator, Sylvia Upp at 419/853-4060 or fax 419/853-3022
>
>For OEFFA's Newsletter Submissions and Ads, call Newsletter Editor Holly
>Harman Fackler at 419/687-4761, fax at 419/687-8272, or email
><wool@willard-oh.com>.
>
>Shipping Only- Parhelion Building, OEFFA, 2232 N Summit St, Columbus, Ohio
>43202
>
>
>
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