As long as people have raised crops of any kind, there has been a war between people and weeds. Prior to World War II, the war on weeds was fought through a variety of strategies. Crop rotation, cover crops, manual weeding and others I probably don’t even know about. And then WWII ended and the chemical weapons companies had to find new uses for their products or go out of business. They figured out that they could adapt their products to be used on weeds instead of people and the rest is history.
After the war, farmers had this new weapon to use in their battle against weeds. As they converted to using chemical sprays to kill the weeds and the bugs, they gradually forgot all the other means they used to have to employ. Spraying chemicals was so much easier and faster and cheaper(supposedly). All those other practices, many of which also built and maintained healthy soils, were abandoned. Fast forward to today. Most farmers only grow one or two crops year after year and rely on chemical fertilizers in addition to pesticides and herbicides. “Cide” of course meaning “killer.” Think about it….
So while the farmers hire the big trucks to come out and spray the fields for weeds, I’m silently rooting for the weeds to win. Heresy in these here parts to say such a thing. Them’s fighting words! I really don’t want to offend neighbors and certainly not my mom, but I am not a fan of conventional agriculture. We have wonderful neighbors and I truly believe a lot of them have never considered what their farming practices are doing to the air, water and food supply, not to mention their own bodies. Those that have given it consideration are often too entrenched in their ways to change. For many, that style of farming is all they know and, to them, it works. They’re not out to destroy the world. They’re just trying to get the best financial return per acre with the least amount of work because they all either have off the farm jobs or they’re retired and getting old. My point is, I hope I can say that I hate the system but still like and appreciate the people that operate within it. I hope more of the younger generation will join us on the dark side.
So what’s so great about weeds? I’ve read many articles over the years that have helped me see weeds in a different light. A weed is simply an undesired species of plant. To a crop farmer, weeds are bad because they can choke out the crop and steal away water and nutrients. To a cattle farmer, weeds are bad because the cows won’t eat them and they take up precious space in the pasture. To which I say, get some goats, they love weeds. Just make sure you have adequate fencing and patience!
From man’s point of view, weeds are a nuisance. But what about from nature’s point of view? Weeds are what heal broken landscapes. Weeds grow where the ground is bare or compacted or deficient in nutrients. Weeds are abundantly prevalent where soil is exceedingly poor. Weeds have strong root systems that often go far deeper into the ground than the desired plant or crop. They bring up nutrients from far lower in the ground. Things that aren’t accessible to shallower rooted grasses and such. Weeds are designed to heal the land. They can withstand the extremes of weather and many are adapting to withstand Roundup. In the agricultural world they call them super-weeds. Illinois is one of the last few states where this phenomenon hasn’t been seen on a large scale, but I believe it’s only a matter of time. Mother nature wants to undo all the damage we’ve done to our soils.
So how do we deal with the “weeds” in our pastures? We graze small sections and rotate often so that what doesn’t get eaten will hopefully get trampled. We also follow the picky, pampered dairy cows with sheep. Sheep will eat a much larger variety of plants than cows will. Goats are even better but we haven’t been very effective in how we use the few goats that we have. Lack of time and fencing. Some day… We give our pastures as much rest time as we can in between rounds of grazing to promote the health of the soil. We believe that as our soil health improves, the weeds will decrease on their own. As long as something will eat it we don’t consider it a weed. Especially since a lot of “weeds” are nutritional powerhouses.
So, dear weeds, while everyone else is out to destroy you, know that you have one fan in your corner. I’ll keep on silently rooting for your survival. Because it makes me so very happy to know that after so many years of soil abuse, something still wants to grow.
The Farmer’s Wife
I wrote this several days ago but hadn’t posted yet. Tonight after the kids were in bed mom remarked that some of the weeds in the bean field didn’t seem to be dying off after the first round of spraying. Do I want my mom to take a loss on her crop just because I disagree with the system of farming practiced in her fields? No. That would be like wishing a friend or family member who smokes would get lung cancer. But I do want to see farmers forced to adopt methods of weed/pest control other than just spraying chemicals. And ultimately I want to see mother nature triumph over man’s abuse.
OPEN DOORS HERITAGE FARM 