Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

My first encounter with Yellow Star Thistle, and by far the worst
infestation I have ever seen, was in Mt. Diablo State Park.  The whole
mountainside we rode on was covered with dry thistle (it was late October)
that stood up to my hip while I was mounted on a 14.3 hand horse.  We had
two bales of bought alfalfa hay a couple of years ago that had dried YST in
bloom.  My husband plucked some seeds and put them into a 6-pack of potting
soil.  They did germinate.  We fed the hay to one of our bulls, and he spat
it out on the ground.  Fortunately, and calculated on our part, the bull was
in a small paddock of about 1/4 acre or less.  Somewhat later on, we found
YST plants in bloom in that paddock.  I called to my husband that I had
found some, and we promptly dug it out, bagged it and burned it.  We haven't
had any since, either in subsequent loads of hay or in that paddock.  We
called our hay dealer and complained about it.  I think he is very careful
about the hay he buys now.  This year we paid $12.50/bale for good
grass/alfalfa hay for the horses, and $8.50/bale for great quality alfalfa
for the cattle.  The bales are generously sized.

Barbara

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dyane Smith" <sunibey@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2004 5:57 PM
Subject: Re: [RC] star thistle


> Laura Fend ljfend@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> ==========================================
>
> It sure has taken hold of California in the last 10 years or so - nasty
> stuff!!
>
> At least in Siskiyou, the County Ag Dept. has a grant to spray for star
> thistle and knapweed (a cousin of sorts).  Between their help and getting
my
> pasture sprayed every year, I have been able to keep it at bay, but it is
> one of those "ever vigilant, or always sorry" situations.
>
> Dyane
>
>
>
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