This past weekend was spent entirely on clearing tumbleweed from the sides of the irrigation ditches. I included a link giving some more information about this incredibly invasive, fast-growing, prickly menace (just click on the word Tumbleweed above). I have heard that at some point Russian Thistle aka tumbleweed was used to try to prevent soil erosion. Like so many things we try to use for some seemingly good purpose, there are side effects. These weeds grow so quickly and are so opportunistic. If a jack rabbit pees these tumbleweeds set up shop and start growing. I also have heard that in their very early tender beginnings that they are edible. I haven't tried them, but the stage is short-lived at best, for they develop into little prickly branches very quickly. Gloves are a must, for the needles are very fine like some cactus, and difficult to get out of the skin.
At the edges of the concrete irrigation ditches, the tumble weed seeds are deposited and make use of any water leakage to get started. If you sat long enough, you could probably see them grow. The problem with them of course is that not only do they make things look unkept, but they become huge vegetative walls blocking access to the ditches. Eventually, the wind blows and they collapse into the ditches and drag at the top of the oncoming water. They catch debris in the water and create back ups that can overflow (that water new seeds to start their growth). In the meantime, another row has started to replace the now fallen wall, continuing the cycle. When it comes time to check the water levels or ports, you can't see through the tumbleweeds if left unchecked.
The other problem is the little seeds drop into the ditch and catch in the silt and begin growing within the ditch. Before you know it more silt has been built up around the weed and all kinds of weeds start growing in the ditch. With the growth of weeds in and around the ditches, the plants provide a hiding place for all kinds of creatures. The ground squirrels/gophers, lizards, rattlesnakes, snakes in general, and my least favorite, mosquitoes. The mosquitoes are blown through the air and hit the tumbleweed obstacles and hunker down and wait for me.
First we put the scraper on the tractor and scraped just to the outside of the ditch. Unfortunately, a lot of debris falls into the ditch during this process. Sounds easy enough, but the time it takes to change implements and drive the length of the ditches at a mile an hour if you're speedy, takes most of the day. Next the blade is put on the tractor. This tilts and angles so that we can grab more of the tumble weeds that are hanging on and drooped into the ditches. During this process a mound of dirt builds up in the middle of the access road. There are still a lot of tumbleweeds that even survive this scraping. Again, it takes hours to go through all of the ditch edging. Finally (at least for us this weekend), the scraper goes back on and Donald goes into the ditch. He cuts any surviving tumbleweed trunks still rooted in the soil, and flips the entire plant up out of the ditch so that the scraper can scoop the stragglers up and take them away. This also re-levels the mound of dirt that has built up. That doesn't sound too bad, except for the 115 degree temperatures that we have to work in, because if it is during the cooler time of the day the mosquitoes are 20 times worse. And they are bad even mid-day, because their hiding places are being rustled and disturbed. Donald worked with a long-sleeved shirt and mosquito netting, and the ditch edges are now clear.
Unfortunately, we still have to manufacture a ditch bucket to scrap the ditches clear of the silt build-up and any remaining weeds that have rooted within. They have ditch cleaning machinery, but Donald has some ideas for a modified back hoe bucket that we will try. It is a rather delicate procedure to scrap the ditches, because the concrete is rather fragile in places. It can easily be cracked. Any cracks become more area for weed seeds to take root, and water to leak out from the ditch and not necessarily into our fields.
The third fields look fantastic. We even scraped the field edges just for good measure. We are hoping to irrigate by this weekend to keep the fields growing their best. We also received the analysis back from the lab for our hay this week. And gained another client.... the owner of the lab purchased hay this week too.
I will take the time to post the results with an explanation at another time. It is time for me to put on my taxi cab hat and pick Emma up from her first day at high school. This fall should prove to be rather tightly scheduled, especially until haying season is over.
