That's a scary thought.I don't want to be on tv - bad enough having my name in the newspaper.
All kinds of crazies might come after me then... G0d knows there's plenty of them here giving it their best shot!
Tree Damage From Crop Spraying
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That's a scary thought.I don't want to be on tv - bad enough having my name in the newspaper.
All kinds of crazies might come after me then... G0d knows there's plenty of them here giving it their best shot!
WoW. Is this serendipity, or what?
My newspaper reporter emailed me back asking me if I knew about ISHA... said they gave a talk today to the Rotary Club "about just this."
Apparently, they have a global project called Save Soil,
which includes soil conservation and regenerative farming.
And, right here in my county is one of their facilities.
Idk, I'm always leery of places like this.
I tried to contact them to ask what they're doing about regenerative farming in our county, but the virtual bot said it couldn't answer my question: "What initiatives are being implemented in (our) county Tennessee in regards to soil conservation and regenerative farming?"
It gave me a link to another page, but I couldn't find a local email address, or phone number.
I'm definitely going to pursue this avenue - if such a huge operation, devoted to environmental issues, can't keep it's own home base clean, what good are they?
Is this serendipity, or what? My newspaper reporter emailed me back asking me if I knew about ISHA... said they gave a talk today to the Rotary Club "about just this."
Apparently, they have a global project called Save Soil,
which includes soil conservation and regenerative farming.
And, right here in my county is one of their facilities.
Idk, I'm always leery of places like this.
I tried to contact them to ask what they're doing about regenerative farming in our county, but the virtual bot said it couldn't answer my question: "What initiatives are being implemented in (our) county Tennessee in regards to soil conservation and regenerative farming?"
It gave me a link to another page, but I couldn't find a local email address, or phone number.
I'm definitely going to pursue this avenue - if such a huge operation, devoted to environmental issues, can't keep it's own home base clean, what good are they?
Finally after fighting with the bot for about 15 minutes I was able to get a working email address.
Sent them a nice long letter.
We'll see if I get a reply.
Sent them a nice long letter.
We'll see if I get a reply.
Good luck, ma'am.
So far, fingers crossed, looks like everything is maintaining status quo and I'm not seeing any noticeable decline, after initial symptoms, like I did the past two years. Not going to do the happy dance just yet, but I want to. 
That's not to say everything is looking good.
The leaves on the big buckeye are still more dark green than yellow-green, and that's a good sign. It is loaded with 5"-6" flower spikes that as of yesterday look like they may open normally, and they smell good, too. Another good sign.
However the smaller 10' buckeye near it has badly curled leaves that are that sickly yellow-green and that weird slick translucent look.
The 4' oak next to it, looks terrible the leaves instantly changed from a lovely pinkish red to that curled down sick yellow-green.
The redbuds look terrible. Even though they bloomed a bit more this year, the new leaves are few and far between and abnormally tiny, about the size of your thumbnail.
I bought a new camera yesterday so I'll take pics later so you can see and do your own comparison to the two previous years damage.
That's not to say everything is looking good.
The leaves on the big buckeye are still more dark green than yellow-green, and that's a good sign. It is loaded with 5"-6" flower spikes that as of yesterday look like they may open normally, and they smell good, too. Another good sign.
However the smaller 10' buckeye near it has badly curled leaves that are that sickly yellow-green and that weird slick translucent look.
The 4' oak next to it, looks terrible the leaves instantly changed from a lovely pinkish red to that curled down sick yellow-green.
The redbuds look terrible. Even though they bloomed a bit more this year, the new leaves are few and far between and abnormally tiny, about the size of your thumbnail.
I bought a new camera yesterday so I'll take pics later so you can see and do your own comparison to the two previous years damage.
Tell them that and proceed!
I don't want to be on tv - bad enough having my name in the newspaper.
All kinds of crazies might come after me then... G0d knows there's plenty of them here giving it their best shot!
I asked the reporter what she thought of the idea.
She suggested to wait and see what the reaction to the newspaper articles are and then go from there.
I think that's a good idea.
I'm also going to ask her to hold off on printing any article she plans on writing until we get the results back from the plant samples. I'm also going to ask the DoA inspector if he minds her being here while he takes the samples. He's the only semi-ally I have and I don't want to make an enemy of him. Besides it will give her article more weight if the test is 24-D positive again. If it's not, all she has to go by is what she sees and what I tell her. And that's anticlimactic.
I hope and pray the test is negative for any pesticide - putting all this behind me has always been my first choice!
Oh! had a nice long visit yesterday with the farmer who sprayed the 24-D. We talked about a lot of things, the good old days and friends who are now gone. When I told him the inspector is coming Monday and that he is welcome to meet with us, he sounded like he would. He did that first year it happened. But, as I walked him to his car, I told him, "I guess I should warn you, the lady from the paper is going to be here." He changed his tune immediately and said he "doesn't know anything about that stuff." He won't show up.
Typical response, and understandable.
If he was smart, he would stop spraying you and your property!
Idk how a farmer goes about deciding how to farm, I'm pretty sure the government and it's regulations has a lot to do with it.
But, knowing the extent of the damage caused by 24-D LV6, and using it anyway, does seem to be a stupid thing to do.
On the brighter side, driving just over the county line yesterday I saw hundreds of acres that were a beautiful coco brown and appeared to be freshly tilled! Going to take pics today.
I asked the farmer when he came by yesterday about it. He said yes, they tilled it. He thought they sprayed first then tilled.
I asked him what the point of that was and he couldn't really say. Seems like a waste of chemical and double work to me.
Would it help to get out your garden hose and rinse off your sensitive plants when this happens? Obviously not practical for tall trees and such, and I know you have a decent amount of yard to do.
I explored this possibility two years ago and found contradicting answers about watering.
Supposedly, if you can rinse the contaminated plants ASAP, like within the hour, it might help.
Past that time and watering could make the problem worse.
When the local Ag agent suggested it, I bought enough garden hose to reach most everything in the yard and watered the ground for two weeks. My water usage that month was over 14,000 gal.
I didn't think it would help with the chemical situation, but since we were experiencing a dry spell, I figured watering might do more good than harm. Besides, if asked, I could say I did take his advice.
Just got off the phone with my inspector. He said if the reporter is coming, he won't be there. DoA rules. I told him I understand completely, the post office has the same rule about talking to media, and that's why I wanted to ask him first.
I told him I'll tell her the deal is off. I think I'm also going to cancel the letter to the editor (but still mail them out). Seeing how ugly some people on this forum have been about this, I think it's safe to say I'll get the same reaction in person. Maybe that's why I didn't send it when I wrote it and sat on it for two years.
I also asked him about that tilled field.
He said there is a pre-emergent that is sprayed in the field, but tilling it into the soil is required after. In other words, there is no drift and near-zero chance of it damaging non-target land.
I'm hoping this one big farmer will set an example for all the rest! Fingers crossed.
I told him I'll tell her the deal is off. I think I'm also going to cancel the letter to the editor (but still mail them out). Seeing how ugly some people on this forum have been about this, I think it's safe to say I'll get the same reaction in person. Maybe that's why I didn't send it when I wrote it and sat on it for two years.
I also asked him about that tilled field.
He said there is a pre-emergent that is sprayed in the field, but tilling it into the soil is required after. In other words, there is no drift and near-zero chance of it damaging non-target land.
I'm hoping this one big farmer will set an example for all the rest! Fingers crossed.
Received an email from the reporter after explaining why she can't be here Monday and asking her to not run the letter because I am afraid of how some might respond to it, what a huge can of worms it is, etc... I literally said I fear for my safety. But, I said she was more than welcome to come out any other time have a look at the damage and to discuss it further.
This is her reply.
Does this come across as snarky to you? It sure hit me that way.
"I’ll ask our editor to pull your letter. He’d already saved space for it.
Fortunately, we have other things to cover and feature for Earth Day that won’t risk anyone’s health
(she actually put a smilie face there)
I’ll cancel my appointment to come out Monday.
Thanks! And good luck with your gardens and soil.
Happy Earth Day!"
"Good luck with your gardens and soil????"
WTF?
Clueless.
Confirms I made the right decision.
This is her reply.
Does this come across as snarky to you?
It sure hit me that way."I’ll ask our editor to pull your letter. He’d already saved space for it.
Fortunately, we have other things to cover and feature for Earth Day that won’t risk anyone’s health
(she actually put a smilie face there)
I’ll cancel my appointment to come out Monday.
Thanks! And good luck with your gardens and soil.
Happy Earth Day!"
"Good luck with your gardens and soil????"
WTF?
Clueless.
Confirms I made the right decision.
No, it doesn't seem snarky.Received an email from the reporter after explaining why she can't be here Monday and asking her to not run the letter because I am afraid of how some might respond to it, what a huge can of worms it is, etc... I literally said I fear for my safety. But, I said she was more than welcome to come out any other time have a look at the damage and to discuss it further.
This is her reply.
Does this come across as snarky to you?
"I’ll ask our editor to pull your letter. He’d already saved space for it.
Fortunately, we have other things to cover and feature for Earth Day that won’t risk anyone’s health
(she actually put a smilie face there)
I’ll cancel my appointment to come out Monday.
Thanks! And good luck with your gardens and soil.
Happy Earth Day!"
"Good luck with your gardens and soil????"
WTF?
Clueless.
Confirms I made the right decision.
Would you say just ignorant of the facts?
What would you have preferred she said?
Idk.
Maybe I'm just tired today.
A lady joined my FB group today.
She had 17 horses killed from chemical drift from her neighbor.
I'm waiting to hear the details.
She had 17 horses killed from chemical drift from her neighbor.
I'm waiting to hear the details.
Received an email from the reporter after explaining why she can't be here Monday and asking her to not run the letter because I am afraid of how some might respond to it, what a huge can of worms it is, etc... I literally said I fear for my safety. But, I said she was more than welcome to come out any other time have a look at the damage and to discuss it further.
This is her reply.
Does this come across as snarky to you?
"I’ll ask our editor to pull your letter. He’d already saved space for it.
Fortunately, we have other things to cover and feature for Earth Day that won’t risk anyone’s health
(she actually put a smilie face there)
I’ll cancel my appointment to come out Monday.
Thanks! And good luck with your gardens and soil.
Happy Earth Day!"
"Good luck with your gardens and soil????"
WTF?
Clueless.
Confirms I made the right decision.
Not snarky. Kinda generous, actually, considering that it required an edit to their page.
Thanks guys.
I just reread her reply, and today it doesn't read so bad.
I guess the snark was in the reading, not the writing.
I just reread her reply, and today it doesn't read so bad.
I guess the snark was in the reading, not the writing.
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