Goat's beard

I decided I will call the "Western Salsify/Salsify/Western Goat's Beard/Goat's Beard" weeds: Goat's Beard. I tried calling them salsify as I believe that is their plant classification/family. But it doesn't sound "right".

"I pulled salsify today." "I picked some salsify." "Lots of salsify to pick."

It sounds like I am making a Mexican dish. Some salsa or salad. Not pulling weeds. Salsify just doesn't sound like a weed. Goat's beard sounds like a weed. Goat's beard it is.

Now that I have settled on their name, I have to pick/pull/get rid of them from my property. My plan of having the cattle eat them is not working. Not that the cattle aren't willing, it's just the hayfield is the last area in their pasture rotation and I have realized that won't be till after the goat's beard has gone to seed. So I am back to pulling and spraying them again this year.

During a rainy day last week I rode my bicycle along the road one morning during a lull in the rain. I had plenty of yellow flowers scattered throughout my hayfield eager for the sun. *sigh*

Then I looked at my neighbor's field across the road. He doesn't hay his small field. Instead he mows it once in July. Always after the goat's beard has gone to seed. Previous years when I had extra time I picked his flowers and seeds closest to the road (and therefore closest to my property). Floating seeds don't respect property boundaries.

This year he has more yellow goat's beard flowers than ever. His field looks yellow and green, like the Green Bay Packers football team. My field is green with some yellow. My efforts the past few years have had an effect, though I would have expected very few goat's beard weeds what with all the effort I have put in to eradicate them completely. I guess I got to take small victories when I can.

Last Sunday my neighbor was spraying in his field here and there using a backpack sprayer. I spoke with him. He was spraying the Canadian and Bull thistle, and whatever weeds he saw. He said he also planned to spray the weeds that look like big dandelions. I pointed out his field was thick with them. He then said he might mow his field. I pointed out I saw two goat's beard plants that already went to seed a half mile south of us, so if he plans to mow to get rid of them it should be sooner than later. Aren't I a helpful neighbor...

The past month, when checking my pocket gopher traps in the hayfield, I had been pulling the weeds I came across. Since last Monday I have made a concerted effort to get rid of the weeds. To do this I walk the hayfield east/west and go from north to south. I try to search logically rather than go wherever I see the next flower or plant. The southern part of the field is where the plants are thicker and takes more time to clear.

Even after the flowers close to hide their yellow I have seen enough plants that I can pick out many of their stalks hiding among the grass. Notice I said "many" and not most or all. Sometimes I find a plant by feel as when I brush against it or step on their stiff stalk. A plant can be right in front of me, unseen among the tall grass, until I step on it.

Last Monday I searched until calling it quits when I reached the northern power line tower. This two thirds of the field holds probably half or less or the weeds. I was hungry, thirsty and hot as the sky was clear and the temperature in the 80s F. When I got home I found I had been out picking weeds for 5 hours! Time flies...

The next morning I looked out across the hayfield from the north: yellow flowers scattered throughout. *groan* Didn't my efforts the previous day have any effect?

Between the rain and errands I didn't get much time to make a concerted effort the remainder of last week to pick more goat's beard. Yesterday and today I dedicated time to picking weeds. It took two days and I still haven't gotten back to the power line tower where I had reached last Monday. To be fair I spent a good deal of time in the south pasture picking the weeds. As the cattle haven't been in this field yet I have weeds to pick. My pasture rotation plan is turning out to be work for me in more ways than one.

As quite a number of plants have the wispy white sticking out of a mature seed pod (the goat's beard), I now have to carry a plastic grocery bag with me to hold the seed pods and mature looking flowers. I have filled a bag and a half so far.

While I try to get up earlier in the morning to pick the weeds when the flowers are open and therefore easier to spot, I am having trouble doing so. I have taken to picking the weeds also in the evening. I find the light when the sun is lower in the western sky highlights the thicker and paler green weeds and seed pods from among the grass. When the sun is overhead the weeds tend to blend in the tall grass - though, I either have an eye to spot them else there are so many any idiot can find some. I probably fall into the later as this evening when searching for my pocket gopher traps I kept finding weed after weed in an area searched thoroughly in the morning and day.

Today was a mostly cloudy day until a few breaks in the clouds towards evening. The flowers stayed open longer to get the sun. The downside was the heavy dew did not dry. My shoes, socks, and pants below the knees were soaked. After a change of shoes and socks over lunch, I returned to the field to check pocket gopher traps and also pick more weeds. A light shower passed overhead. *sigh* Now this pair of shoes and socks are wet.

I did see a beautiful rainbow after the shower. It was bright and very thick. I like how the mountains are behind the rainbow. It adds to the picture. And one knows the pot of gold has to be in the Valley! As the rain shower lessened, the rainbow did also. Not in an overall fading way; but the southern end of the rainbow disappeared, and this continued on up till only the northern arch went from the ground up into the rain cloud. The part of the rainbow that was left was just as bright and thick as when the entire rainbow could be seen. I got to buy a camera!

Tonight I found my first open seed pod in my field. *augh!* For several days now I have seen a couple open pods here and there along the road a half mile or more to the south. The weather hasn't been warm enough to trigger the seed pods to open - or so I thought. In the past years the pods didn't seem to open till almost July. Then again, yesterday I notice my alfalfa is starting to bloom. With all this rain everything seems to be earlier than usual this year.

I have lots of mature goat's beard weeds south of my power line towers. If the weeds are starting to open now, I'm doomed. And I hope for a westerly breeze to keep my eastern neighbor's millions upon millions of seeds away from my field. An east breeze and next year will be a nightmare.

Looks to be another month lost this year to fighting these weeds.