backyard buckthorn before removal
Photo by J. Harrington
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As we were getting some needed chores done today (the "quick-connect mower deck" for our John Deere tractor doesn't connect all of a sudden, so both are off at the dealer's service department), we were thinking about invasive species, like buckthorn. If and when we get buckthorn gone from our property, there will be the perpetual(?) threat of reinvasion since seeds can and will be dropped by birds as long as the neighbors, including the public sector, haven't also cleaned up their buckthorn. That's kind of a discouraging prospect for us and, we suspect, others in a similar situation. It suggests that invasive species management is not a project by project approach but more like an annual activity.
When we search the internet about terrestrial invasive species in Minnesota, we discover that, in addition to the University's programs and projects, the Department of Agriculture is involved, as are the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Transportation, the Science Museum of Minnesota, plus counties and other units of local government. There's probably some federal agencies involved also. It's a little frustrating that there doesn't appear to be a designated lead agency responsible for pulling all the pieces together. We also would like to see more consideration of permaculture approaches to invasive species management.
On an unrelated and brighter note, we'll soon take a new kind of bread boule from the oven. The last loaf we baked using our current formula and flour sources tasted different than any of the prior versions. We "restarted" our home grown sourdough starter, and the Better Half bought some pricey local flour for us to play with. Today's loaf/boule will be the first production with the renewed starter and new flour. Tomorrow or Friday we'll let you know how it turned out .
Invasive Species
The bulldozer paws and pausesat the edge of the marsh.Water is easy to direct,impossible to stop, serpentinein its empire.The third settlers were chased hereby the second settlers and early deathbut not before a softening handplanted bouncing bet in the yard,now in scallops and pools alongthe train tracks, hidingthe diary wrapped in waxed canvas.And everything that followsseized and scattered:another woman kneeling on the floor,coat on the back of the chairrepairing a fraying rug —
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