Russian Knapp Weed | Life on a Colorado Farm

We have many, many weed here…some are just a pain, but others are really horrid. The invasive species are the worst….nothing likes to eat them, they sterilize the soil so only ‘they’ can grow, and (usually) they are ugly –Russian Knapp Weed, Canada Thistle are examples.

Randomly there is a weed that is just downright beautiful-but still a weed and still an invasive weed. I chop them down the second I see them start to form. Sometimes I miss one or so, before you know it…there they are.

The Nodding Thistle or also known as the Musk Thistle is one of those horrid weeds which is incredibly beautiful.

This one got by my shovel, so I took photos of it for you.

A beautiful weed

Now chopped off.

But I can assure you there are more out there! Invasive species have incredible survival skills.

Linda

The char on the Back Forty, and the Upper End are starting to turn green.

You are looking a the beginning of Russian Knapp Weed and the tiny sprouts of Canada Thistle. The Prickly Pear Cactus is toast.

While this stuff is little I can at least be glad it’s green.

I told Terry what we need is a herd of goats and a goat herder. At this stage in the game goats will eat all the knapp weed they can get and even the tender little shoot of thistle.

Alas we do not have a goat herd, nor a fence to keep them in and I don’t want to spend my time, and Fuzzy’s (Boomer would NOT know what to do) sitting out there with about 20 or so goats. Although, I enjoy goats.

So it is just going to be what it is for a time.

I’m sure you are all (every last one of you) getting sick of me bemoaning this disaster. I promise I will move on. There really isn’t anything to do but wait for the insurance to come through and get on with life.

So more or less this will be the last post on this mess.

(I hope)

Linda