"A rose by any other name...."

     Dad remembered the first dandelion he ever saw. It was growing in the farm yard and he wondered "what's that pretty yellow flower." For many a child it's the first bouquet of summer picked for mommy. Imported from Europe, dandelions are now ubiquitous and abhorred more than cherished. The presence of dandelions, once a garden flower, raises the question "What is a weed?"
    Perhaps the easiest answer to that question is "A weed is a plant growing in the wrong place." Though, one might wonder if there is any right place for a thistle. Yet, as I write this I'm reminded that bees, butterflies and other pollinators love thistle blossoms. My late brother, Richard, once said "Hitchcock should do a horror movie about thistles."
     But, back to plants in wrong places. Of course that definition is very anthropomorphic, but then isn't all language? Cedar trees are the cause of love/hate relationships. In the 10,000(?) trees I've planted many have been cedar. In retrospect I regret not having planted more as cedar, as Emerald Ash Borer will eventually threaten many of the green ash planted. Cedar make wonderful winter cover for wildlife when planted in multiple rows. Cedar volunteering in grasslands meet the above definition of a weed. Without some form of control they will fairly quickly invade the grass.
      Burning is a very effective form of control. Grazing buffalo (bison) are another effective means. Mark, who raised buffalo for several years, put a herd into grassland filled with invasive cedars and within a few hours the buffalo had eradicated the cedar. Cattle just graze around the cedar, unlike buffalo. Some of my grassland is not amenable to burning, nor do I have buffalo. This afforded me several hours of stoop labor today, good exercise for my back, as I wandered grassland, clipping off cedars at ground level. Coniferous trees die when cut off below the lowest branch. Bird poop! That's how cedars spread. Birds eat the cedar berries and that's why so many cedars grow in fence lines where birds have pooped.
     Another issue with cedars in grasslands is that they provide perches for hawks. From these perches hawks spot their prey which are often pheasant, nesting ducks and their chicks.  Large fields of grass devoid of trees benefit certain species of wildlife so I'm favoring some at the expense of others.
      It was a beautiful day to be out standing (and walking) in the field.

Takk for alt,

Al