Weeding

Today is Wednesday.  Todd is working with a couple of worker shareholders out in the field.  Looks like they are …weeding.
WEEDING
We are doing the best we can to resist weed takeover. Cover cropping is the first strategy.  These are crops that might suppress certain weeds and/or that build the soil in some way.  The latter fall into the category of green manure.
Researchers have all kinds of theories about weed control with cover crops.   This year, as part of a grant through the U of I, we will add sudan grass to our cover crop menu.  It is being studied as an antidote to Canadian thistle, which has a ridiculous root structure and is one of the scarier epidemics.  To rattle off some others: ground cherry, dandelion, lambsquarter, quack grass, Johnny grass, burdock, bindweed, creeping charley, pennycress, horseweed, prickley lettuce, purslane, wild carrot, milkweed.  Later in the summer I’m sure I’ll remember more.
BAGS
While everyone is outside toiling in the sun, I’m typing and awaiting arrival of our tote bags, which we will print and sell for cost at market.  I cannot guarantee the sustainability practices that went into the production of this bag, but I feel better about these bags than the plastic ones.  They ARE made in the United States.  They are cotton.