Battle of the pear cactus...

[texasjohn]

Interesting there are so many folks in this immediate area...

I'm glad for the rain we did get....less than 3 inches so far..... ground is so dry I could get 8 inches over several days and still have no runoff from the pastures.

I'm a realist who lived thru the 50's drought... we're way under for all last year and this year... and no real prospect for long term recovery..... in the 50's folks survived by burning the thorns off of the pear... some each day... the cows, sheep, goats followed the burners eating the green pads ... saved some ranchers.... screw worms were a scourge then and many animals were lost to them. At least now the screw works have been pushed back into Mexico... so, you can burn the pear and let your stock eat the pads.... not eradication, but a form of control.

I claim we are still in an extreme drought... subsoil moisture is long gone...just surface moisture from today's rains.

 

[The Dougster]

It is interesting... I'm at the intersection of CR 2001 and 2033....

I too remember the drought of the 1950's and sure as heck don't want to relive it... a neighbor reports 2.7-inches this week and I'm here to tell ya, I'm proud to get it.. Had a bone dry sock tank rebuilt in January and to date, it's been a dust bowl... neighbor reports about a foot of water in it now...
With the existing burn ban, I'm afraid to try burning the pear... simply too dry.... When scraping and piling my prickly pear, I'm amazed at the cattle following me around eating the roots (my guess) I can have a really nice pile and within a couple of hours, the cattle have it spread all over the place.

 

[two-socks]

I've battled pears for years and have tried all methods I could think of. With scraping, you end up losing topsoil, not to mention the nutrients that the pads have taken up. You can also roll them with a flat wheel and keeping squishing all the juice out, but you have to do this many, many times. The best method by far is to shred them during the active growing season, then come back and spray with Tordon over the injured pears.

 

[two-socks]

4.2" in florence. keep it coming....

Interesting there are so many folks in this immediate area...

I'm glad for the rain we did get....less than 3 inches so far..... ground is so dry I could get 8 inches over several days and still have no runoff from the pastures.

I'm a realist who lived thru the 50's drought... we're way under for all last year and this year... and no real prospect for long term recovery..... in the 50's folks survived by burning the thorns off of the pear... some each day... the cows, sheep, goats followed the burners eating the green pads ... saved some ranchers.... screw worms were a scourge then and many animals were lost to them. At least now the screw works have been pushed back into Mexico... so, you can burn the pear and let your stock eat the pads.... not eradication, but a form of control.

I claim we are still in an extreme drought... subsoil moisture is long gone...just surface moisture from today's rains.

 

[RWolf]

Dougster, looks like your not to far from me. I don't live on the property as we live in the Cove but I'm out there at least 3 to 4 times a week. I like the idea of an alternate chemical but would need to know if it requires an applicators license.

Krumps--- I see you're around Rumley, again not far.

 

[texasjohn]

Wow... numerous recent members right here in Drought Central!!!

Welcome, Dougster, Two-Socks

Am looking forward to you guys posting what you are doing, etc...

 

[weldingisfun]

Dougster, looks like your not to far from me. I don't live on the property as we live in the Cove but I'm out there at least 3 to 4 times a week. I like the idea of an alternate chemical but would need to know if it requires an applicators license.

Krumps--- I see you're around Rumley, again not far.

We are six miles south of you, RWolf. In fact, we may have met. Did you recently buy a 3PH bale spear from a crusty old guy driving a white Dodge Ram?