A safer alternative to Roundup

[Sodo]

Yep no control what people are putting down the toilet. Wasn't long ago that you were told flushing expired medications down the toilet was an approved method for disposal. I bet lots still do. I couldn't tell you if theres a better alternative because I don't know either. I suppose you ought to take them to a hazmat facility but I just keep them in a box.

The chance that Milorganite is "polluted" though, is a possibility. I suspect the chance that Roundup could have some "accepted" level of (unknown / or dangerous) pollutants as well, and nobody knows that either. Same as any other fertilizer it couldn't possibly be pure - you don't know the percentage of pollutants that come to your land in that fertilzer truck.

 

[dmccarty]

I find it ironic that " Milorganite" can be considered organic, given it's origins. I'm not trying to be critical, just making a comment.

Our county is still primarily rural and some farmers take sludge from local sewage plants to spread on their fields from time to time. There are regulations for this operation but there are people who are really against the farmer's use of sludge and I wonder if they use Milorganite...

Later,
Dan

 

[Jstpssng]

Working for a landscaper years ago, we put in many lawns and raised bed gardens using composted sludge. I wouldn't want it for my garden, but if I didn't know it wouldn't hurt me.

I read recently about the Chinese planting in mounds of compost including raw sewerage. They've been doing it for thousands of years, but I'll still pass on the raw carrot sticks.

 

[tcreeley]

Working for a landscaper years ago, we put in many lawns and raised bed gardens using composted sludge. I wouldn't want it for my garden, but if I didn't know it wouldn't hurt me.

I read recently about the Chinese planting in mounds of compost including raw sewerage. They've been doing it for thousands of years, but I'll still pass on the raw carrot sticks.

Leave out the chemicals it's fine.

 

[Sodo]

That is a good example of todays divisions and political correctness.

Monsanto's chemicals. These are tested a couple generations and known to be dangerous in concentration. Its ppread all over the countryside, turns up in people's well water. But it provides a certain profit margin for the farmer and the large chemical company. Who "might" be motivated to control farmers purchases further. And farmers or other locals have zero control over any of this. This is an acceptable / unacceptable risk.

Spreading sewage. This is a generally natural fertilizer, adapted over tens of thousands of years to plant life. It's processed by your own local gov't agencies (which you could have control over if interested). Its less than "free" as a waste product because not using it has large disposal costs (which citizens pay for also). Its creation and generation cannot be monopolized by a large chemical company, in fact is the most formidable type of competitor. This type of competitor can be dealt with politically & thru the media by discrediting it as unsafe in comparison to chemicals. Theres a lot of it, but gathering enough to be useful, and preventing it from being polluted may be a problem. This is acceptable /unacceptable risk.

Choose your poison I guess,,,,,, (or your kids/grandkids poison).

 

[Redneck in training]

Working for a landscaper years ago, we put in many lawns and raised bed gardens using composted sludge. I wouldn't want it for my garden, but if I didn't know it wouldn't hurt me.

I read recently about the Chinese planting in mounds of compost including raw sewerage. They've been doing it for thousands of years, but I'll still pass on the raw carrot sticks.

When I was a kid my grandma used raw sewage to fertilize all fruit trees and berry bushes such as currant and gooseberry. She used horse manure collected from the road for the garden. Usage of raw sewage was normal at that time. Everyone was doing so. It was before people installed flushing toilets and septics were required. I don't remember anybody was getting sick. I guess we developed immunity by exposure or it was broken down quickly in soil to harmless stuff.

 

[deerefan]

That is a good example of todays divisions and political correctness.

Monsanto's chemicals. These are tested a couple generations and known to be dangerous in concentration. Its ppread all over the countryside, turns up in people's well water. But it provides a certain profit margin for the farmer and the large chemical company. Who "might" be motivated to control farmers purchases further. And farmers or other locals have zero control over any of this. This is an acceptable / unacceptable risk.

Spreading sewage. This is a generally natural fertilizer, adapted over tens of thousands of years to plant life. It's processed by your own local gov't agencies (which you could have control over if interested). Its less than "free" as a waste product because not using it has large disposal costs (which citizens pay for also). Its creation and generation cannot be monopolized by a large chemical company, in fact is the most formidable type of competitor. This type of competitor can be dealt with politically & thru the media by discrediting it as unsafe in comparison to chemicals. Theres a lot of it, but gathering enough to be useful, and preventing it from being polluted may be a problem. This is acceptable /unacceptable risk.

Choose your poison I guess,,,,,, (or your kids/grandkids poison).

Well said. I used to maintain my fence lines with a commercial trimmer in lieu of roundup. I have roughly 4 miles of fence to maintain. As life progressed, it just became more efficient to spray it 1-2x a year. This took a couple hours versus a couple weekends. On a larger scale, I guess that is why roundup is so widespread. They need to meet demand and time is crucial.

 

[Smallplot]

Monsanto's chemicals. These are tested a couple generations and known to be dangerous in concentration. Its ppread all over the countryside, turns up in people's well water.

And the concentrations chemicals are tested at are way above any residual amounts left over. Another question, do you not think sewage finds it's way into well water as well?

Saw a study once about Atrazine and the amount of Atrazine needed to be lethal, or cause great physical harm, was many times higher than common salt found on about every table. Everyday salt is more hazardous to your health than a big bad chemical, where is the outrage and calling out for stricter control of salt?




And while everyone is jumping on farmers for having to use chemicals to remain profitable, a farmer has more money tied up in necessary equipment to plant, let alone harvest, a crop than the average homeowner has tied up in a house. Further a home owner has 30 years to pay for a house, farmers have 5 years to pay for their equipment, 7 if they are real lucky. Then tack on seed, fertilizer, hired help, property expenses, not to mention everyday living and house expenses. Not too mention the prices farmers are getting are still about the same they were 30 years ago for harvested products. What can you purchase today that was the same price 30 years ago?

 

[mx1alex]

And the concentrations chemicals are tested at are way above any residual amounts left over. Another question, do you not think sewage finds it's way into well water as well?

Saw a study once about Atrazine and the amount of Atrazine needed to be lethal, or cause great physical harm, was many times higher than common salt found on about every table. Everyday salt is more hazardous to your health than a big bad chemical, where is the outrage and calling out for stricter control of salt?




And while everyone is jumping on farmers for having to use chemicals to remain profitable, a farmer has more money tied up in necessary equipment to plant, let alone harvest, a crop than the average homeowner has tied up in a house. Further a home owner has 30 years to pay for a house, farmers have 5 years to pay for their equipment, 7 if they are real lucky. Then tack on seed, fertilizer, hired help, property expenses, not to mention everyday living and house expenses. Not too mention the prices farmers are getting are still about the same they were 30 years ago for harvested products. What can you purchase today that was the same price 30 years ago?

I agree with everything! The residues of pesticides show up in parts per billion. Sure if you drink a jug of of something it could harm you but the exposure that anyone comes into contact with will not harm you.

A JD 4020 goes for about the same price now as it did 30 years ago though! lol.

 

[Smallplot]

A JD 4020 goes for about the same price now as it did 30 years ago though! lol.

True but it didn't have 10,000 hours on it either. Used prices of tractors are nuts. After I graduated way back in 1991 I tried to get dad to update our main tractor. I priced an 8000 series and within the last couple years came across another equipped like I checked into. As a used tractor with 6000 hours on it, they still wanted just as much as as the Brand spanking new one back in the day.