Natural Pest Control

With the application of pesticides on our everyday food including fruits and vegetables, these products can pollute our air and water supplies with carcinogens simultaneously harming resident wildlife in the surrounding area. Pesticide use was the only way to ensure the protection of produce products, that is until the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center suggested an original natural pest control in the form nematodes. Nematodes are pest-killing round worms. These round worms can take care of costly pest infestations effectively, and as the adult nematode reproduce offspring, the cycle continuously renews itself as the nematodes begin to search for a new pest. I believe this form of natural pesticide will positively affect the environment while resulting in a reduction of pollution chemical pesticides create. "We cannot keep producing chemical pesticides," Dr. Grewal, a nematologist from The Ohio State University, says. This natural form of pesticide will eliminate the potential pollution chemical pesticides can inflict onto the environment. As the nematodes are further introduced into the agricultural world, it can only result in a greater knowledge of chemical pesticides harmful effects and future development of other natural forms of pesticides to protect our health and the environment.
www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2007/0704-natural_pest_control.htm

Davidsons Issue with Kudzu

Davidson College was faced with acres and acres of uncontrollable kudzu. In the summer it grows an estimated 12 inches a day. It's also very dangerous to clear because of thick foliage that can hide stumps, logs and holes in the ground. Davidson College wanted to come up with a safe and environmentally sound way to clear the kudzu. They didn't cut it, they didn't spray it, they rented goats to eat it. Jolly is the assistant director of grounds maintanance and he loves watching the goats. He said, "They'll put their hooves up on the trees and pull the kudzu down like they're reeling in a fish."

Ron Searcy, owner of the goats, said he has rented the goats to city parks, recreational departments, and Virginia's Dominion electric company.

Each goat is eating about 20 pounds of kudzu per day and with 30 goats, five acres should be cleared in five to six weeks.

Reading about this I couldnt help asking, "Why didn't someone think of this earlier?"

The goats eating the kudzu won't kill the vines but tame it long enough for crews to take out stumps and fallen trees, plant grass and maintain the land more easily. Another thing is that no chemicals are used to kill any of the plants which will make it easier to grow other things in its place. This method of clearing land should be used everywhere and all the time. Goats eat everything so might as well use it to our advantage. Next time I see over grown weeds, I will rent a goat!