Back on Ragwort again sorry

[Sutton]

There's a field that I notice from the bus that is full of ragwort but I have no idea who owns it. I sent the relevant form off to Defra with a good map showing where on the road the field was located and they've sent the stuff back to me asking if I know the owner and if I've been in touch with the owner! Do you really have to go to such trouble? I mean fields are fields, if you don't know the area very well and like me only see it from the bus daily, then does that mean that any query like this will get dumped? Can't they trace the owner from the position of the field. It is very obvious, on the corner of two roads.

[lindaandrascal]

Would that be the one by the island near Aldridge?

[NinaV]

I had the same thing, my council wouldn't do anything about a field about a mile away from me as they needed to know who owned it, they said they didn't have the resources to find out themselves and could I ask about for them!!

Mind you there is an area of land between my fields and the main road that is owned by the council and every year I send the exact same email to the highways guy (forward it back to him!) to dig the ragwort out and although they make me sweat about it for a week or 3 they have been this week 3 days running and the WHOLE lot is gone!! The guy obviously thinks I'm a pain in the proverbial but hey, who cares it's gone - bless him!

[kas]

I'm wondering if there is a disturbing new strategy being carried out by some of the people reported for ragwort in fields. Topping it.
There are 3 different fields in my area where I noticed horses grazing among loads of ragwort. Then one evening, in a field that had been full of mares and foals - the ragwort was gone. I realised the grass had been cut, along with the ragwort. Imagine my reaction when the next night the horses were back in there! Then a few days later I saw people out raking up the ragwort and throwing it in the back of a truck. Oh yes, that will help won't it?
Since then I've seen the two other fields treated in exactly the same way, apart from the fact that I don't know where the ragwort went. Even if the toppings were gathered up in some way, there's bound to be bits left wilting on the grass aren't there?
I know that people are being told they should speak to the landowner first - but that's not what the law says. I think I'd go back and say it's not your job to approach the landowner and possibly put yourself at risk - it's theirs.

[helenh]

I was talking to a friend today and she was saying that our local paper has given a number out to report ragwort so that it can be 'controlled'. They ( i think the council) then go and top the field 'free of charge' - obviously it still leaves the roots and all the dead ragwort on the ground unless someone else clears up after them.
I still can't believe people don't take this more seriously. i have seen so many fields this year absolutely covered and horses grazing in and amongst the ragwort. It seems to be getting worse but maybe thats just me?

[Sutton]

Ohh Lindaand Jack - yes you are right! Do you know the owner? Over the years there have been horses grazing amongst the ragwort but I haven't seen any for a couple of years. A field adjacent to me is topped rather than sprayed and another so called hobby farmer although from a farming family, had never heard of ragwort and I had to point out to him that it was certified weed and they could be 'done' by DEFRA and that I spent hours sorting my field out to get rid of it as it was fatal to horses and other animals. He's topped his now. I do think that topping seems to be preferred to proper eradication.

[stef]

the fines are in place for having ragwort in any kind of land, not just grazing land. even though it is dangerous to animals, it is also poisonous to humans and can be absorbed through the skin. your best chance of finding the owner of the land would be to ask local frmers in the area, if you cant find anything out from them, contact the land registry office, they have all the details of land and its owners.

[rust]

But who is the biggest culprit? county council/ highways!
should they not lead by example?

[jor]

I have to hold my hands up to 'topping' some ragwort in one of my fields. However I picked it up as i cut the flowers off and about 80% of what was left in the ground has now been pulled up, however at the time i couldnt pull/spray it all and I was concerned it would seed.
In some ways I think topping it in a field without livestock is preferable to leaving it where it will seed but obviously spraying fields twice a year or digging out every last bit would be preferable.

Whilst driving too and from my holiday site I was appaulled by the amount of it there was about. It linned farmers crop fields , filled fields with sheep and cows as well as horses. The majority of it linned highways. There was even ragwort at the side of the road in the middle of the peak district.

Its awful that its as bad as it is considering it is a poisonous plant to humans and animals, maybe it will take a kid to die or something equally drastic for action to be taken.

[kas]

Well, topping it does at least stop it seeding, so it's going to be better than nothing isn't it? But these fields are having horses put straight back on, and there's no way all the bits of leaf will have been picked up, so it's there wilting and waiting to be eaten. I've seen another field near me where it's been done with two big shire type horses straight back in it.
My friend had a man on a quad bike come and spray her fields. The horses had to be off for 3 days only, but she kept them off a week. She had a fair bit of ragwort before, but there's none in sight now, and the docs, nettles and thistles are gone as well. If I can gather some cash I think I'm going to go for this.

[lindaandrascal]

no, i dont know the owner, but there was a horse in that field a couple of weeks ago now (like many here) its YELLOW!!
I went along the motorway to Henley today and several of the fields had almost nothing but ragwort, it makes me want to go and pull it all up! The one your talking about is past pulling theres just so much of it it needs something more drastic.

[Pegasus]

Topping and clearing is at least better than letting the nasty stuff seed and blow everywhere. I have tremendous trouble explaining how nasty Ragwort is to our local landowners. They are used to letting sheep eat it!!! I explain that then they are putting liver damaged sheep into the human food chain through the meat and especially through lambs liver which is the liver most people eat....has anyone thought to do a test for how this poisoning goes down the food chain is what I want to know. Thank god I'm a vegetarian!!!

[anonny]

It seems that the law is unenforceable. Has anyone actually been fined for allowing ragwort to grow yet?
DEFRA aren't exactly making it easy to enforce. It is possible to find out the owner of a piece of land by contacting the land registary, but this is time consuming and to be honest DEFRA should do it themselves once it has been reported to them.

[Diane with Sam & Jubilee]

Please read this and be aware when it comes to topped fields.

Pie is currently in what seems to be the final stages of ragwort poisoning - awaiting biopsy confirmation tomorrow.

We know he accessed ragwort as a youngster and have been keeping him on NAF D-Tox to support his liver. On Monday the farmer who owns the nice yellow field next to me topped his field. This has sent thousands of seeds onto my pasture, which have now been ingested by Pie. The seeds are tasteless but highly toxic. By Wednesday Pie was showing unusual behaviour, itching all over, Thursday he was beginning to rub himself raw and headshake, Friday he started to lose coordination, Saturday Vet came and started him on treatment, Sunday Vet came again and was here for most of the afternoon and evening due to the state Pie is in now. He has all the classic symptoms, photosensitisation, jaundice, diarrhea, lack of coordination, head banging, yawning, intense itching. We are awaiting the biopsy results tomorrow but I am preparing for the fact that by tomorrow night Pie may no longer be with us.

SEEDS KILL TOO

[Pegasus]

Devestated to hear about your Pie Diane. Words aren't sufficient to pass on my heartfelt sorrow for you at this time.

I think the seeds are what we need to be rid of more than any other part of the plant. Topping just isn't good enough and most farmers try to rid themselves of this plant way way way too late in the stage of the development of the plant. By the time it's flowering it's too darn late. I've seen plants that have been pulled and left re-root themselves!!! I've also seen plants that have been pulled go on for two weeks and still seed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It must be pulled or topped early and BURNT within a couple of days. Even when I go out and pull it I get a headache so dread to think what it does through aromatherapy?