What could they be spraying on this field?

grandmajo · #1 09/21/10, 09:58 AM

I'm hoping someone here can answer this? There is a field that surrounds my property on 2 sides. It is being leased by the local dairy farm and was planted with alfalfa last year. They did 2 cuts on it this year and after the 2nd cut they came in and sprayed the liquid manure. That was a couple of months ago. Yesterday a big tractor came in and sprayed, I'm not sure what it was but I'm assuming it was a weed killer? The stuff was pretty stinky and the wind was blowing it right onto my property, think white mist that you could see.

Does anybody know what this stuff was? And is it dangerous to inhale? I had my goats out in the pasture when the guy showed up and started spraying. By the time I heard him and looked out of the house, the mist was already floating over my property.

And before anybody asks, yes I did contact the dairy farm, left a message yesterday. But nobody has responded to me yet.

rambler · #2 09/21/10, 10:22 AM

It would be pure speculation.....

At this time of year in my cold area, not much to do with an alfalfa field.

It could be foliar fertilizer to get the crop ready for next spring.

It could be herbicide to kill the alfalfa, to prepare the field for a different (corn) crop next year.

Spraying for weeds or insects at this time of year 'here' is not common.

It's unfortunate they picked a windy day. That sets up bad feelings between people. I try real hard to pick days where the gentle breeze (you don't actually want a wind-still day!) is headed away from people, but perhaps he's got houses on all sides and that becomes impossible.

--->Paul

grandmajo · #3 09/21/10, 10:32 AM

Thanks for replying Paul. It wasn't a real good field, I talked to the owner of the dairy farm when he came out after the 2nd cut. We were discussing how weedy the field was even after they did the 1st cut. He said that he wasn't pleased, lots of quantity, low quality.

So do either of those (foliar fertilizer or herbicide) need to be watched for inhalation hazards? I just want to make sure that our goats are safe!

ace admirer · #4 09/21/10, 10:42 AM

i sure hope he does not charge you for the fertilizer.......its expensive......

Pink_Carnation · #5 09/21/10, 10:50 AM

What is safe and isn't is hard to know even based on if it is insecticide or herbiside. I do know in some areas though that kind of drift is a violation of pesticide application. I would ask that he lets you know before spraying so you can have things covered and animals in if the wind is blowing.

grandmajo · #6 09/21/10, 11:07 AM

Yep, I sent an email asking that they let me know ahead of time, I worded it in a non-confrontational manner, but did mention that my goats were in the pasture when they were spraying.

fantasymaker · #7 09/21/10, 01:35 PM

Around here its not legal to spray when it will drift.
As far as I can tell the spraying companies don't expect it to drift unless the wind knocks the spray rig over.

rambler · #8 09/21/10, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grandmajo

The stuff was pretty stinky and the wind was blowing it right onto my property, think white mist that you could see.

This line keeps making me think of NH3, but it's sorta early for a fall application; one doesn't need a lot of it for next year's corn crop following alfalfa. And the stuff is not sprayed on it is knifed into the ground. Was it applied from white tanks on trailers, or a regular sprayer, or blown on with air tubes? Was the 'white mist' coming from sprayer booms, or rising up from the ground?

--->Paul

Heritagefarm · #9 09/21/10, 09:16 PM

The white sounds sort of like lime?

DaleK · #10 09/21/10, 09:43 PM

I'm kinda wondering if maybe it was wash water from the milkhouse/parlour? Most herbicides don't have a really strong smell.

Danaus29 · #11 09/21/10, 09:55 PM

Drift is illegal in Ohio, although I haven't heard of any lawsuits because of drift. They aren't supposed to spray on days where the wind can carry drift to neighboring properties.

Some herbicides can be washed off if you spray the plants with clean water immediately. I have no clue what could have been sprayed, grandpa never used anything that sprayed a white mist.

springvalley · #12 09/21/10, 09:58 PM

I don`t know DaleK, they got some pretty stinky stuff they spray around here. I am getting so I can`t be outside when they spray around here.>Thanks Marc

Old Vet · #13 09/22/10, 01:12 AM

Most herbicides do not harmful to breath in a small mist. But you talk like there is much more than just drift. The water molecule in a tank are heaver than air so they most always go to the ground in just about 4 or 5 feet and are not white mist. Did it smell like ammonia? It is knifed in and smell real bad and sometimes it will escape the knife and created a white mist. Once it is gone it is not harmful but when their it will burn the lungs and create a fluid on the lungs. Goats and people will not stay in an area if it is ammonia.

grandmajo · #14 09/22/10, 04:29 AM

Thanks everyone, I finally got an answer back from the owner's son. He says that they were spraying round-up and that there are no animal concerns. I don't remember round-up smelling that bad, but I don't exactly go around sniffing it either!

Course he also said that they're going to be putting manure on the field in the next couple of days too. That makes 4 applications of manure to this field since July of 2009! Oh, joy.

foxtrapper · #15 09/22/10, 06:55 AM

Ah, no. To say there are no animal concerns is either foolish or dishonest. While Glyphosates aren't excitingly dangerous, they are not inert or suitable for inhalation or consumption. Want to draw a parallel? Think Agent Orange and Vietnam. Same basic chemical base.

There is also the adverse impact having Round-up sprayed onto your plants. Personally, I would not be appreciative of my neighbor taking it upon themselves to spray my place.

I suspect you've got more of a problem than you realise here with this neighbor and their field applications.

Lazy J · #16 09/22/10, 07:24 AM

This thread sounds like it is about to get interesting. Where is my popcorn?

grandmajo · #17 09/22/10, 07:53 AM

Swell. Guess I'm going to be stuck just watching for the sprayer to show up. The owner of the dairy farm made it a point to let me know that he's a member of the new state Livestock Care Board. I took that as a nicely worded threat, since we had a disagreement last year. I wish the housing market would pick back up, I would sell this place in a heartbeat.

Lazy J · #18 09/22/10, 07:57 AM

Hmm, might that be Dr. Leon Weaver?

grandmajo · #19 09/22/10, 08:04 AM

Yep, you got it

Cindy in PA · #20 09/22/10, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fantasymaker

Around here its not legal to spray when it will drift.
As far as I can tell the spraying companies don't expect it to drift unless the wind knocks the spray rig over.

Ditto around here, however the farmer that rents beside us could care less.