19 replies to this topic

[Nato77]

One thing that really gets me aggitated is big farmers spraying with their 130' spray booms nipping the veggies in my garden. Running 15,000 acres spraying windy or not just to get it done. This year I waited to put my pumpkins in til after they sprayed the field around me, thinking they wouldn't get nipped like the last few years ( my pumpkin patch is about 10' from the field). But my tomatoes got it this year. Good thing the wife got a little crazy buying plants I put 23 in and about 1/2 got hurt even though the closest part of the field is around 25-30 feet from the field. Does anybody know what the effects roundup are on the tomatoes if they would be aright to eat or not if they would produce fruit? Last year we made about 12 gallons of salsa for friends and family, wanted to make a few more gallons this year cause everybodies running out and want more. I myself have one quart left and trying to make it last til we get the first batch done but its so good! The one good thing (if you could call it a good thing) is that they also sprayed 5-6 feet of my driveway ditch killing the grass. Takes around an hour and a half to mow the 1/4 mile long driveway but now shaves 20 min of that time, so I got more time to tinker with other projects. Its ok if you like a brown strip instead green grass. Then I came home today and what did I see, fresh sprayer tracks. Hope they sprayed for aphids and not weeds cause my pumpkins are doing good this year and don't want my buddy to beat me again this year having bigger pumpkins than me.

[MH81]

Have you spoken to them? Most guys trying to make a living from the soil are decent folks, just in a hurry, like the rest of us. Or the hired hand doesn't understand what it's doing to your crop.

As for ok to eat, if you get maters, I'd say they are OK... But just to be sure, ask the farmer what he's using (is it roundup, ranger, aftermarket) and call the company that makes it. They could tell you or the CoOperative Ext. Service could help.

[Nato77]

I talked to them a few years ago about it he kinda brushed it off. Don't want to get him POed at me cause one of these years I want to try and buy some land off him to make my place a little bigger. And everybody knows farmers don't like to give up land.

[jdslednut]

I would think that if the plant survives a roundup hit, the fruit from it should be fine to eat. There are a few threads on veggie forums on the topic but most posts are from opinionated organic growers that wouldn't touch them. Just remember why we are told to wash our fruits and veggies before we eat them - they're treated with something much more recent than your herbicide hit will be. I think they'll be ok. If they survive you should save some back for seed and start your own roundup resistant variety.

Of course, if she got them from the school greenhouse, they'd survive almost anything. :-)

Pretty much unrelated but a couple of years ago we had a few leftover tomato plants in the greenhouse and I plain forgot to toss them out. Locked the door in June and didn't stop by until the beginning of school in August. There they were. About 20 dried up crispy plants. But, one had a little red tomato on it. No water for 2-1/2 months and it can get up to 120 in there during a good hot day. Still amazed. Nature will find a way.

[Nato77]

Didn't see any tomatoes at the plant sale must of been some good hybrids that you're growing in there to sell out right away!

[Wheel Horse Kid]

That is a bummer about your situation! Hope you can get it worked out!

[daytime dave]

I would take photographs of the damage to your lawn and crops. If you don't want to approach him, I can understand that, but keep the pictures in case it gets worse next year.

I would also ask him what he is using, that will let him know he or his hired man is spraying over.

[olcowhand]

Basically no matter what they spray with as far as herbicides, if the plant survives, you're good to go with eating the product. I spray my own crops, but I know what you mean about the big sprayers. They go so darned fast & wind isn't even considered from what I've seen. We hired spray last year because I was so behind I had no way to plant & get the spraying done myself, and I did not like the results at all. When I spray border rows, I drive so slow I just barely get an overlap spray pattern. Only one of our fields borders a neighbors side yard, and I'll actually pull over one row just to be sure I get no spray onto him. If it's windy, I won't spray that section until the wind lays down. My Mom's garden is right against one field, and I spray within inches of it and never have gotten any spray on her veggies. In the past, sometimes Dad would spray & nip some of Mom's stuff. It only takes a few seconds longer to prevent overspray, keep people happy, and be a good neighbor.

[ducky]

Last week the coop sprayed the round-up ready bean next to me. It looked like the operator kept a large buffer but this week the velvetleaf is going down right to the edge of the field. I was hoping he would run close because I would give up a row of corn just to kept that nasty weed (Velvetleaf) at bay. I use Lumax on my corn and it does a good job of weed control in my corn. Next year I an going to try some Round-up Ready sweet corn in an effort to rotate to so pumpkins.
By the way it is illegal to not control the placement of ones chemical.

[Gtractor]

If he had the local co-op spray for him they are insured for such damage. You might have a claim against the co-op that doesn't effect or make the neighbor mad. Plus next year the sprayer operator will be on high alert if they've had a previous claim.

[olcowhand]

But is this the landowner doing the spraying himself with his own equipment, or is he hiring it custom sprayed?

[Nato77]

He does all his spraying with his own equipment. They're in such a rush to get everything done they can't even plant a straight line along the driveway. I think some of the problem is his help. With 30 or so guys working for him its hard to keep track of what everybody is doing.

[olcowhand]

With 30 or so guys working for him its hard to keep track of what everybody is doing.

Wow, he must put out thousands of acres! But if he can't keep up with them, or hire a foreman who can, then he's not being efficient, but then you knew that already.

[Reverend Blair]

The tomatoes should be okay to eat...or at least as okay as everything else we eat. The science on herbicides...especially glyphosates such as RoundUp...is kind of muddy because of corporate interference from one side and activist interference from the other. Pretty much everything we eat has had some contact with it though, so your tomatoes won't be any worse than anything else. Just make sure you wash them.

As for dealing with the farmer...if your laws and rules are anything like ours, you don't have a leg to stand on. If you've tried talking to him and there's been no change in his actions, you pretty much just have to live with it.

[olcowhand]

In my parts, the landowner's liability insurance has to cover damages by spray. If you can find out what insurance covers him, then you can go directly to the insurance agency & file a claim. Making his insurance pay damages, even small....that will get him to watch his spray practices!