Re: GAS-L: Gel Fuel and much more from cattails

[Carefreeland@aol.com]

In a message dated 9/14/02 9:05:01 PM Eastern Daylight Time, hseaver@cybershamanix.com writes:

> Daniel's comments 
>    What works best if you do a drawdown is a hay chopper to take the tops,
> followed by a modified potato digger. However, except in some situations, I
> think no drawdown is the best process. Public opinion could easily stop
> harvesting otherwise.
>
> (snip)
>
> -- 
> Harmon Seaver    

> What I have in mind is both complete harvesting and temporary irradication for most situations.  In this part of Ohio there is no such thing as complete eradication of cattails. The little plant critters multiply faster than the namesake animal.  I have sprayed roundup at a dry time of the year, and within two years there is not a sign of any removal attempt. The very next year you often have young seedlings. 
>By selling mechanical harvesting VS. pesticide control, the property owner has reason to purchase the service. If you tried to farm them by leaving some behind, they would wonder what they were paying for. 
> Much of this flat part of Western Ohio, has native fen wetlands scattered through the fields and forests. Cattail seeds are just another advantageous weed looking for a home. A common home to them is the highway drainage ditches, so the highway department could be a good potential customer. It is common to see ODOT track hoes digging silt laden cattails out of the drainage ditches in the early summer, at first drydown. 
> Most of the retention ponds have a seasonal fluctuating water level, and the cattails are deep rooted. A little silt removal might be indeed what the doctor ordered for periodic maintenance of these settling basins. When the basins silt up they are likely to flood during heavy rain due to the clogged overflow outlets. This silt trapping is one reason that the cattails are not desirable. No drawdown is required, but drawdown type harvesting would be the best approach for these situations. Washing silt and collecting it at a processing site may be a good way to produce soil amendment. 
> I am not familiar with potato harvesting equipment other than the garden potato fork. Could you elaborate? What could be done to modify these tools? 
         Daniel Dimiduk