Friday's Note to Self

When mowing a field full of buttercup, do what your health teacher always told you: use protection.   It sounds like overkill for such pretty small yellow flowers on 2' stems slightly mixed with grass, but I was crying so hard I couldn't steer the mower with my eyes open. Good thing I was in the middle of the field--the trees might have seen me coming, but I sure couldn't see to avoid hitting one.

Turns out to be fairly easy to hit a tree on acreage with driveable objects. One of the first noises the neighbor next door made shook the ground like the sonic boom of the shuttle landing when he started using an old tractor.  Smack into a tree while clearing brush, er, privet. He was OK; it took a while for the tractor to come out of its coma.

Buttercup is mentioned in some internet plant guides as toxic to horses. Some in this region refer to it as yellow top. The Ag extension vociferously recommends spraying 2-4D in early March or around Thanksgiving as the pastime of choice to control it before it controls the whole pasture. Very few sources say why the horse considers it a fodder of last resort, however.

When the buttercup is physically maligned in some way, it releases a skin irritant. If you're a horse, not only does it taste bad, but also your mouth is now blistering from the contact sport of chewing. Sort of like really bitter habaneros. So unless there really is NOTHING else to eat-- they won't bother it. I seem to be a slow learner.

I pull buttercup by hand fairly routinely and usually without gloves. Sometimes I noticed a slight sting. I figured ran into a splinter, stinger, bug, whatever. My Mom sure never said to stay away from the deadly toxic buttercup avenger. Why worry?

Next, time, I will spray the area better, till it out, or mow earlier (we've had so much rain, that hasn't always worked out this year). And I will definitely, absolutely, resolutely wear my onion goggles next time I have to do anything regarding severing large quantities of buttercup. If you want onion goggles for your own land and/or chopping onions, just find the pair of safety goggles you had from 10th grade chemistry.  Put on a new ribbon to replace the dry rotted strap, and you're all set.

Remember this above all:  Don't do buttercup unprotected. You'll go blind.