Rant! noxious weeds!

[RalphWD45]

I bought this small (10 ac ) place, in 2000, and immediately, had the Pierce Co. weed control board, contacting me, about Tansey, and thistles. I have been anually, fighting the weed battle on my property, and seem to be winning the war.I have been getting 2 of the adjacent neighbors help, with their places, which would blow seed over on me, if let go. We now have 5 acres of pasture land, to the west of me, that has a new non resident owner, and the 5 acres is yellow, with Tansey flowers. I haven't been able to find out who to contact, and would like to do the job for him, however his land is fenced, posted, and has a locked gate. I have called the County weed board, about this condition, and they seem to be helpless, to find out who owns it. After years of acting like weed police, when they found noxious weeds on my place, they now tell me that they are only advisory people, and are helpless to enforce weed control, on this property. The wind blows from the south and west, and I am in direct line with the Tansey patch. I am going to have to either trespass, or have an extroidinary amount of Tansey next year.

 

[Bob]

Have you tried a trip to the courthouse to find out who owns the offensive property?

Would be public knowledge in most areas of the country, I'd think?

 

[jm.]

Here Property tax records are open records for all to view on the net. You can find out who owns the property and an address where the tax notices are sent. I would think you county tax folks could tell you who owns the property.

 

[Traditional Farmer]

One man's Noxious Weed patch is another man's flower garden.Beauty and weeds are in the eye of the beholder.

 

[rustyfarmall]

There are weeds, and then there are NOXIOUS weeds. If the county, or state, that you live in has declared that a certain weed is noxious, then the landowner or tenant is REQUIRED to control and eliminate that particular species of weed. Makes no difference if it has a pretty flower. If the land owner fails to control it, the county will move in and do the job, and the bill will be added to the landowners property taxes.

 

[Eldon (WA)]

(quoted from post at 13:04:42 07/31/16) I bought this small (10 ac ) place, in 2000, and immediately, had the Pierce Co. weed control board, contacting me, about Tansey, and thistles. I have been anually, fighting the weed battle on my property, and seem to be winning the war.I have been getting 2 of the adjacent neighbors help, with their places, which would blow seed over on me, if let go. We now have 5 acres of pasture land, to the west of me, that has a new non resident owner, and the 5 acres is yellow, with Tansey flowers. I haven't been able to find out who to contact, and would like to do the job for him, however his land is fenced, posted, and has a locked gate. I have called the County weed board, about this condition, and they seem to be helpless, to find out who owns it. After years of acting like weed police, when they found noxious weeds on my place, they now tell me that they are only advisory people, and are helpless to enforce weed control, on this property. The wind blows from the south and west, and I am in direct line with the Tansey patch. I am going to have to either trespass, or have an extroidinary amount of Tansey next year.

What county are you in? Looks like King county is getting serious about it.

http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/animals-and-plants/noxious-weeds/weed-identification/tansy-ragwort.aspx

Can you go to the assessor's website for your county and type in the address? This should give you the owner information.

 

[jeremy in NE]

I have always found the weed police to be a waste of tax payer money in my area. It seems their services are needed when somebody is trying to rent or buy the ground. Happened a couple weeks ago where a guy was turned in for his dirty oats field that you could see the sprayer tracks in. They gave him 10 days to get it resolved. All due to an upset neighbor that lost the lease. Go to the courthouse and get the tax records but don't be surprised if nothing happens.

 

[tomturkey]

Ralph, I just googled King County ,Washington. Was able to locate parcel numbers and tax fees and owners name. of parcels in King County. I just assume you live in Washington state since you work for Boeing. If an non-techy like me can find that info, anyone can. Here in Iowa if you do not control, or at least try to control noxious weeds, the county can send a crew out to cut them and add the cost to your property tax bill. Give it a shot, if you can blog on YT you can find the property owners name. gobble

 

[Eldon (WA)]

(quoted from post at 13:46:51 07/31/16) Ralph, I just googled King County ,Washington. Was able to locate parcel numbers and tax fees and owners name. of parcels in King County. I just assume you live in Washington state since you work for Boeing. If an non-techy like me can find that info, anyone can. Here in Iowa if you do not control, or at least try to control noxious weeds, the county can send a crew out to cut them and add the cost to your property tax bill. Give it a shot, if you can blog on YT you can find the property owners name. gobble

I know Spokane county is really getting on people to control their weeds this year. I am listed as a provider of weed control by mowing....been a very busy year. Paid for a newer tractor so far. They will eventually hire someone to spray your property if you don't and then attach the cost to your property. A couple years ago I know an owner of a 5 acre parcel got a bill for $1250 after administration fees, spray fees and penalties...

 

[Traditional Farmer]

In my area if you started spraying chemicals you'd be a lot less popular than if you let a few plants grow that some chemical farmer didn't like growing.Thankfully
my state and county has more sensible things to spend the taxpayers money on than worrying about a few plants some folks don't like.

 

[RalphWD45]

I am in South Pierce Co. Eldon!, just a mile north of McKenna, where the famous Stewarts Meats is.

 

[r.w.b.]

trip to fsca and look up landowners .there is a complete list of farmable land in their files.fsca think I got it right or the ascs office near you.old name before the change

 

[Goose]

That's the way it is here. I just handled a complaint about a farm that had an infestation of musk thistles spread over 8 acres. The property owner lives elsewhere and just shows up to farm. The complaint was from the farmer across the road who was afraid the thistles would migrate onto his property.

Our process is, first the Noxious Weed Administrator contacts the property owner to clean it up. If the property owner doesn't comply within 10 days, he's subject to a fine of $100 per day for every day in non-compliance for a maximum of 15 days. After 15 days of non-compliance, the county takes care of the situation and attaches a lien to the property's tax bill for the cost.

This particular case was resolved by the property owner shredding the entire 8 acres and signing a written agreement to spray the affected area both this fall and next spring. I intend to follow up on it.

 

[Traditional Farmer]

So who decides what is a 'bad' weed? I'd bet in my county I could get a majority of the voters to vote to declare GMO crops Noxious weeds. Then what you'd make them kill the GMO crops?
Apparently land owners have no rights in your area of the World.

 

[36F30]

(quoted from post at 13:37:06 07/31/16)
There are weeds, and then there are NOXIOUS weeds. If the county, or state, that you live in has declared that a certain weed is noxious, then the landowner or tenant is REQUIRED to control and eliminate that particular species of weed. Makes no difference if it has a pretty flower. If the land owner fails to control it, the county will move in and do the job, and the bill will be added to the landowners property taxes.

I was thinking about backing you up here, but I got enough people don't like me, Nobody in Iowa likes a visit from the Weed Commissioner. Iowa code 317 is an AGRICULTURAL law to protect farmers from poor stewardship practices of others. Most people know why I'm there and things get done without any more fuss, but occasionally I have to use the law and county services. Or I can hire the COOP to do it. Goes on their taxes.

Should be easy for anyone to find any property owner and his tax address at the courthouse.

 

[Eldon (WA)]

(quoted from post at 18:56:09 07/31/16) So who decides what is a 'bad' weed? I'd bet in my county I could get a majority of the voters to vote to declare GMO crops Noxious weeds. Then what you'd make them kill the GMO crops?
Apparently land owners have no rights in your area of the World.

The ones around here that get the attention are those that poison livestock, or spread quickly....I think you can agree that if a neighbor doesn't control such a weed and it spreads to your property and you unknowingly let your horses or cattle graze it and they get sick or die...you would not be happy!

 

[coshoo]

Here's the link to the county website parcel search page. Just enter the address, and you'll get the owner name and address.
Pierce Co. parcel search

 

[db4600]

That seems to be the case with a lot of counties. My side of the fence...weeds. Their side of the fence...flowers

 

[Segulbee]

Hi JM, this doesnt have anything to do with the current post, but this is the only way i could figure out how to reach you. I have been searching the internet forums, and you seem to be the local expert on anything IH & TD models! I have a TD8E and have a few questions for you if you dont mind. If you are still active on these forums, could you send me your email address? Thank you in advance!

-John

 

[WGM]

Everyone: Here is link to activist organizations and truth behind them.

https://www.activistfacts.com/

 

[Bobl1958]

The trouble is if you let a few plants grow that someone doesn't like, the next thing you know you have millions of them. If you have never fought musk thistles, (to name one) or seen a pasture taken over with them so thick that cattle won't even walk through them, then my guess is you don't know what you are talking about.

Noxious declared weeds multiply, and multiply bad. There is a reason for agencies trying to control them.

 

[Traditional Farmer]

If you have a serious weed problem you have serious soil imbalance problem.

 

[Bobl1958]

OK. You win.

 

[Goose]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, along with individual state Departments of Agriculture, publishes a list of weeds that have been declared noxious. Local voters have nothing to do with it.

And I do believe the adjacent land owner in this case has a "right" to not have his property invaded by a plant that the USDA has declared to be a noxious weed.

 

[Traditional Farmer]

Them folks have said a lot of stupid stuff over the years for sure guess they're still at it.

 

[1948CaseVAI]

(quoted from post at 17:25:52 08/01/16) Them folks have said a lot of stupid stuff over the years for sure guess they're still at it.

Hard to believe you grew to adult hood without knowing about noxious weed laws. In Kansas they are defined by the state, with two others declared as county options. It is illegal for a landowner to allow noxious weeds to grow without trying to contain them. I cannot imagine that your locality doesn't have a similar law.

FWIW here is the Kansas list:

Bur Ragweed (Bursage) (Ambrosia grayii)
Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense)
Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)
Hoary Cress (Cardaria draba)
Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepence)
Kudzu (Pueraria lobata)
Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula)
Musk Thistle (Carduus nutans)
Pignut (Hoffmannseggia densiflora)
Quackgrass (Agropyron repens)
Russian Knapweed (Centaurea repens)
Sericea Lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata)

County Option Weeds

Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare)
Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora)

 

[Goose]

I see your mind is made up. I won't try to confuse you with facts.

 

[GeneMO]

Here in the state of Missouri the greatest propagators of noxious weeds are the Railroads and the Highway department.

Never knew what Teasel was till the railroad brought it in, and then the state highway provided a 12 mile path for it to my farm.

Now it's everywhere.

Thanks guys.

Gene