Travis Osmond with the Lincoln County Weed & Pest stepped into the SVI Radio studio on Wednesday, July 15 to discuss the spotted knapweed program July 27-29 at the Alpine Town Hall.

The following transcript of the above interview is AI generated. Minor spelling errors are likely to occur.

(0:00) Either chemical or pulling. (0:02) Pulling has been shown to be effective. (0:04) Mowing has no effect on it because what it does (0:07) is it just completes its life cycle (0:08) at two to three inches tall.

(0:11) Horses, it’s toxic to livestock. (0:14) Horses can’t eat it, cows can’t eat it. (0:17) Just very difficult to control, very difficult.

(0:21) Explain it, what does it look like if someone doesn’t know? (0:23) So you have to kind of get an eye for it (0:26) to just like, you know, pick it out. (0:27) But once you see it, you’ll know what it is. (0:31) But it’s kind of got a lighter gray tint to it, (0:35) lighter greenish gray tint to it.

(0:37) It has kind of violet, purple flowers to it. (0:43) It’s called spotted knapweed because of the bracts (0:45) that surround the flower have little black spots around it. (0:51) A lot of people explain it more like a skeleton (0:54) type looking plant, more than a lush green plant.

(0:57) And I can see why they say that. (0:59) The leaves are not very wide, it’s deeply pinnated. (1:04) And man, it just grows like wildfire.

(1:07) It’s just crazy, crazy invasive. (1:09) So as we mentioned, you’ve received a grant (1:12) and I think a lot of people are familiar (1:14) with your Dyer’s Woad program. (1:15) Yes.

(1:16) And so this grant is helping you do something (1:17) very similar with knapweed, it sounds like. (1:19) Yeah, and it’s an opportunity for us to work more (1:22) with the north side of our county. (1:28) Oftentimes I hear, well, we don’t have a whole lot (1:30) of Dyer’s Woad in Alpine or Aetna, (1:32) and thank heavens, you know.

(1:34) But now we’re giving them the opportunity up there (1:36) to, let’s see what they’re made of up there. (1:39) I mean, the Dyer’s Woad program is just huge here. (1:43) This year we’ve picked almost 67,000 pounds, the kids did.

(1:47) And so up there in Alpine, Aetna, Thane area, (1:52) we’re gonna give these people a chance (1:54) to come in and make some money. (1:55) And there should be people walking away (1:58) with a small fortune here. (1:59) I mean, there is so much spotted knapweed (2:01) up there this year, it’s ridiculous.

(2:03) And you’re doubling the amount of the Dyer’s Woad, right? (2:06) We’re a dollar a pound. (2:08) Granted, spotted knapweed probably doesn’t weigh (2:10) as much as a Dyer’s Woad plant does. (2:12) So we thought, well, we better increase the incentive (2:14) for these guys to pick it.

(2:16) But it’s not gonna take long (2:18) to start gathering pounds and pounds and pounds (2:20) of spotted knapweed. (2:22) The idea with spotted knapweed, it’s really easy. (2:24) Just take your shovel and pop it (2:25) right below the soil surface and bring it in.

(2:28) You don’t have to have the entire root system. (2:31) You have to get that crown, (2:32) which is about half inch to an inch (2:35) below the soil surface to stop the plant. (2:37) But once you get that, I mean, you’ve got it.

(2:40) And each plant can produce up to 9,000 seeds. (2:45) And so you figure that’s 9,000 plants (2:48) that your kids and grandkids and great-grandkids (2:50) aren’t gonna have to worry about in Star Valley. (2:52) So it’s doing a wonderful community service, (2:55) plus you can make some gas money.

(2:57) And it’s just great. (2:59) School closed for the kids. (3:01) We’re gonna be doing it in Alpine this year, (3:03) so you don’t need to bring it to Afton.

(3:05) We’re gonna be there at the town hall parking lot in Alpine. (3:10) We’ll have kids there weighing it for you. (3:12) We can pay you right there for you.

(3:15) And I just hope that everybody gets involved, (3:18) because there’s no way I can win this battle by myself. (3:21) It has to come from the community. (3:23) It’s so widespread up there.

(3:25) And I just hope that everybody educates themselves (3:27) and is motivated to get out and pick it. (3:31) So it’s end of the month, July 27th through the 29th, (3:35) 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., you can stop by the Alpine town hall (3:38) during those hours on those three days (3:40) and turn in your spotted knapweed (3:42) at the Alpine town hall, July 27th through the 29th. (3:45) Another thing that’s different from this program, (3:48) Dyer’s Whoa, this isn’t just for youth.

(3:50) You’re just saying anybody and everybody, (3:53) get out there and pick, right? (3:54) Everybody and anybody, if you’ve got a heartbeat, (3:57) I need you out there picking spotted knapweed. (4:01) Bring it in, again, from eight o’clock to three o’clock. (4:04) Don’t show up at 345 with a bag of spotted knapweed (4:08) and wanna be waiting, we can’t.

(4:09) You gotta be there between eight and three (4:11) at Alpine to get paid. (4:14) Also, we have the bags for you, (4:16) so you don’t need to be in your trash bags. (4:20) Come get the bags from us, we’ll have them in Alpine.

(4:23) You can also stop by the office in Afton (4:25) and pick up the clear bags (4:26) so that we can see what’s in the bag. (4:28) So we’re keeping this fair. (4:31) We’ve had people in the past put rocks (4:33) in the bottom of their bags, and we’re just, (4:35) let’s just keep it fair, let’s just be honest.

(4:37) We’re paying you a dollar a pound. (4:39) Get out there, pick it, come make some money, (4:41) have a good time, and help the community (4:43) and our environment. (4:44) July 27th through the 29th, Alpine Town Hall, (4:47) eight a.m. to three p.m., and again, (4:48) open to all ages, a dollar per pound (4:50) for spotted knapweed with the Lincoln County (4:52) Weed and Pest.

(4:55) So we’ve got knapweed going soon. (4:59) You’ve already done Dyer’s Woad. (5:01) Any other noxious weeds that you’re seeing (5:03) a little extra of right now this time of year, (5:05) anywhere around the county? (5:06) Yeah, black henbane is continuing (5:08) to be a huge problem for us.

(5:10) The problem with black henbane is, (5:13) it seems like people, by the time it gets four feet tall, (5:16) they’re like, oh, I have a problem, you know? (5:18) But by the time it’s four feet tall, (5:19) you might as well put Christmas lights on it (5:21) and call it a tree, because it’s just, (5:23) you can’t stop it at that point, you know? (5:25) So just, if you can start noticing these plants (5:29) and taking action when they’re three inches tall (5:31) to five inches tall, it would be so much better. (5:34) But yeah, that’s, right now, this time of year, (5:36) spotted knapweed is the one that’s really (5:39) gonna cause a problem this fall, so. (5:41) Travis Hosman, Lincoln County Weed and Pest in studio, (5:43) and again, the spotted knapweed, (5:45) July 27th through the 29th at the Alpine Town Hall.

(5:49) That’s all part of the weekday wake-up this morning (5:50) on SVI Radio.