Kudzu continues quest to expand its territory
I enjoyed Gene Owens' column about kudzu (July 29). I have a special affinity for that jolly green giant.
My grandfather, one of the first farmers in southern Granville County to build Mangum terraces for erosion control, also bought, with good money, oriental kudzu from the Progressive Farmer and planted it on the banks of his fields to ''stop erosion.'' That was in the late 1920s. He was praised for the foresight to build the terraces and later was cursed and laughed at by his relatives and neighbors for his kudzu purchase.
As far as Greensboro and kudzu are concerned, I hate to inform you that it is already here. When we moved to West McGee Street -- just three blocks from downtown -- kudzu had grown over the backyard fence and was rapidly approaching the garage some 40 feet away. That was in 1987, and I continue to have an annual battle using large amounts of Round-up just to keep it at the property line. For some reason it continues to grow toward me instead of my backyard rental house neighbor, who probably doesn't even know what it is.
Sometimes I think that wily vine knows about my link with its ancestor.
Skip MacMillan
Greensboro
Comments (10)
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In the back of my memory, somewhere in a dusty corner behind two boxes of old basketball jerseys stashed between a neon beer sign and a eternally misplaced belt buckle, I seem to recall having read an article in Smithsonian magazine twenty five or thirty years ago about a scientific effort to use dried kudzu as a heating fuel.
Evidently nothing ever came of it.
Too bad, because at my age the ability to transform kudzu into an efficient source of energy ranks as a fantasy more powerful than anything having to do with Jessica Alba, a bottle of tequila, body oil and a presidential pardon for the commission of crimes against nature.
I would feel the need to apologize for that apparently sexist remark but fortunately for me my feminine side is a lesbian so I'm just going to blame it all on her.
Posted on August 4, 2006 5:44 AM
" For some reason it continues to grow toward me instead of my backyard rental house neighbor"
It's a generational curse caused by your Grandfather introducing Kudzu to Granville County.
Posted on August 4, 2006 6:52 AM
Hugh is correct - the Gods of Kudzu cannot be appeased.
Kudzu Ahkbar!
Posted on August 4, 2006 7:11 AM
"Jessica Alba, a bottle of tequila, body oil and a presidential pardon for the commission of crimes against nature."
I need a moment.
Posted on August 4, 2006 8:28 AM
Actually kudzu is again being harvested and is again being used for cattle food. It is said to contain high nutrients that cattle and other live stock need. One thing for sure it requires little maintaince, no fertilizer, little water and will grow anywhere and where ever you don't want it to grow. Fire only makes it return stronger and more lush, if you can call kudzu lush, than ever as witnessed just north of Tryon and south of Saluda this spring. Roots go as deep as 8ft. The stuff is certainly replinishable. It is cheaper than corn, soybeans etc.
Perhaps your grandfathers curse can be reversed. So far a few ranchers in Flordia are trying this food source and hopefully it will catch on this time.
Posted on August 4, 2006 10:44 AM
Mark,
I need a moment too. Whew! Dark Angel, indeed.
Posted on August 4, 2006 10:54 AM
Jan: Obviously your headache is gone:
"... my feminine side is a lesbian so I'm just going to blame it all on her."
Posted on August 4, 2006 12:03 PM
mr p -
IT was also determined that kudzu has some sort of calming properties for horses...either Clemson or NCSU maybe did the study. Someone in the Upstate of SC or near Tryon/Landrum uses the fiber to make really nice paper goods. There are uses for it...we just need to outsmart the vine...:)
Posted on August 4, 2006 12:56 PM
You are right JEC. I had forgotten about the lady in SC using kudzu for paper products. It has many uses and perhaps we will learn to use what we have someday instead of destroying it. Here is a link about several groups and individuals who are putting the "evil" vine to good use. Another one I found as well.
http://www.alabamatv.org/kudzu/
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/04/0422_050422_kudzu.html
Posted on August 4, 2006 3:25 PM
kudzu isn't as bad as it was when i was a kid in the 50s. Seems like EVERYTHING was covered in the stuff and you could sit there and quite literally watch it grow. Too bad you can't use it to feed the world.
Posted on August 6, 2006 6:10 PM