[Jacob-list] Diatomacious Earth - was Red Ants

[SovreignFarms at aol.com]

Hello everyone
 
As mentioned in a previous post.....we too use diatomacious  earth 
everywhere on this farm and have for years. When our veterinarian highly  
recommended it as a control for internal parasites in sheep, goats, and cows  with no 
side effects, we were all ears. The added bonus of killing insects just  
about anywhere they are a problem was frosting on the cake. Here is the source  
we use...Earthworks Health.  I've included a link to their site as well as  
a youtube video where you can learn more. Important point, *****You must  
use food grade DE, none of the other products is safe*****.
_www.earthworkshealth.com_ (http://www.earthworkshealth.com) 
_www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQn6GSHNzBE_ 
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQn6GSHNzBE)  
 
Those of us trying to do things as  organically as possible truly 
appreciate the value of this product. Especially  in Florida the capital of insects. 
Our wet climate is a challenge, but this  is one of the best products ever 
in our opinion.  As discussed previously  it works perfectly to kill off 
ants.  I suspect it kills them all off in  the nest as the enter and exit, as we 
have had not problem with the hills moving  elsewhere.  If you use Amdro or 
the like for ants, the nest does indeed  move a few feet and set up 
elsewhere.  Since this is an organic substance  they do not view it as a problem, 
stay and die off.
 
I sprinkle this from an old shaker  bottle on my two Great Pyrenees too, 
and seldom do you ever find anything in the  way of an insect on them and it 
can be licked by the dog and is  harmless.
 
We routinely mix this with our  powdered sheep mineral as a way to control 
internal parasites as well, just as  the local goat and cow farms have been 
doing for a long time.  It has  worked very well for us.  We have followed 
this since our veterinarian  started using it on a dairy herd of cows.  This 
herd wanted to become a  certified organic herd with their cows and they 
could not use chemicals to treat  the cows at all.  I have visited this herd 
just to see how they do things,  and these cows are the picture of health.  
They do no have the udder  infections of other dairies and these cows are 
milking to much older ages than  other dairies.  On other farms a 3 or 4 yr old 
cow is often sold off due to  mastitis they can not cure. 
 
Here is the most helpful hint of  all!!   When we visited the dairy I was 
impressed that all the  watering areas were immaculately clean and there was 
no green slime anywhere in  the water.  A novel thing that caught my 
attention immediately, as I am  sure you all spend your time bleaching watering 
troughs just like I do every  week to keep them clean.  I asked what army they 
used to keep all this  water clean, and they laughed and told me they use DE 
mixed in the water!   A cupful in each watering trough is mixed in with 
each water change. (I  only have to use a 1/2 per my water tubs which  are much 
smaller than what  they use for the cows.)  It lasts, keeping the water 
purified. Much less  work for everyone on the farm, and the cows have gleaming 
coats.  It is my  understanding from a local lady who spins fleece from her 
Angora goats that her  fleeces are gorgeous using this product with her 
goats.  She maintains that  the goats not having a huge parasite burden they 
grow stronger fleece and have  more length to it.  I mix a little of it in  
with my chicken feed too, it both naturally worms them and the hens have nice  
hard shelled eggs.
 
The cheapest way to buy this is the  50# bag.  It lasts a long time and we 
use it everywhere, even in the garden  sprinkled on the plants.  It costs 
nearly as much to ship a 50# bag as to  buy it in the first place, but to us 
its cheap at the price as it has so many  uses and we get a year and a half 
out of a bag. Keep it in a metal trash can and  don't store anywhere it could 
get damp.
 
Sharon Lehrke
Sovreign Farms, FL
 
 
 
 
 
 
In a message dated 4/24/2011 11:42:41 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
creeksendfarm at mac.com writes:

Linda  Where do you get it.  Lowes brand of DE has other chemicals in it.  
I used to worm all my animals with it when I bought 40 # at a time from  my 
bug man. ( I tried to contact him and then remembered I'm 58 and he was 20  
years older than me , woops . LOL )  It must kill them  at the laval  stage. 
 It doesn't kill hard shelled insects like ants.  I bet they  just move .  
It also dose not harm earth worms.  Great stuff .  Happy Easter  PS We had 
Baby Black spanish turkeys hatch this  morning , WHAT A GREAT DAY !   
Blessiings >KAtherine

 
 
 
K.M.Wisor        Whispering pines Farm and  Gardens    Reno.  Nevada





On Apr 23, 2011, at 3:45 PM, _RNS1260 at comcast.net_ 
(mailto:RNS1260 at comcast.net)  wrote:



 
Linda,
We use food grade fresh water Diatomaceous  Earth. I have also used coffee 
grounds on the ant hill.  Re-application after it rains. They are usually 
gone in two days.  We just treated some last week with DE and they aren't 
anywhere to be found.  Hope this helps.
Cheryl B. (Pennsylvania)

Is there anything that can be used to kill red  ants that is safe to use 
on pastures? These aren't fire  ants - they are the big red ants and they 
are everywhere in our spring  pasture.

Linda
-- 
Patchwork Farm Jacob  Sheep



 
 
 
 
 
_www.risenshinefarm.com_ (http://www.risenshinefarm.com/) 
risenshinefarm.blogspot.com
 
But He that entereth in by the door  is the Shepherd of the sheep.To Him 
the porter openeth; and the sheep hear  His voice; and He calleth His own 
sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And  He putteth forth His own sheep, He 
goeth before and the sheep follow Him;  for they know His voice and a stranger 
they will not follow, but will flee from  him: for they know not the voice 
of strangers. 
John 10:3,4,5 KJV 
And other sheep I have, which are  not of this fold: them also I must 
bring, and they shall hear my voice; and  there shall be one fold, and one 
shepherd.
John  10:16  KJV








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