Herbicides for Fencerows and Farmsteads

Jun 10, 2021

By Dwight Lingenfelter

Every so often we receive calls about the use of herbicides under fencerows and around various structures on the farmstead (e.g., barns, poultry houses, manure pits, greenhouses, non-grazed fencerows, ditch banks, unpaved lanes, etc.). There are actually numerous products labeled for these utilities. However, when using herbicides around fence lines, it is necessary to know about any grazing or haying restrictions associated with each product. Also, understanding what types of weeds (e.g., grasses, broadleaves, woody, etc.) will be controlled by each herbicide and how long of soil residual activity can be expected, if at all. Typical herbicides such as glyphosate, 2,4-D, dicamba, and Crossbow can be used but will likely need to be tank-mixed with each other to provide broadspectrum control. Also, none of these above provide residual activity, so expect to respray after several weeks as new weeds start to invade. Herbicides such as Arsenal, Pramitol, Solicam, Spike, and Esplanade provide long soil residual activity (few to several months or more) and can control a variety of weeds, however, some cannot be used under fences that confine livestock. Refer to Table 2.6-19 in the Penn State Agronomy Guide for information about these herbicides and others that can be used in these settings.

Source : psu.edu

Video: From Conventional to Regenerative: Will Groeneveld’s Journey Back to the Land

"You realize you've got a pretty finite number of years to do this. If you ever want to try something new, you better do it."

That mindset helped Will Groeneveld take a bold turn on his Alberta grain farm. A lifelong farmer, Will had never heard of regenerative agriculture until 2018, when he attended a seminar by Kevin Elmy that shifted his worldview. What began as curiosity quickly turned into a deep exploration of how biology—not just chemistry—shapes the health of our soils, crops and ecosystems.

In this video, Will candidly reflects on his family’s farming history, how the operation evolved from a traditional mixed farm to grain-only, and how the desire to improve the land pushed him to invite livestock back into the rotation—without owning a single cow.

Today, through creative partnerships and a commitment to the five principles of regenerative agriculture, Will is reintroducing diversity, building soil health and extending living roots in the ground for as much of the year as possible. Whether it’s through intercropping, zero tillage (which he’s practiced since the 1980s) or managing forage for visiting cattle, Will’s approach is a testament to continuous learning and a willingness to challenge old norms.

Will is a participant in the Regenerative Agriculture Lab (RAL), a social innovation process bringing together producers, researchers, retailers and others to co-create a resilient regenerative agriculture system in Alberta. His story highlights both the potential and humility required to farm with nature, not against it.