I know it’s hard to see but this is my gooseberry bush. My husband and I planted that around 3 years ago and every year that bush is full of leaves and berries. This year was no different, it was full of leaves and was loaded with berries about 3 weeks ago, but as you can see something really bad happened since that time.

The only thing I can remember happening is around 3 to 4 weeks ago I was mowing my yard, when I was almost done I noticed the truck our local co-op uses to spray the fields pull into the field surrounding our home. I remember because there was a breeze and I didn’t want to get covered in the mist coming out of that sprayer, and I also said a little prayer for my new willow tree that I planted behind the barn.

When they have sprayed the fields in previous years we only notice the grass dying in certain areas but there are certain things like our grape vines that seem to die every year that have us wondering if the grass isn’t the only thing being effected by the spray.

I can’t prove that the bush was killed by the field spray but it does seem pretty odd that the bush  was full and vibrant just a month ago, showing no signs of dis-ease and now it’s only a twig in the ground.

When times like these come up I begin to wonder why I even try to do this. Why do I even try to plant and live in an organic way when death is at the end of my property trying to get at my plants. While writing this post a verse came into my mind,

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;

A thief is trying to steal my prosperity by killing my food source. Next year I have decided to buy some wood and build raised beds so my food can be closer to the house (my house is in the center of my property and will be farther away from the field and it’s harmful chemicals).

I don’t know why this year the bush was effected and was fine other years, I know I did hear farmers say that the crops are becoming resistant to the old chemicals so maybe this year they made a new formula that was more hazardous and spreads farther? I also know they are not supposed to spray when it’s windy, and even though the wind was only about 10 miles per hour it was strong enough to spread it at the ends of the field where it came onto my property.

 Some day we will be free from thieves who steal but for now I refuse to give up on what I am trying to accomplish on my little piece of land.

I am grateful for what I have and I’m sure my bush will bounce back next year.