WAR OF THE 3 CORNER JACKS - THE BATTLE OF BEARDSNEST MANOR

So it's been a while since I posted my first official post about our new hobby/homestead farm, which can be viewed here, where I introduced you all to our new property in the heart of Nth West Victoria.

There is much to update and I will be making further posts regarding the updates in the times ahead. For now though, I want to share a little tale about my ongoing war in our backyard. My war with the 3 Corner Jacks! Hope you enjoy!

The Battle Of Beardsnest Mannor - A True Story

'That's it - It's bloody war they want, it's bloody war they'll get!' The General cried! Having literally taken out 100 plants and maybe 1000 3 Corner Jacks, yet still, it felt like the General's strategy had faired poorly.

Those prick-les are well entrenched. The first battle had been a blood bath! Silly me went into the front lines in crocks and was repelled quickly by the advancing jacks at my heel. One sank so far in, it was almost dead flat to my heel. As I surgically removed the bullet, blood trickled from the fresh wound.

The Jacks had drew first blood and even with a heavy pincer maneuver with the battle tank (My homemade Prickle Roller), many just scattered and re-grouped beneath my feet inflicting more bloodshed at the rear of my heels. This time the shrapnel embedded and remained in the heel. Every step was painful as I retreated to the high ground.

I managed to advance into their frontlines a 3rd time, using the aerial bombardment of the Matic and was finally able to encircle a few battalions and remove them as prisoners of war. The Blitzkrieg had been far more effective tactic than sending in just the 'foot' solders behind the tank column.

Eventually, with casualties mounting on both sides, I had to fall back to the safety of the concrete to lick my wounds, the battle tank now riddled with bullet holes, and turn it in after a hard days fighting.

Week 3 - The Struggle Is Real

As you can no doubt tell the 3 Corner Jack is a hardy weed with 3 hardened and sharp spikes, that grows and reproduces quickly. They particularly like to dwell the edges of well established lawns, as they struggle to grow where thick grass can choke them, and spring up after a summer rain.

In Australia they are more technically known as Caltrop. The seeds can lay in dormancy under the soil for up to 7 years. The only known method to rid yourself of these dangerously painful weeds is to pay an enourmous amount to remove the top soil with a bobcat or fight back manually through consistent removal and destruction of the weeds. This can often take several years to remove where this weed has been left unchecked as one bush could lead to literally dozens of seeds (The Jacks) in the soil ready to spring up on their next unsuspecting victim.

Stay tuned for more stories and tales as we continue to build up our farmlet of which, unoffially we have dubbed 'Beardsnest Manor' according to my wife!