Jolico Farm . . .: July 2012

We have a weed problem on our lake ... a growing problem.

Due to an early spring and recurrent heat waves resulting in warmer water temperatures this year, there are weeds growing up from the bottom of our lake, overspreading the surface. In a matter of a couple of weeks' time the problem grew (no pun intended) out of control.

Art's fertile and inventive brain came up with the idea of raking the lake surface with a tool of his own invention ... a rake that we could pull across the water that would collect the green tendrils and draw them to the shore where we could pull them out with hand tools. It's always best to start with a simple plan and ramp up from there. That's how we roll.

The prototype rake was constructed of lightweight PVC pipe that would float on the water surface, with fiberglass pointed 'tines' driven through it that could snag the ropey weeds. This worked to some extent but it also revealed the evil lurking below ... these weeds were not just floating. They were arising from roots anchored in primordial depths.

Wow, how did this happen? Google says that overly warm water plus lots of fish poop will grow all sorts of weeds. Who knew?

Rake #1 quickly fell apart under the weight of the weed matting. Disappointed but undeterred, we headed back to the drawing board. Obviously the situation called for a second generation rake constructed with more oomph!

Version #2 is the original rake reinforced with steel pipe and stranded aircraft cable. Our motto has always been, 'What's worth building is worth overbuilding.' We thought, "Boy, this baby will pull up anything that isn't nailed down." When launched, it immediately sank under the surface of the water but when we hauled it out at the other end of the lake, the rake and cable both were covered with a mother lode of weed, waaaay too heavy for a couple of mere old mortals to manage handling.

Then the secret weapon arrived -- our brother Hank. He quite literally got right into the project, tackling the weeds with energy, strength, imagination and originality.

I'll let the pictures tell the story from here:

Hank hauls on the rope to help the tractor haul out the submerged rake. But the load is too heavy and the rake snaps, breaking in several places and dumping the load into the water near the shore.