A family present for spring, summer and fall

Want an offbeat gift that will make your life and your family’s easier next spring, summer and fall? Then you might want to think about this.

If your neighbors use a lawn or garden service, you may want to know what is being sprayed or dumped on their lawns and gardens and when that’s going to happen, especially if your neighbors haven’t a clue.

Here’s the deal. If you have uphill neighbors whatever is dumped on their gardens and lawns may end up on your property from one of those heavy spring downpours, and whatever is sprayed on your neighbors’ gardens and lawns may drift your way if you happen to be downwind when the spraying happens.

That means if your kids are playing outside or if you and your wife are relaxing in your lawn chairs or you’re in the middle of cooking up some burgers and dogs when the spray guy shows up in his variation of a Hazmat suit, you, your wife and kids will get a lungful and your burgers and dogs will taste, well, different..

Want to do something about it?  If you do, you have till the end of the month.

You will be called by all commercial garden and lawn companies from 6 hours up to two weeks before they spray or dump fertilizer or pesticides on any property within 250’ of yours – that’s 50’ less than a football field – if you file a simple and quick info form with the Maine Board of Pesticide Control. The cost? $20.

Then you have time to make sure your kids aren’t playing outside and you and your wife are cooking those burgers and dogs in your kitchen with your windows closed when the spray guy comes.

Want a form?  Download one at http://www.maine.gov/dacf/php/pesticides/public/notification.shtml or enter Pesticide Notification Registry Application in your search engine. Make sure you send in your check with the form by December 31st.

You will be glad you did come spring, summer and fall and your family will thank you for your foresight, consideration and care for them.

Bill Baker

About Bill Baker

Bill's interest in a clean place to live is rooted in growing up in the country – a cornfield across the road and fields, sandstone cliffs and hundreds of acres of woods where he spent many hours.