how to handle Queen Annes Lace excess

I have no shortage of Queen Annes Lace on my property and am looking for a chemical free way to remove them, short of pulling each and every one.  They are ringing a 20 acre field as well as clustered all over a half acre meadow.  I believe they are a biannual and will flower in there second year producing seeds, and then die.  My  initial idea was to cut a bouquet for my self on a daily basis for the flowering season, removing almost all the flowers before they go to seed.. after a few years of this the dormant seeds will mostly have sprouted and I will have greatly thinned the population.  Thats my "easy" solution.. at least easy on paper.  The other half thought was a burn on the meadow, but I dont know if that would have any affect on them.. Any other ideas would be greatly welcomed..    (Paul if this is under the wrong topic go ahead and move it)

You should see if you can get some useful herbivore browsers onto your property, like cows, goats, or sheep, even if this means letting someone bring some animals onto your land. By timing and repeated grazing, you should be able to catch the wild carrots before they set seed and force them to waste energy and resources. I've watched some vids on organic farmers and their cows, and they've mentioned cows like Queen Anne's Lace/wild carrot.

I agree with the grazing suggestion.  You might consider pastured poultry, which are good at keeping plants short (too short sometimes).  Many meadow and prairie plants are adapted to fire so burning probably won't be much of a solution and might even encourage the plants! 

you should leave them, they are an umbel flower and they are the host to various types of predatory insects that will kill the pest insects on your property..you wipe them out, the pests may just well wipe you out

I am planning on putting some goat at another location on the property so maybe I could move them back and forth between the two locations and they will eat down much of the QAL.
I definitely don't wan to leave them growing, they are already the majority of the plant in that area and are invasive and aggressive. Over time I would like this meadow to be returned to native species.

Just be sure to replace them with native umbelliferous (sp  ) flowers BEFORE you get rid of all of them, because as Brenda points out, they are important habitat for beneficial insects. 

I think the periodic grazing with goats will work fine since you already have plans for goats.  You can fence off an area and crowd it with goats to get rid of the QAL and then immediately plant native seeds, leaving the fence up to protect that area.  This is if you're really serious about re-establishing natives, because it will be an expense and trouble to do these fenced areas.  I have a similar challenge on my place of wanting to establish natives but having way too many sheep and deer for anything to establish without being fenced.   

Queen Annes Lace is a super herb too - you could contact some herbalists and see about harvesting and selling your QA lance. 

The Wild Carrot (Daucus Carota) or Queen Annes Lace is one of many umbelliferous plants to be found growing around the world. Although the species name for this ferny plant with the elegant, white lacy flowers is "Daucus carota", the same one used for cultivated carrots it is not the same plant. As a member of the carrot family it has a long taproot and lacy leaves. Dig up and crush a Wild Carrot root and you will find that it smells just like a carrot.

Wild Carrot is also known as Queen Anne's Lace, Birds Nest Weed, Bees Nest, Devils Plague, garden carrot, Bird's Nest Root, Fools Parsley, Lace Flower, Rantipole, Herbe a dinde and Yarkuki. Herbe a dinde derives from its use as a feed for young turkeys-dinde.

"Daucus" comes from daukos, name given by the Greeks to some members of the the Umbelliferae family and it seems to derive from "daîo" : I overheat . Carota means carrot in Latin.

The wild carrot is an aromatic herb that acts as a diuretic, soothes the digestive tract and stimulates the uterus. A wonderfully cleansing medicine, it supports the liver, stimulates the flow of urine and the removal of waste by the kidneys. An infusion is used in the treatment of various complaints including digestive disorders, kidney and bladder diseases and in the treatment of dropsy.

An infusion of the leaves has been used to counter cystitis and kidney stone formation, and to diminish stones that have already formed. Carrot leaves contain significant amounts of porphyrins, which stimulate the pituitary gland and lead to the release of increased levels of sex hormones.

The plant is harvested in July and dried for later use. A warm water infusion of the flowers has been used in the treatment of diabetes. The grated raw root, especially of the cultivated forms, is used as a remedy for threadworms. The root is also used to encourage delayed menstruation.

The root of the wild plant can induce uterine contractions and so should not be used by pregnant women. A tea made from the roots is diuretic and has been used in the treatment of urinary stones.

An infusion is used in the treatment of oedema, flatulent indigestion and menstrual problems. The seed is a traditional 'morning after' contraceptive and there is some evidence to uphold this belief. It requires further investigation. Carrot seeds can be abortifacient and so should not be used by pregnant women.

Ancient folk lore said that to cure epileptic seizures you should eat the dark coloured middle flower of Queen Annes Lace. The flower is also used in ancient rituals an spells, for women to increase fertility and for men to increase potency and sexual desire!

  http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/queen.html

from "Designing and maintaining  Your Edible Landscape Naturally" by Robert Kourik

Queen Anne" Lace is an soil indicator. if found in abundance = uncultivate/neglected, sand, alkaline, low fertility soil

as one of Nature's bandaids, it grows where others won't, protecting the soil. Nature doesn't like bare soil. the deep tap root helps break up hardpan and the roots die and bring organic matter to the lower level of the soil.

it is an early pioneer species intent on improving the ground.
using  goats or other means of improving the fertility,  reduces the need for Qal and  allows  perennial plants such as native grasses, shrubs and trees to move in.
so thank the nice lady for her help

QAL apparently crosses readily with carrots, which is enough reason for me to keep it away from my garden

Brenda Groth wrote:
you should leave them, they are an umbel flower and they are the host to various types of predatory insects that will kill the pest insects on your property..you wipe them out, the pests may just well wipe you out

I have a great fondness for Queen Anne's Lace too, but it sounds like to me it's an indication of an ecosystem out of balance. Proper and rotated grazing may help encourage more diversity and allow natives to come in as well.

Any plant, in balance, has the potential to help your garden.  Likewise, any plant out of balance can cause you harm. 
When I applied for my (CA) nursery license, the inspector came to  investigate my operation. When he asked about several flats of seedlings I had growing, I told him what they were.  He told me that I needed to get rid of them, as they were considered an invasive weed in California.  My response was that they were the reason for my existence.  A beneficial plant that is nearly impossible to find in California.  I am (was hoping to) provide a source!  One man's weed is another man's treasure!  What I found ironic, was that my source of seeds was a seedsman in California.  Go figure.

I would say if you are going to graze goats in the area, then you will probably have no need to remove the QAL, they will do it for you, but I certainly wouldn't put a herbicide on it..that is just not a good idea..IMHO.

they pull very easily and if you don't want them to go to seed, mow them or graze them before the flowers are mature.

I believe that they increase the fertility and beneficial insects wherever they are grown, and if left to their own in a few years when the soil fertility has increased, the QAL will decrease on their own..they won't grow well in very fertile soil so as your soil fertility increases they will decrease.

we only have them growing here along the roadways now and occasionally they will pop up here or there..in the gardens or fields..but generally they only grow in waste places in our area.

Hi JulieBE!  Indeed, you may be able to sell your QAL seeds and dried flowers for those who use them for herbal contraception/birth control.  To find people, you can visit Sister Zeus' yahoogroup http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/herbalcontra or Susun Weed's Healing Wise Forum http://www.healingwiseforum.com/viewforum.php?f=24 to start.  And don't forget to make a flower essence mother tincture at least once, since the essence is said to help improve psychic ability and clairvoyance!

You may want to keep in mind, the time of year could affect an animals desire to consume the plant.  I know my horses will top all the QAL's in a field just as they are setting those seed-heads.  But, they won't eat the stalks until November.  Then... lookout... there is a run on the buffet.  Other than that, the horse won't eat QAL at all, not even the tender young plant.