Russian thistle is a spiny annual weed, reproducing by seed. It is found in all areas of South Dakota. The plants appear more abundantly during dry years and on drought stricken meadows, pastures or cultivated fields. Young plants are eaten by livestock. During the 1930`s when the plains area was stricken with drought, farmers with no other choice planted this Russian thistle weed to provide for their livestock. The livestock had nothing else to feed on. The thistles seemed to be the only thing that would grow in this burned up land. People could either try Russian thistle hay or could let their livestock die.
This poem, published in the Dakota Farmer around the 1930`s explains the troubles the farmers went through back then. It was written by George Sisson who farmed near Belle Fourche. Mr. Sisson was the father of Phyllis Sisson Eixenberger.
I shust know you hef your troubles, like ve all hef our own;
But mine, O meester editor, shust make me stop and groan.
My horses von`t get fat, my cows vill make no milk
My hens, dey vill not lay,
Und effery day I giff em all, de choicest Roosian Tissle Hay.
All summer long de hot vinds blow, und burnar crops up slick;
All ve planted could not grow; but up came tissles tick.
Ve mowed und raked dis magic feed, from early morn `til late;
Und now mit all die lofely hay,
My horses von`t get fat, my cows vill make no milk,
My hens, dey vill not lay;
Und effery day I giff dem all, de finest Roosian Tissle Hay.
Pleese tell me meester editor, vot should I do each day:
To make der ribs stick out less; to make dem shump und play.
I`m doing all I know, for affery day;
I fill dem oop mit all, de finest Roosian tissle Hay.
Must I dehorn dem tissles, or chop dem someway;
Make dem into kraut or pickles, or vot to do, pleese say,
So that my stock get beg und vide, like dey should be all vey.
For I tyell you very plainly, my horses von`t get fat;
My cows vill make no milk,
My hens, dey vill not lay,
Und effery day I fill dem oop,
Mit choicest Roosian Tissle Hay.
Dear Mr. Editor:
Article by Misty Crandall, 1995