All natural ice remedy

It was bound to happen, and it did. I fell on some ice in a parking lot the other day. Nothing hurt but my pride. . . It's a constant battle in the Midwest this time of year: man vs. nature. If you're like me and you want to keep the nature, um. . . natural, it's hard to figure out what to use to reduce the slip factor with the ice on your property. Salt can be harmful to the grass, so it should be used sparingly, if at all.

The best thing I've found for creating traction is a little miracle called "chicken grit". It's intended purpose is to aid chickens in their digesting of food. Since they have no teeth, they need this sharp food additive to help their gizzards "chew" their food. I get mine in 50 lb. bags at the grain elevator/farmers co-op in my home town in Iowa. It's made from cherry pits. The Feed Store on Harlem Avenue, just South of hwy. 55 has the granite type--less than ten bucks for 50 lbs. They also have the ground up oyster shells that will work. The granite won't break down, but you can sweep it up and use it again next year! Keep a coffee can of it in your car, too. The stuff is amazing for traction on compacted snow as well as ice.

So you don't have to choose between killing the plants and remaining upright on the ice--you can get traction the natural way, and if you really want the ice gone, get out there with a metal shovel or ice breaker.