We are taught from an early age to achieve the highest and best in everything we do. I'm no stranger to 4-H competitions or state fair contests. And the thrill of placing high and the angst of placing less than perfect can really set us up for how we view everything we do later in life. What does a blue ribbon on a quilt at the fair have to do with a garden? A lot really. I like nice, neat weed free rows but I also have learned to chill out a little when it comes to less than perfect produce and weeds in the gardens and hedgerows.
In our efforts to raise our own food, I think sometimes we forget the bigger picture. I can see a culprit has been at work in our brassica patch, but normally it is just a few nibbles. And really does a bug taking a bite of your plant really ruin it? If I see pests I do pick them off and either squish them or take the morsels to the hens, who relish the treat and will make that into eggs or nutrient rich manure. As the health of our gardens grows, the plants become more resistant to pest attacks, if an infestation is present, it may be more of a fertility/management problem than an insect problem.
With that in mind, we try to select our seeds and plants for pest and disease resistance and continually build our soil with composted manure and cover crops where appropriate.
Insects don't happen to bother me, so excuse me if this causes alarm. If it was snake I would be running from the room! But, I guess my point is that, this year so far, we have put up 45 quarts or so of broccoli and cauliflower for the freezer and eaten fresh broccoli for weeks. I have found 5 caterpillars, total. I think that is acceptable. They die when the broccoli is blanched for freezing, and they are visible as you can see in the photo above. For fresh eating, soaking the broccoli or cauliflower head in salt water will do the same thing - just in case your MIL is coming over for dinner.
I actually worry about food that is too perfect, when I think of what it takes to achieve that look. So take the insects with a grain of salt, literally and build a healthy eco-system in your garden, and enjoy the abundant harvests. Having an OK garden is actually OK.
I actually worry about food that is too perfect, when I think of what it takes to achieve that look. So take the insects with a grain of salt, literally and build a healthy eco-system in your garden, and enjoy the abundant harvests. Having an OK garden is actually OK.
15 comments:
This is such a great post! I think sometimes we've become so use to seeing or having vegetables/fruits that have no insects on them (from the grocery store) that when we grow our own food-and notice that yes the bugs like veggies and fruits too, it can be a bit of a suprise (:
This year I found those same exact small green catipillars on my kale and chard-my husband said if we happen to eat them, just enjoy the extra protein as well. Really we need to lessen the distance between us and the food we eat and if the garden is not perfect thats perfectly fine-if the bugs are eating it, it not only tells me that what is growing is good, but also that it has not been sprayed-which is a major plus in my opinion (:
Thanks,
Nichole
"I actually worry about food that is too perfect, when I think of what it takes to achieve that look."
This. Exactly.
I think seeing bugs in the garden is perfection. There's just something weird about a garden with chomped plants and bugs flitting to and fro. As I garden more and more I use less and less stuff to get rid of bugs. I find myself saying that the preditors of the insects will come and I shouldn't worry. If I lose some broccoli I lose some broccoli, but thanks to the wrens this isn't a problem. Just about the time I was itching to put something organic on the cabbage worms the wrens hatched a new brood and soon not a cabbage worm could be spotted in the garden.
I even leave the hornworms to eat the tomatoes. I was just reading in a book about how when plants are defoliated during the summer they often produce more fruit and do better because of it. This makes me happy to see the web worms on my little cherry trees, I now know it's actually good for the trees.
Often I think the humans are the real pests in the garden. Because we don't often understand the complexy of nature and we don't always see the full circle of what's going on we think we're doing good by getting rid of some "infestation" only to probably be killing off something good or hurting the plant in the process.
Wow. 5 Caterpillars in 45 quarts! I found 7 caterpillars in one head of broccoli the other night. The birds are slowly working out that the broccoli are a great source of food, but until then, I'm still handpicking plenty of caterpillars off. My husband didn't check for grubs the other night, so I'm sure he's had extra protein in his meals while I was away.
I totally agree! In fact, at the markets I search out the citrus that have that brown mottled skin, because I know they haven't been either sprayed or dyed.
These are lovely photos, Nita. I'm with you. No bugs is just not natural. If I had no bugs in my garden I'd wonder what was wrong and what was keeping them away. Great broccoli crop!
If you don't have bugs, you probably don't have pollination!
I recently had the privilege of finding some predatory wasp pupae on my broccoli, so I'm hoping most of them have made it -- they hatched when I wasn't looking. The chooks eat most of the problem beasties. The two exceptions are stink bugs and scale. I don't know of any organic stink bug killer -- we use BBQ tongs and a bit of kero and water in a bucket.
Fabulous post, beautiful photo's and I am still trying to get use to eating things that grow in the garden... it does seem very strange but I am getting there... I have an apple tree and a plum tree and runner beans... with the apples I just cut out the bits that the bugs have nibbled... I can't see a problem with sharing.. there is plenty after all...
x Alex
So true. Part of the reason I started is to get away from the overly-perfect, almost fake produce I saw in regular grocery stores - they almost look like they were made for a plastic model. I value the imperfections, because as you said, nothing in this world is really perfect, and it shows that the item is allowed to grow, not perhaps discarded for its inconsequential imperfections.
While I don't want truly deformed veg, I am okay with seeing some insects (particularly as they pollinate too!)... I don't want an infestation - its a fine line to walk on the edges. But you've done so well this season! 5 caterpillars in 45 quarts is quite a showing. I don't have that judgment of what is acceptable and what is truly troublesome yet, so I am likely overly cautious. But in general, I do wish that imperfections would be more appreciated.
I also agree that the bugs are a part of gardening. The cabbage in my fridge right now has lots of little holes all over it, but it will still be yummy. I'd rather holes from worms than chemicals in my body. My chickens love any bugs and worms I find as well. Yesterday they had a slug feast.
We're working toward acceptance of a few bugs here. One night I brought in a head of lettuce and was washing it up when hubby walked into the room. Way deep in the leaves I found a little critter (like always) and picked him off. I called for my youngest to take him outside to feast on a plant not in the garden. I glanced over at hubby who was pale with green tinges. (City boy.)
"Honey," I said, "wouldn't you rather eat food that is bug approved? I mean, you KNOW this lettuce won't kill you if it is good food for a little squirmy, right?" He was nonplussed.
I am learning to relax about my allotment, I am a perfectionist by nature and nature is forcing me not to be
Jen
Too right,couldn't agree more.If an insect thinks it's tasty it must be right?
I have recognized that I'm much less picky about the appearance of the fruit/vegies I grow at home over the ones I buy in the grocery store. Funny thing (or maybe not so much)...my homegrown stuff just tastes better too!
Thank you all for your wonderful comments. It is wonderful to see so many gardeners sharing the same sentiment. :)
Post a Comment