Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Laurie Ann Powell <laurie@powellclan.com>]

Hi, Ken,
Sorry I wasn't clear that the bugs I mentioned demolish everything that grows. That's what I meant by saying that in the numbers we have them they consume  "a whole tomato plant overnight".  They seem to consume the roots first, and kill absolutely everything.

All the other potentially damaging pests are in small enough numbers that I don't do anything except sprinkle diatomaceous earth occasionally. But these guys are like a plague of locusts.

Thanks for your comments, too, blademan.  I guess we can collect by hand and give them to the chickens instead of importing the chickens to the garden?

And those of you who responded to me about the need to "educate the masses" for the market gardening are absolutely right. I'm just not bent that way right now, because of those (like the spinach farmers, and several of the raw dairy people ) who have gotten bitten on the rear by making food available to public school graduates.  I'm just thinking in terms of laying low and keeping education separate from marketing so I don't lose my own farm.  If anyone gets a tummy-bug after trying a new food from a farmer, they jump to the conclusion they've gotten poisoned.

The family I mentioned was doing education; sharing fliers and recipes, showing the Brix meter.  I was the one who was thrown by the ignorance represented by someone who would come to a farmer's market with last night's Nightly Lies with Howard Cossell (or whoever today's liar is) on their lips as a kind of accusation. Scary!  We really have to start with "This is a bacteria. Bacteria is your friend!"

Laurie Ann