Bagrada bug
Arguably the greatest hardship facing organic growers is pest control, specifically dealing with insects and disease. The issue is simple: the pests are naturally present, the consumers demand picture-perfect produce, and the organic farmer is left with few pest control resources at his/her disposal. At Frog Hollow Farm we deal with this every year, and in our new winter vegetable garden the insects are already knocking at our door persistently.
This year, Farmer Al lost many of his Bosc pear trees to fire blight, an insect-vectored disease that travels through the tree’s sap, killing first the flowers, then the tree branches and eventually the whole tree. While conventional farmers can spray to treat and prevent fire blight, organic growers like Farmer Al have nothing to combat this wretched blight. Just this season, hundreds of Frog Hollow pear trees were lost and are currently being removed. These trees were in the peak of their production, and we are sad to see them go.
In our winter veggie garden, our newest intruder is the Bagrada bug. These critters are an invasive relative of the stink bug. They first showed up in San Diego in 2008 and have been making their way north ever since; finally arriving in our county this year. Bagrada bugs stick their needle like mouths into the plant tissue and suck up all the plant’s juice, causing severe leaf damage and wilting. Conventional farmers use a insecticidal spray to kill and prevent the bagrada bugs. However once again, organic growers have no tools to combat this pest.
As I drive to Frog Hollow, it is no surprise that we are seeing an influx of pests. All of the neighboring farms that were just recently growing acres of corn, peppers and alfalfa are now ploughed in for the winter, and the dusty soil left behind is not protected by a cover crop. A mile in each direction of the farm resembles a desert, and then as you turn the corner you see a lush green oasis that is Frog Hollow. If I was an insect, I would choose Frog Hollow as my new home as well. Ample water and green foliage to munch on, no nasty chemicals to deter me, no tractors spontaneously plowing my food source and my family in its path.
Despite these hardships, we look forward to delicious organic veggies that will come our way. Just as Farmer Al has found a way to deliver quality fruit despite the pest pressures, our veggies will persist. The best pest deterrent? Healthy plants and healthy soil. So this is our mandate.