There are many a job, task, project, duty, and activity involved with farming. Especially CSA farms where so many different crops are grown. Tomatoes, beans, and peas have to be staked and trellised. Potatoes have to be mounded. Blueberries and figs need to be pruned. Cover crops need to be planted, drip tape and plastic mulch laid, and plants planted. Then of course, everything needs to be weeded, then harvested, then washed, then packed, and then delivered. I could go on, but I would rather talk about one of my favorite things to do this time of year: hand pick Colorado Potato Beetles off potatoes.
I'm not sure why it's so entertaining to me, but I really enjoy doing it. I feel like a kid again on Easter looking for eggs of candy and cash. While nothing edible nor spendable comes at the end of the hunt, a peace of mind certainly does.
CPBs show up around this time of year, right when the potatoes are starting to get some decent foliage. They are black and orange, striped, hard shelled beetles that munch a little on the leaves of the potatoes, lay their eggs, and leave farmers (if gone un-picked) with nasty little larvae that can do serious damage to potato plants as they gorge on the leaves. And so, these little guys must be stopped. That's where soapy water and a good eye come in. You can usually tell where the adult beetles are going to be because they have snacked on some of the leaves. When you look where the stem meets the ground, there will be a mama or papa beetle trying it's best to avoid it's soapy ending. And when you find an adult, there is typically a bunch of bright orange, teeny tiny eggs on the underside of the leaves nearby. Getting rid of this first generation saves a lot of grief since it's a lot less likely that the plants will be chewed down to just stems by the larvae.
Here are some pictures of these bad boys (and girls):
Gross- some of last week's round up
This is an adult Colorado Potato Beetle
Potato Plant
A nibbled leaf
That orange spot is a cluster of eggs
In addition to CPB picking, here are some pictures of other happenings:
Our first CSA week went great!
The farm's scenery is beautiful in spring.
Golden Zucchini are busy growing.
This happened- roto tillers and cell phones do not get along well...
Our compost piles (made with pallets) got a pretty new sign.
And so did our shiitake logs
Beans are climbing their trellis.
The last of the winter's parsnips were harvested.
Purple Cauliflower is growing bigger every day.
Sugar Snaps are also climbing.
Old arugula is flowering.
As are other wintery greens
Okra is getting a good start as seedlings.
The ground has a nice view of beans climbing.
Tomatoes, tomatoes, and more tomatoes are being planted.
We had a busy, but great week. The Southern Food Tour put on an amazing dinner Sunday night and we had a great time. Be on the lookout for information about our next farm to table dinner from
graft restaurant coming up in just a week and a half on May 4th!
Thanks for reading,
Haley
