D&V Organics CSA Week 20
We've been pretty pleased with how nicely our Fall crops are coming along. The weather has been good enough to keep things growing quickly, with very few challenges. Generally, farming tends to be quite challenging, with loads of variables that are out of our control. As a profession, farming requires the ability to problem solve and develop creative solutions to overcome obstacles. When we began developing an interest in agriculture while in college, we approached that interest idealistically, but always with an open mind. After working for several different commercially successful farming operations over the past 20 years, we have seen and experienced ourselves, how adaptable farmers have to be, considering an ever changing climate and new and developing threats (pests) due to the interconnected aspects of global trade. Within the past few years we've heard about the arrival of a new insect pest originating from Asia called the spotted lantern fly (SLF). And until this year, we've only heard about this non-native species. Over the past month, we've seen an influx of SLF around the farm (5-10 per day), not feeding on anything in particular, but definitely increasing in numbers, since first noticing 1 single insect of this species in the Spring. While this insect may not pose an immediate threat to any of our crops, it represents one of many challenges that the agriculture industry faces on an ongoing and ever evolving basis. New and emerging pests are only one facet of the many challenges we experience from year to year. If you want to learn more about SLF and its impact on agriculture in the region and what you can do in our community, click here.
Enjoy,
Derek & Vicky
