We Can Work Together Using This One Weird Trick

And you thought I was done with my attempts to figure out how to do click-bait titles?  Think again.  Actually, I was told recently that I just don't have it in me to really do click-bait.  I'll take that as a compliment.

But, now that we've gotten past the preliminaries AND you've fallen prey to my fine example of click bait and come to read this blog - let's get down to the topic at hand!

The One Weird Trick is This

I have learned that click bait only works if you drag people through a whole bunch of screens and then never actually tell them what the one trick is.  Why?  Because by the time a person gets to the end, they've forgotten what the topic was.

Well - I'll get right to the point.  There ISN'T one weird trick to make us all work together.  

I lied.

Just to get you to come read my blog post.

Now I feel bad.

So I had better give you something more than that.

There is No "Trick"

There is just honest work to always do better and be better.  There must be a desire to engage in consistent and continual learning.  We all need an ear that patiently listens while we show empathy for those who are speaking.  We must have a willingness to admit when we don't know - or that we might be wrong.  There must be a heart that seeks cooperation and compassion over competition and self-satisfaction.  And we need to exercise our mind so that it engages in critical thought processes to examine what we think is true and how we came to that conclusion - and then allows us to re-assess it fairly when something new is brought to our attention.  We must put for the effort to discern whether the source is worthy of trust even or especially when we are inclined to agree.  And our tongue must speak without exaggeration and our mind needs to consider our words with care.  

And - we must put forth continuous effort that cycles us through failures and uncertainty, successes and enlightenment.

Chew on that for a while.  I know I have (and will continue to do so).

We take click-bait links or listen to sensationalized news or pass on the 'clever' social media meme because we want a trick that solves difficult problems with minimal effort on our part.  Or we take click-bait because we want the thrill of some ridiculous something or another.  Or we just want to remind ourselves how superior we are to everyone else.  Or we are idly curious - and we want something to sneer at or be surprised by.

We take click-bait because we want to skip to the end of the book.  Jump to the end-game.  Know what to think about everything - all the time - right away.  We take click bait because it is easy - and it is addictive - and it excites us in all of the wrong ways.

Not here and not today.  Today we work together by using this one weird trick:

We admit that it won't be easy and we do it anyway - the hard way.

Wrong Solution - Postal History Sunday

Welcome to Postal History Sunday, the blog post where we encourage you to learn something new and allow Rob to share a hobby he very much enjoys with you. Put on the fluffy slippers and pet Fluffy the cat!  Get a hot chocolate or some hot tea, but keep it away from the paper collectibles (and your keyboard)!  And, let's see where today's post takes us.

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It is likely that most people who read this blog may recall the anthrax poisonings in 2001 that were a result of letters mailed via the postal system to targeted individuals or groups.  One of the responses at the time was for the postal service to begin irradiation of the mail in an effort to kill the anthrax spores.  That irradiation process often changed the paper, darkening it and making it more brittle - and plastics were often impacted significantly.  

I recall this because stamp and postal history collectors were very concerned about mailing items to and from each other - most opting to use other courier services.  Why?  Well, we collect paper items that we don't want damaged and we usually ship them in mylar sleeves.  Not a good combination for irradiated mail!

Killing Germs in the Mail - 1800s Style

In true form for me - I told you that story so I could tell you about this one!

The envelope shown below has two slits cut into the envelope.  These same slits also cut into the enclosed letter.  You can see the slits by looking for the white paper I placed through the holes so they are more easily visible.

A fairly common practice in the first half of the 1800s was something postal historians refer to as "disinfected mail."  Incoming letters that may have traveled from or through areas that were identified as "unhealthy" or were in mailbags on a ship that was identified as carrying a disease were often (but not always) put through a process to prevent the mail from carrying that disease any further.  Sometimes, a post office would simply just put ALL of its incoming mail through a disinfection process.

Each piece of mail was punctured, slit or cut in some fashion to allow either a fumigant or a vinegar mixture to access the interior of the item.  Where larger volumes of mail were involved, tools were developed to aid in the processing prior to disinfection.

For example, the paddle shown above (collection of the Smithsonian Postal Museum) was used in the United States to open up mail for fumigation with burning sulfur.  I am sure it was not enjoyable to receive a letter punched full of holes and smelling of sulfur, but that was the price people paid for the sense that something was being done to control the spread of disease.   

Some of the first examples of disinfected mail can be traced back to the 1400s when the Republics of Venice and Ragusa "perfumed" the mail from the Levant (we would now call it the Middle East) with sweet smelling herbs and flowers.  But, by the time we reach the 1850s and 1860s the practice of mail disinfection was in decline, but not unheard of.

Enter Cholera

As trade and travel increased between Europe and India, the opportunity for the spread of cholera increased.  What people did not fully understand until 1885 was that cholera spread occurred when a person ingested something that was contaminated with the feces of an infected individual.  However, contaminated water was, in fact, identified as the likely culprit in 1855 by a British physician (John Snow), but the debate raged on for a time after that.  

It turns out, the best solution would have been to secure clean water sources, provide sanitation services, and maintain food safety procedures of some kind.  And, in fact, improvements in clean water and sanitary systems in subsequent years would help much of Europe to better handle later pandemics as the century progressed.

As is often the case, a good preliminary solution was likely going to be quarantine and travel restriction.  But, that is rarely popular - especially when it was bad for business.  So, some locations returned to the disinfection of mail to show that something (even if it was deemed to be likely to be ineffective) was being done.

The item above was mailed in September of 1855 from Milan to Parma (Italy).  The Third Cholera Pandemic (1852-1860) was just coming off its peak and the nearby city of Ferrara (east of Parma) still provides data for scientists to analyze today.  Clearly, the spread of cholera was on the minds of the people in this region - and for good reason. 

If you look carefully, you can find two disinfection slits that look very much like a person pushed a blade downwards from top to bottom of the letter to allow the fumigant to enter the sealed folded letter.  Because there is no staining, it is unlikely a liquid solution was used on this item.

The folded letter shown above initially got my attention because of the red marking that reads "Dopo la partenza," which means "after departure."  It actually made its way into a blog post about markings that showed an item was too late for the mails that were leaving that day.  The disinfection slits were just icing on the cake for me!  It's always good to have more than one point of interest.

The last item was mailed from the United States to Rome in 1866, during the Fourth Cholera Pandemic (1863-75). 

This time only a single slit can be found in the envelope, though a second one could have been on the left hand side.  We will never know because the left hand side has been reduced - probably to get rid of a ragged and damaged edge on the envelope.  Initially mailed to Rome, this item was forwarded to Genzano (SE of Rome) where 15 centesimi were due for the forwarding service - see the red 15?   It is likely that the fumigation occurred at Genzano since there are not records indicating that Rome, itself, was disinfecting mail at this time.

And Now You Know

And now you know a little better why I enjoy postal history.  It opens up a window... or a door... to the story that surrounds each item.  Sometimes the story it tells leads to events of global consequence - such as the Cholera Pandemics.  Other times, they just tell a personal story for a person who lived a life just like ours.

I wonder what story we'll explore next week?

Feedback Friday

It has been a long time since we have specifically written a blog post asking for feedback from those who read what is written here.  So I'll start with the request.

If you have a specific idea you want me to pursue or topic you want me to cover - ask a question or make a suggestion!  And we'll go from there.

Also, if there has been something specific you have enjoyed in this blog - it doesn't matter what it was or how you frame it - give us a quick response in comments if you are able to do so.  Otherwise, other communication methods are fine!  If there is something you would like to see more of... don't worry about 'less of' something - you can control that by encouraging more of what you like! 

 Why am I asking?

The selfish reason?  Well, I may be a 'quiet person' but I do still need some interaction with others.  The isolation that comes from trying to keep others safe and prevent our health care workers from being overwhelmed impacts us all in one way or another.  And, yes, I appreciate periodic validation that what I am doing is worthwhile for someone other than myself.

But, as is usually the case, those reasons aren't enough for me to actually act on them.

The rest of the reason?  We still have some difficult weeks and months ahead where we need to continue to do things differently than we wish - simply because we care for each other.  I intend to continue to offer the gift of very regular blogs through the winter months.  It is my offering to you because it is something I CAN do that just might make a small difference in the lives of some few other people (and maybe a cat or two... though they don't like it when you catch them reading).

I could use a little help with topics, questions to answer, and ideas.  So, while I very rarely push for response from people when I ask for feedback - I'd really like some now to add fuel so I can keep this fire going.

Background to help you help me

A couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to talk to one of Dr. Wen's classes at UNI.  As a result of that conversation, they sent questions to me that I ended up answering in the form of blogs.  Actually - it led to five of them - of which this is the first.  I enjoyed that process very much and I think some of them liked the chance to ask directly and be answered!  

I've also had people ask questions of the critters on the farm.  Someone wanted to know what the roles of the Outdoor Farm Supervisors (cats) were and it led to this post (among others).  And, the Inspector will still answer questions - as long as I skritch him.  So, ask Inspector.  Ask Soup.  Ask Bree or Hobnob.  Ask the hens!  Ask Stu the rooster.  Ask Crazy Maurice, the weeping willow (though he is a little sleepy now).  You can even try to ask the turkeys.... but they won't answer for a while.

What's Been on the Blog Recently

I try to keep some variety on the blog because not everyone likes the same thing.. including me.  And, frankly, some are harder to write than others.  And, crazily enough, what is hard to write and what is easy actually changes from week to week.  I guess I'm moody or something.

In the past two plus months (Oct - Dec) we have had the following distribution of content:

• Genuine Faux Farm related material - 20 posts
• More philosophically inclined  - 13 posts
• Nature related - 11 posts
• Postal History Sunday - 9 posts
• Animals & Maurice - 9 posts
• A bit of humor - 7 posts
• "Revived" older posts from the blog - 6 posts
• Current event related - 5 posts
• GFF Stories - 4 posts
• Various entertainment (music, books, etc) - 4 posts
• Pesticide Action Network posts - 4 posts
• Local Food - 2 posts
  
• Veggie varieties or types - 2 posts
• Organic ag - 2 posts
• Weather - 1 post (can you believe that?!?)
  

So, Let's Hear You!

Ask a question of me.  Ask a question of one of the denizens at the Genuine Faux Farm.  Tell us what one of your favorite posts have been over the past year (or from whenever!) and if you'd like more of 'that.'  If you like the Postal History Sunday series, ask a question about that.  Want hints on growing a veggie?  Curious about what Rob thinks about ag policies in the state or nation?  Have questions about the number of fingers Rob has?

Be well!

Rob

Meteor Shower Deleted!

I sometimes wish I was quicker with pulling out my notepad and pen when amusing things get said or done around the farm.  Given the right mood, the two of us have the ability to take discussions in all sorts of absurdly wonderful directions and I sometimes wish I could remember them well enough to report them and then play with them further on the blog.  After all, if they amused us, won't they amuse you? (ok - don't answer that one - you don't want to hurt our feelings do you?)

Why don't I remember them, you might ask?  

Well, if you fall into a giggle fit, your brains fall right out of your ears and you have a case of temporary amnesia. 

However, I do remember one specific conversation that started with the observation that we could see the stars.  This discussion was particularly noteworthy because it had been very cloudy for some time AND it was forecast to continue to be cloudy.  To top it off, temperatures were forecast to be higher than usual in mid-December.  Sadly, the sun was not forecast to show itself during the daytime hours and the couple of moments we were going to get of clear skies was 9:00 at night - the very moment we were having this discussion.  Not helpful when you were hoping for some sunshine to do outdoor tasks.  

After the expected and understandable lament that we would have liked a few moments of sun versus the continual fog, drizzle and overcast/cloudy skies during the day, Tammy mentioned the fact that there was supposed to be a meteor shower at some point during this week.  But...

She DELETED it.

Ooops, you missed one.

This is one of those cases where I know Tammy heard what she was saying.  She just wanted to get to the point sooner without all of the connections that get a person from point A to point B.  I mean, I DID understand that she was referencing an email she deleted that had the INFORMATION about the meteor shower.

But, WHY would you want to let something like that go?  I mean, she just said "There's supposed to be a meteor shower at some point this week, but I deleted it."

We didn't let it go - we had fun with it.

So, for everyone out there who was hoping to see a meteor shower recently.  You didn't see it because Tammy DELETED the meteor shower.  It had nothing to do with incessant cloud cover.  So there!

Rob was particularly disappointed because he felt it was about time to take a shower.  So, if the next time you see him and you feel that he is stinking up the place - blame Tammy.  She deleted the shower he was going to take.
 

I don't care if she deleted it, take a shower anyway!  I, the Sandman, have spoken.

For those who have interest in things like meteor showers, Tammy gets email posts from the Space Weather site.   But, remember, don't delete emails about meteor showers, that will make Rob stinky.

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ed note: this post is an edited version of a blog that was originally posted on Dec 15, 2014 - it was worth a new look and a little extra sauce - enjoy!

 

Even More Music I Am Glad I Didn't Miss

Each month since I put out this post in October, I have created a new playlist and looked for a few albums that make me think - "Wow, I am glad I didn't miss that album!"  This is my December installment.  Who knows if I'll maintain the energy and interest to keep this up?  There certainly is plenty of music to highlight - so that won't be an issue!

Future of Forestry - Union

There is cello.  There is piano.  There are gorgeous melodies and counter-melodies.  It is simply difficult for me to explain how much we like Union by Future of Forestry.   

But, perhaps I can actually manage it.  Tammy and I both played cello, so we have an appreciation for music that uses that instrument well.  If anything would make me try to take up the instrument again - it would be the opportunity to play these melodies.  It is almost as if Eric Owyoung pulled some of these sounds and phrases that have been flitting around in my head - wanting to be played - and put them into his own compositions.  But, I had never found a way to convert them from my head to the cello myself.  He has done so, and they are as good or better than I imagined them to be. 

Peter Case - Peter Case 

Here is an album that I have to give my good friend Phil much credit for identifying and bringing to my attention.  At the time this came out, I was more inclined to listen to bands with more instrumentation than I was to singer/songwriters.  Sure, I appreciated them and I knew quality when I heard it - but I was more interested in exploring other sounds.  So, Phil planted a seed with Peter Case's self-titled album that did not really bear fruit until some years later.

The time finally came when it became easier for me to make my own playlists with the event of the iPod.  Suddenly, I could sneak these excellent musical stories into practically every list I created and my appreciation for them grew.  This man knows how to paint a picture with his lyrics, voice and guitar.

 LSU - The Grape Prophet

Sometimes I recognize an album as one I am glad I didn't miss it because it expanded my horizons and the Grape Prophet is a great example.  Some people call this a concept album and others call it a rock opera.  Either way, it follows a story from start to finish.  But, like rhetorical juggling, it isn't required that you catch everything that was flying in the air during the journey.

Simply put, this album caught my interest and it was a regular start-to-finish play as I commuted to and from work in Madison, Wisconsin.  There were puzzles (what did he mean by that?) and interesting textures in the music (how did they make it sound like that?) and it all hung together.  It's hard for me to put any of it into playlists because my brain has committed the order to memory.  But, I don't consider that to be at all bad.

Lone Justice - Shelter

I guess there were critics who weren't terribly happy with Shelter - perhaps because Lone Justice did not follow the trajectory they foresaw after their first album.  I wouldn't know and it really doesn't matter to me because I was introduced to Lone Justice with this album.  I enjoy the experimentation of sounds and how they mix with Maria McKee's voice.  

The truth of the matter is this - I was initially drawn to the album by the radio ready "I Found Love" and I came away with an appreciation for a style of vocal and music that I hadn't had before.  This is another album that has gained more appreciation over time because I can easily make playlists.  Start at the ends (I Found Love and Dixie Storms) and work your way in - I think you will find something to like here as well.

Living a Dicamba Nightmare

 

Most farmers have a particular crop that they would identify as their favorite, and I enjoy growing sweet and bell peppers.  A healthy pepper plant shows glossy green leaves on a compact plant, making it relatively easy to cultivate and harvest.  I love the way they look, and it’s rewarding to fill harvest containers with mature fruit that will find homes with our customers.  In the winter months I dream of the neat rows of plants loaded with fruit.

Unfortunately I have lived a nightmare in recent years.  Pepper plants do not react favorably to dicamba herbicides, and our farm has been finding it increasingly difficult to grow one of my favorite crops as dicamba drift from nearby soybean fields inhibits their growth.  

Discouraging news

In late October, Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced that the Environmental Protection Agency had approved the registration of dicamba products Xtendimax Vaporgrip Xtra, Engenia, and Tavium for over-the-top applications on soybeans and cotton for the next five years “to provide certainty to growers.”  This new registration places further restrictions on the application window for this herbicide, including a seasonal end-date of June 30 for soybeans and July 30 for cotton.

Both BASF and Bayer have made claims that they are addressing dicamba drift by introducing new additives to their products that will “reduce the size of air bubbles” in their products.  It is partially on the strength of these claims that new formulations will prevent drift that EPA gave approval for re-registration.  While these additives and restrictions may reduce drift during the application process, they do not address dicamba’s volatilization issue.

Not surprising - Dicamba damages non-target crops

The biggest issue with dicamba products is that they volatilize (become a vapor) after application and then drift to fields that are not populated with dicamba tolerant crops.  A farmer could apply these products, following best practices to avoid immediate drift, and still be guilty of applying a chemical that can move off-target two, three and even four days after spraying.

The science has been clear for a long time.  The factors that increase the likelihood of dicamba drift include higher temperatures, lower relative humidity, no rainfall in the subsequent days after application and increased evaporation surfaces provided by the leaves of the target crops.  Volatilization has occured in Iowa's corn during years when wet fields prevent early use and applications get moved back into late May and June.  The spray application period for soybeans routinely falls into this window where there is an increased likelihood for volatility.

Disturbing trend

The EPA first approved dicamba products for over-the-top applications in soybeans and cotton in 2016, giving it a conditional two year registration.  That registration was renewed with some additional restrictions in 2018.  But, what many people may not realize is that dicamba products have been applied regularly to other crops, such as corn, for years.  

The USGS National Pesticide Synthesis Project shows the rapid increase of dicamba use after the first registration period.  USDA data shows that, in the Midwest region, one quarter (25.4%) of the soybean acres were treated with dicamba in 2018 as compared to 12.6% in 2017 and 6.3% in 2016.  Unofficial reports indicate that use in recent years has continued to increase.

(note: the chart above can be found at the USGS link shown in the prior paragraph.  The chart was viewed on the USGS website on Dec 4, 2020 and rendered here as shown there.  The chart does not yet show 2018 numbers, but you could expect it will show both green (soybeans) and red (cotton) to be at least double the amount shown for 2017.)

This past growing season provided more evidence that dicamba products are not suitable for over-the-top application.  The state of Iowa reported a record number of dicamba-related drift complaints, and weed scientist Bob Hartzler noted that damage was worse than prior years, showing plant injury on a “landscape level” throughout the state. Meanwhile, similar reporting trends appeared in Minnesota and evidence in Tennessee suggested that dicamba isn’t the solution for Palmer Amaranth (a glyphosate resistant weed) that it was hoped to be.

False Hope?

When the EPA allowed for the conditional registration in 2016, growers of crops without dicamba resistant genetic traits braced themselves for what was to come.  After all, it was not as if there wasn’t already a track record that foretold future problems. As early as 2018, leading schools of agriculture were recommending that dicamba technologies be applied as a pre-emergent application rather than an over-the-top spray.  Additionally, the Bader Farms lawsuit revealed that Monsanto was fully aware that the product would cause problems even before they applied for dicamba’s first provisional registration.  

I will admit that I was among those who allowed myself a little bit of hope once the 2020 9th Circuit US Court of Appeals ruling was released ordering a suspension against the conditional registration of dicamba. The circuit court opinion cited “enormous and unprecedented damage” caused by dicamba products in the past few years.  

Unfortunately, the EPA did not immediately enforce the 2020 circuit court ruling, extending the allowed application of dicamba products until July 31, effectively allowing post-emergent applications to continue as planned.  And now, we have the nightmare of five more years of dicamba to look forward to.

Good luck with the peppers?

Here I am, in Iowa, and I am dreading another five years where I will experience chemical trespass in the form of dicamba drift.

A typical season's yield for bell pepper production on our farm between 2012 to 2015 was 750 to 850 pounds of marketable fruit.  Contrast this to our field production for bell peppers in 2017 (30 pounds), 2018 (5 pounds) and 2019 (51 pounds).  And, to be perfectly clear, our standards for counting a fruit as marketable decreased greatly during those three seasons.  Field peppers showed the classic symptoms of growth inhibitor damage each year, typically beginning in the second half of June to early July.

Our response has been to reduce our pepper production and squeeze it into our limited high tunnel space, where the covered environment seems to protect these plants from volatilization drift.  But there’s a bigger problem we are battling - peppers are not the only crop showing damage.  We can’t cover everything.

When I signed up to be a farmer, I was perfectly willing to make adjustments to address weather, climate, pests, weeds and even consumer demand.  I did not sign up to spend my time and energy trying to protect my farm and my crops from chemical trespass.

It is clear to me that this decision is about protecting the market share of chemical companies and their corresponding genetically enhanced seed stock rather than providing farmers with choices for the tools they use to grow their crops. Farmers who might want to select a different seed product and those who might want to pursue alternative crops or alternative cropping systems are simply left to wonder how much damage they must expect in the coming months to their fields.

Apparently, I can expect that I won’t get to grow my peppers.

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Are you interested in seeing more content related to the Pesticide Action Network?  Take the link to the GroundTruth blog.   Your "favorite" farmer is featured there once a month on average.

Originally published on PAN's Ground Truth Blog on December 3, 2020

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Why Certified Organic?

I was recently honored by a request from the Iowa Organic Association to be part of a farmer panel during their virtual Annual Meeting on Deember 1st.  I was able to join my good friend, Andy Dunham (Grinnell Heritage Farm and Tallgrass Prairie), and two other people I respect - Kathleen Delate of ISU and Nelson Smith of Springtown Ranch near Brighton.

Each of us was asked to speak for fifteen minutes, covering everything from a bit about what we do and how the year has impacted us to discussing why and how we "do organic farming."  If you wish to view the whole meeting, you can go to this link.  The nice thing about this recording is that you can look at the timeline and see that it is segmented to allow you to jump to different parts of the presentation.  If you want to skip some of the business side of the meeting, you can - for example.  It's recorded and available - your choice!  Isn't that nice?

I felt compelled to talk about the good reasons WHY I feel it is important for our farm (and other farms) to grow crops with organic practices.  And I realized - hey!  I have a farm blog!  We can use it to say more if we want!

This is a typical view of vegetable crops in one of our high tunnels (Eden in this case) for any given year at the Genuine Faux Farm.  If you look carefully, you can see tomatoes, peppers, green beans, carrots, beets, onions, melons and maybe even the stubble of lettuce that has been harvested.  There are even some flowers interspersed that are not readily apparent from the photo.

A significant part of the concept of organic agriculture is the idea that a healthy natural system is one that maintains a diversity of organisms.  That is why importance is placed on crop rotations, integrated pest management, and natural areas.  

Let's be honest now.  Not every certified organic operation is as committed as every other operation in its pursuit of diversity.  And, our farm is, in fact, probably more willing than many to accept the extra labor costs and potential losses that come with diversity at such a fine level.  Part of this is our own personal choices and preferences.  

And the rest has always had to do with our desire to try to find ways that we can achieve diversity without forsaking too much efficiency.  We figured that we were willing to give up some of our bottom line in the hopes that we would find ways that would translate to other farms without hurting THEIR bottom line.  Sometimes, I think we made a difference or two.  Other times, I am not so sure. 

I do know that we have made (and will continue to make) a valiant effort.  And I am still convinced that diversity is a key to a healthy farm.

This is one of my absolute favorite farm pictures.  I try to tell people that a successful field for a farmer is one they want to spend time in.

That is a successful field.

Ok, yes.  If you are a row crop farmer or a veggie farmer that has more land than we do, it might seem small.  The overall space is about eight thousand square feet.  The area is dedicated to melon/watermelon production as our cash crops and the amount of space taken is consistent with the years prior to the one shown above (I think it was 2015).

We decided to intentionally reduce the number of melon plants put into the field space by 30% and use that space for more pollinator support plants.  There are zinnia at the left and borage on the right.  Not easily seen in the picture is buckwheat, sunn hemp, basil, calendula and... of course, more melons.

It looked great.  There were all sorts of bees, toads, frogs and other useful critters.  It felt great to go out there.  I was proud of that field and how it looked.  

And I expected to harvest about 1/3 fewer melons because we had that many fewer plants.

Instead.  I harvest 30% MORE melons.  Nature wins.  Again.

Certified organic farms are encouraged to work with nature instead of in opposition to natural processes.  We humans are sadly mistaken when we think we are able to do better in spite of nature.   That moment when we think we are doing so is the one where we need to look carefully at where the hidden costs might be.

Once again - does every certified organic grower push this hard to support natural processes?  Of course not.  But, the culture of organic production encourages cooperation with nature and the services it provides (such as pollination services).

For those of you who are not familiar with the organic certification process.  Each year, we are required to develop an organic system plan for our operation.  That plan may be very similar to prior years, but we should review what we are doing each and every season and make adjustments.  That plan is then viewed by an organic certifying agency (in our case it is IDALS - Iowa Dept of Ag and Land Stewardship).  They will compare our plan with organic standards and highlight any possible problems in that plant.

Once that plan is approved, an on-site inspection is scheduled.  And if you pass the inspection (or address any issues that arise as a result), you can achieve certification for the year.

The process supports a positive system for critical evaluation of how you go about growing.  You have a structured opportunity to think about what you are doing and why.  You are then forced to articulate it in some fashion to someone else who can give you feedback.  

Please note - organic certification agencies WANT organic operations to succeed in achieving certification.  This does not have to be an adversarial situation!  Pure and simple - it is a fantastic opportunity to learn and refine your own processes with some built in resources for feedback.  I have found that if I want more from the certification process - I can get it.  And on years when I just don't have the energy to get more from it, well - we do what we must to earn certification and then find ways to improve the next time.

I have heard it said many times that record keeping for organic farms is a real trial.  Why?  Well, they do require that you keep track of things and sometimes it can get annoying when you are not convinced that a particular data point is worth your time to track.

Still, one of the biggest reasons certified organic products are often safer products is because we are required to track product carefully.  If there is a problem with one of our lots of spinach, we should be able to rapidly (in moments) be able to trace that spinach from planting, cultivation, harvest, cleaning, packing and delivery - showing dates, involved workers and enough of the process to determine if there was a problem that needed addressing.

The simple act of keeping those records encourages us to follow safety protocols.  Good enough.

The added bonus is that we are then blessed with data we can use to make decisions about future crops and future processes.  You can't collect data after the event has passed.  But, if you have a system that encourages consistent record-keeping, you will not have to bemoan the loss of important information that you could have used.

And here it is.  The root of it all.

The Genuine Faux Farm uses organic practices and goes through the certification process because it is a key component to how we attain personal satisfaction in our farming.  It is also an important part of how we maintain our own well-being.

I want more fields that I love being in - because those are successful fields.

It is important that we continue to improve from season to season - and the organic certification process supports that goal.

We want healthy soil and a diverse system of organisms on our farm.  Sometimes, we fantasize that the migrating birds and butterflies see our farm as an oasis in a vast desert of corn and soybeans.  Other times, we despair that our little patch is not enough to support them as they pause, exhausted on their way north or south.  But, we still reap rewards when Mr. Bunting sings, the Bull Snake slithers by and Cucumber Frog jumps and startles us.  We see the benefits when green beans taste fantastic and the fresh spinach is heaped on our plates.  

Why do we grow organic?  

We do it for us.

And we do it for nature.

And we do it for you.

Why Did You Pick That? - Postal History Sunday

It's Postal History Sunday time!

This week, we'll answer another question that has been asked.  It is related to last week's question, but it is much more direct.  I was asked:

"Why do you like to collect postal history from the 1860s, in particular?  What got you started?"

It Started With What I Knew and Understood

I credit my Mom with planting the seeds that led me to where I am in the hobby right now.  Some of my first memories are having her cut or tear some of the prettier stamps off of the incoming mail and giving them to me.  I had a small, pocket sized notebook and I would paste them into the book - drawing around them with crayolas.  I usually did a good job of avoiding coloring ON them.  Some of the first stamps I had in that book were the "Beautification of America" issue of 1969 and the Moon Landing issue of the same year.

Eventually, I learned how stamps were 'supposed' to be collected and I happily participated in the hobby with the extremely limited budget a kid might have for such things.  At the time, it was all about the stamps.  And, at the time, it was mostly about United States stamps for all of the normal reasons.  I had some knowledge of the people, places and events that were on the stamps.  I could read the words on the stamps.  This gave me a lever that allowed me to exercise my curiosity and comfortably expand my knowledge with various trips to the library.

I mean, how many 9-year-olds at the time knew who Sam Rayburn was (Speaker of the House on and off from 1940-1961)?  He was on a stamp (1962 - 4 cents) so I knew of him - but I won't pretend that I fully understood what a "Speaker of the House" was.

I learned about the National Parks because they were depicted on stamps.  In fact, the two stamps shown on the envelope near the top of this post were two on my "maybe someday I'll own one of those expensive stamps" list.

(note: neither of those stamps are actually all that expensive - but to an 8-year-old....)

Curiosity and Awareness

I had a healthy curiosity and interest in learning, so you shouldn't be surprised that I learned what I could about the stamps the United States had issued over the years.  I became aware of some of the earliest stamps.  In fact, even the least expensive 'stamp albums' you could buy for displaying your collection would include a few pictures of some of these stamp issues.  

At the time, I thought they did that just to frustrate the collector with their own inability to actually see those items in person - much less acquire one of them.  At other times, I might have thought that 'perhaps someday' I could find one of those.  But, usually, I knew it was just a pipe dream.

The 2 cent "Black Jack" from 1863 (shown above) was pictured in nearly every album.  The larger than usual image of Andrew Jackson would boldly stare back at you, challenging you to find a copy to put on that spot.  It's an image that became easy for me (and numerous other young collectors) to recognize over time, so you can imagine what it might be like when a kid who has only seen the grainy picture in an album or a catalogue would react when they actually saw one in person!

So - when did I first see a Black Jack in person?  

Tammy's grandfather had an accumulation of stamps from all over the world and I think he was glad that there was another stamp collector looking to join the family.  Sadly, it was not until he had passed away that I dug through a box of old US stamps that had been in his possession and found my first (and second) copies of the Black Jack.  

There he was.  The Black Jack.  Times two.

You Like Them, But How Do You Afford Them?

I was fortunate that I was able to acquire some very early stamps through family, though I must admit that most of the more expensive ones were not the nicest copies (I was NOT complaining).  But, you see, now I was exposed to the artistry of the early engraved stamps.  The fine lattice work on stamps like the 24 cent 1861 issue shown above was amazing - as far as I was concerned.  In fact, I found one of those in the box I talked about as well.  Well... a piece of it was missing.  But, you get the idea.

But, now what?  If I wanted to focus on the early stuff, it would cost money.  Was there a way I could participate without breaking the bank?

To make a long story short, the answer took a while to evolve.  But, I found that you could often acquire a piece of postal history with certain stamps on them that were actually cheaper than the same stamps off of a cover!  Please note that this is NOT always true, but it is often true.  I also became aware that the very earliest US postage stamps seemed to consistently require the most money, but once you got to the 1861 series, things started showing up at prices I could consider.

As my knowledge grew, I found my focus was refined to postal history that featured the 24 cent 1861 stamp.  I liked the color.  I liked the design.  And I very much liked the postal history.

Once I brought what I wanted to collect into focus, it was easier to consider spending more money for one thing instead of spending the same amount for a WHOLE bunch of everything.  So, in a way, focusing the collection was a way to participate and still protect myself from feeling hopeless (I'll never be able to afford that sort of thing) or overspending.  It also gave me ground rules for selling things that did not fit so I had a bit more to spend on the things I wanted.   

And it just so happened that I picked a period in time where the history was rich with complexity and interest - and so was the postal history.  Stamps made their appearance in the 1840s.  Mail was becoming a viable option for persons other than businesses or the elite during the 1850s to 1870s.  All sorts of change - and all kinds of opportunities for me to explore and learn!

Expanding Back Out a Little

As is the case in so many collectible fields, there is expensive and there is "are you kidding me?"  What normally happens to a collector with a fine focus is that they are able to pick up what they can until they reach their limits for price.  At that point, you can either quit altogether, win the lottery, find a way to save up, or you can find another topic area or two.  In my case, I finally found my way to European mail in the 1850s, 60s and 70s.  Things like the item above mailed from France to England in 1864.

I'd like to say I figured it out quickly, but I didn't.  I actually felt a little lost for a time.  I can be forgiven, because my hobby usually goes completely on hold during the growing season (with the exception of postal history blogs - we hope).  So, my progress with these things tends to be focused on winter months (there's another way to control costs!).  But, the logical connection of collecting mail that traveled in the 1860s from the US to other countries (mostly Europe) meant I already had some knowledge to get started.

So once again, it started with what I knew and understood and my curiosity and desire to learn is leading me forward from the edges of what I know to other things.

Thank you for joining me for Postal History Sunday.  Keep the questions coming!  And, I hope you have a fine rest of the weekend and at least a tolerable week!

Sunpuddles, Casa Verde and Lentils

The Indoor Farm Supervisors (Bree and Hobnob) have taken to seeking out and enjoying the sun puddles that spread out more in the farmhouse than they do any other time of year.  It just so happens that one of the prime sun puddle locations is within sight of the desk where I write our farm blog (and do my PAN work).

This is Bree's favorite location - right now.  Since she is a cat, the favorite location moves from time to time on a schedule that is dictated by factors I can not quite decipher.  My suspicion is that she likes this location so she can sense the moment that it looks like I am preparing to leave the desk for a while.  She can sense that the moment of my departure is nearing - so she will hop down from her comfy location and ask to sit on my lap while I work.  

It's always hard to put a purring cat down - so I end up staying longer than I often intend.  

Such is the power of a cat.

It doesn't seem all that long ago that we put Casa Verde together and got the plastic to cover it.  Well, about a year and a half later and the plastic blew off.  Alas.  

It's not like losing the plastic on a high tunnel - that's for sure.  But, it is still a little annoying.  We're looking at putting something a bit more permanent on it this time.

Unfortunately, it really isn't made for that kind of covering - but we'll make it work somehow.  I think it is really just the fact that we expected a little more use time before we had to do additional work to our little greenhouse.  Again, such is the life on a small farm.

Then there are the fields in the East part of the farm.

We tried to put in a patchwork of cover crops in early September.  Unfortunately, there wasn't much rainfall prior to things getting cooler.  The net result is some of the covers did not germinate well.  Those that did - did not get all that big.  But, we got some coverage out of them.

The annual ryegrass did extremely well, as it usually does for us.  The clover wanted more water than it got, but we did see some germination.  I suspect we'll get more in the early spring months.  The buckwheat got nipped by a frost pretty early - but it germinated fine (that was a big section of the bare dirt just being the patchy green stuff).  The vetch and the millet weren't so happy about things.  In one case, I think the seed I used was no longer viable.  In the other - it would have been better if I drilled them in rather than broadcast them.

What?  You don't understand?  Ha ha! Time to learn something new!

If you wanted to seed a bare patch in your lawn, you might be instructed to spread seed over the surface and maybe rake the seed in a bit.  Essentially, you are broadcasting seed over the surface of the soil.  If the seed gets buried too deeply, it will not germinate well.  So, annual ryegrass loves being broadcast over the surface.  We then take our flextine cultivator to essentially 'rake' the seed in a little.

The coverage we got was pretty good (see below).

We we talk about 'drilling' seed, we are looking to put the seed beneath the soil surface a certain depth.  Normally larger seeds, like lentils or vetch, might prefer to be drilled into the soil at their optimum depth.  For example, if you were planting green beans in your garden, you might push each seed into the soil to about the depth of your first knuckle on your finger.  If you just threw them onto the ground, there might be germination, but the young seedling would probably desiccate and die without some soil coverage.

Well, we've had plenty of success with broadcasting buckwheat, annual ryegrass, millet and other cover crops.  We don't have a seeder to drill in multiple rows of cover crop at once either.  So - the most efficient method for us is to broadcast.  If it is a larger seed, we are more aggressive with our 'raking them in.'

Anyway, the lentils were a pleasant surprise. They have been a bit damaged by the colder weather - I should have gotten a picture earlier when they were happier.  But, you get what you get sometimes!

As far as the "not enough moisture" for the cover crops thing.  I think we can be excused for not finding the energy to put some overhead irrigation on them to encourage germination and growth.  After all, we've been swimming in moisture each of the last three fall seasons.  We're used to the problem of soils being too wet to plant.  We aren't sure how to handle the too dry thing any more...

Have a fine weekend everyone!

Farm News - December 2020

We certainly got out of the habit of the monthly farm newsletter on the blog - but that is partly because we got into the habit of posting something nearly every day since April.  But, it is clearly time to give an update of what is going on at the Genuine Faux Farm.

Put on your hat and your gloves.  Make sure you are dressed warmly and have proper footwear.  Make sure you are clear of the tractor, keep your toes out from under the implements and don't have loose clothing dangling near the power take off.  And please, please.. when I ask you to weed the beans, don't PULL the BEANS!

What is Still Available from GFF in 2020?

It is December.  We did not plant a late Fall/Winter crop in our high tunnels this year (for a whole host of reasons), so our offerings will be simple.  Sorry - we only have pictures of lettuce.

We will have eggs.  We will have broiler chickens (frozen).  And we still have garlic.  There may be a smattering of golden beets and an odd item or two.  The key here are the eggs.  Our current laying flock is consistently providing 5 to 5 1/2 dozen eggs each day.  They may slow a little in the colder weather, but they will produce -which means they need to get moved - hence our motivation to make sales!

We are also hoping to pull out our inventory of cookbooks, bags and maybe t-shirts?  We have to find them first.  Then we would like to offer them so they get used!  Maybe making interesting and useful Christmas gifts?

Our anticipated deliveries for December are as follows:

• Dec 9 (Wed) - Waverly and Cedar Falls
• Dec 22 (Tues) - Waverly and Cedar Falls

Farm Retreat / Foresight 2021

We keep pushing the farm retreat back as our other duties continue to eat up available time and energy.  But, that has not stopped us from doing some research and having good conversations between the two of us.  Again, nothing is finalized, but we want to keep people informed of where the wind appears to be blowing - if only so you can give us feedback if you wish.

Goals for 2021

1. Simplify our production and sales plans to account for many fewer labor hours.
2. Increase the percentage of 'enterprises' on our farm that are successful by identifying those we are best at, those we like the most and limiting ourselves to a subset of ONLY those enterprises.
3. Recommit the Genuine Faux Farm to a set of core values and do our best to make sure our farm enterprises reflect those values.

Core Values

Diversity and Environmental Health

It seems a bit odd that we want to recommit to diversity by simplifying our crops and we are not saying that we did not like the diversity we worked hard to maintain in prior years.  What we are saying is that there are many ways to achieve healthy diversity on the farm and we just need to pursue it differently because life at the Genuine Faux Farm is changing, like it or not.

Connect People to Nature and Where Food Comes From

Once again, there are many other ways to make this connection other than direct sales via a CSA or farmers' markets or farm credits.  We are still committed to this principle, we are just likely to change how we are going to go about it.

Address Food Insecurity

While we have done what we could for this in the past, we may actually have an opportunity to do more here than we have in the past.  The consistent paycheck that comes from Rob's employment actually gives us the flexibility to rely less on farm sales - we may be more able than ever to pass product on at low (or no) sales prices to address local food insecurity issues.

Maintain a Healthy Balance

We have really made adjustments over the past two years to find a balance between hard work, service to others, and our own health and well-being.  So, when a call comes that help is needed - we are among those who are ready to answer that call.  But, also - we want to live lives that are open to awe and willing to express gratitude.

Veggies 2021

Valhalla and Eden - the High Tunnels

The high tunnels are the most valuable growing ground we have and we intend to use them in 2021.  The question, of course, is how?

If 2021 is anything like 2020, we expect that the two of us will do 95% of the work on the farm.  And, yes, we both expect to be employed by someone other than our farm (Wartburg for Tammy and PAN for Rob) in 2021.  We are pretty certain we can manage a fairly complex and interesting (to us) growing plan for two high tunnels and their surroundings.  On the other hand, the other 5 acres of growing area we have?  That has to stay simple or we will fail.

We are considering using one of our high tunnels to grow out some pepper seeds for Seed Savers.  The plus side there is that we only harvest when the fruit are ripe for seed production and otherwise concentrate on growing them out healthy while looking for any off-types that we should remove.  Otherwise, we will maintain variety in the high tunnels - in part because we want to feed ourselves (of course), in part because we think it is the healthiest way to raise produce in a high tunnel.

What will we grow?  Well, that depends on... everything.  Including how we intend on disposing of the produce.  But, it is a sure bet that we will have lettuce, spinach, green beans and tomatoes in some volume.

Fields in 2021

Well, we do have about 1800 garlic planted and we have our asparagus patches (including a new one started this year).  So, we have to maintain those.  Otherwise, the most likely field crops for 2021 are green beans for seed to sell to Seed Savers and... well, we're not sure.

The most likely candidates include winter squash, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce and potatoes.  We may grow out some cucumbers or melons for seed crops (Seed Savers again).

And, of course, there will be intercropped flowers and herbs.  As you know, we do that to support pollinators and other beneficial critters.

And, where will it go?

This is the hardest part for us.  But, we are fairly certain that we are moving completely away from the weekly individual sales models.  There simply are not enough hours in the day for us to do our jobs, grow the produce, care for the animals AND handle sales promotion, tracking, packing and delivery.  It is hard to admit that we have limits and even harder to step away from something we have done since 2004 in some fashion or another.

At present our plan for disposition of the veggie crops are as follows:

• certain crops for seed production
• key crops for bulk sales
• donation of crops to the food bank
• trade for volunteer labor with willing individuals
• minimum order amounts of key crops to individuals who wish to can/freeze - for example 20-30 lbs of tomatoes.

Poultry 2021

We liked how our 2020 poultry plan worked out for the most part.  Yes, there were issues at times - but that will be true for every year and every plan.  Our plan for 2021?  Do that again, with minor modifications... depending...

What does that mean?  

Laying Flock

Well, we have a laying flock that we are actually really enjoying.  This has got to be the nicest tempered and easiest to deal with flock of hens we have EVER had.  And, they are producing pretty well.  At the very least we will see them through to next Fall.  At the most, we will order a similar number of chicks to be delivered in the Spring (assuming the postal service still delivers).

Broiler Chickens

Time to be brutally honest here.  If we rely only on sales direct to the consumer, we drop the broiler chickens except for a small batch for our own use.  Why?  Well, of the 450-500 birds we processed this year, 350-400 will go to one place - Jorgensen Plaza.  So, as long as Jorgensen Plaza can weather the pandemic and continue with their orders in 2021, we can consider raising broilers.  If not them, some other larger contract would be necessary for us to continue.

If we get the larger contract, then we're also willing to have additional birds available for direct to consumer sales.  If we don't, maybe it is time to move on.

Turkeys

We like our turkeys - most of the time.  If there is an order of preference, it would be hens, turkeys and then broilers.  But, again, turkeys are a sizable investment on our part that can really be troublesome if we can't get them sold.  Of the seventy turkeys raised in 2020, forty-five were sold to two purchasers.

Once again, if we can secure those two larger sales, it makes sense to do what we did this past year.  If not?  Well, we'll see.  But, I could see us just running a 25 turkey flock and going from there if that's what must be done.  It would be easier in some ways, but probably inefficient given the scale of what we do.

Modifications to the Process

Let's assume we will raise poultry as we did this past season.  If that is the case, there will be some projects to improve our efficiency.  First, we will look to build or acquire a trailer that will make transport of our poultry to the processor easier on us.  Hopefully resulting in fewer trips and less lifting of heavy cages (100+ lbs) up to shoulder level.  We don't mind exercise, but we do mind potential injury.  We are also looking at a permanent fence for the turkey pasture, a water trailer and a back up feed bin.  Frankly, if we get one of those, it had better be that transportation trailer with the fence running a close second.

And, where will the poultry go?

Again, this is all in the planning phases.  If you read the above, you know that the larger purchases we have had in place for the past couple of years are critical.  We are likely to make individual sales of broilers or turkeys because we can limit the number of sale and delivery points for each of those to keep the labor in that area down.

It's the eggs we're trying to get a handle on.  One option on the table is to continue with direct sales on an every other week basis as we typically do in the winter months.  Another option is to get the egg handler's license and sell most of our eggs at one time to one location.  The latter is made difficult because the state has really put a hold on that process because of the pandemic.  Either way, the reality is that we must keep the labor requirement for sales low if we are to be successful.

And - Everything Else?

If you have read our blogs and/or if you have paid any attention to the Genuine Faux Farm over the years, you know we set high goals for ourselves.  And - there is always too much - or so it seems.  Even so, we seem to be able report a fair amount of progress every single season.  That is great.  

But, we recognize that we need to address the high rate of failure that comes with a hyper-diverse operation such as ours.  Our spirits have worn down a bit and we need to manage failure differently than we once did - at least for a little while.

Our plan to handle this is to simplify the farming operation (which is in progress based on what we show above) and to address some long term projects that need to move forward to help us address our new method of failure management. 

And that, as they say, is something for another day -and another blog!

Be well everyone!

The Dreams of Chickens

It was morning and the door to the Summer Cottage (portable hen building) had just been opened so the chickens could explore their pasture, visit with Crazy Maurice the weeping willow, eat their grains and exercise their wings, legs and lungs.  The clouds overhead held the memory of continuous rainfall and much of the ground in the pasture was only visible through the ripples of standing water.

The hens rushed to the doorway.  And stopped.

The desire of their hearts, if I can be so bold as to pretend to know what a hen actually desires, was to eat that grain, chase a few moths and rest in the shade of the willow.  The building is, I suppose, nice enough for night-time sleep.  There are perches for those who want them and straw for those who do not.  But, there is daylight and it is time to be out of this building.  There are dust-baths to take and clover to sample.  The turkeys in the nearby pasture often provide entertainment and the rooster sounds ever so much less obnoxious when he is OUTSIDE!

But the clover was under water and there was no dust to be seen anywhere in the pasture.  And thus, the debate.  Do I jump down and explore?  Do I dare hope that I will find tasty food and interesting things to do?  Or do I just stay up here?

In the end, the answer was simple.

There were many more hens behind these hens and those birds still had unaltered dreams of what the out of doors might bring.  Their dreams will force the chickens in the doorway to visit reality.  A new group will take their turn and stand on the precipice until they too will be forced to alter their dreams to face the reality of another wet day on the farm.

Not too worry.  They'll come back to the building again tonight.  They will find their perches and their straw.  And they will sleep so they can again dream of grain, dust baths, clover and the shade of the great willow in their pasture. 

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ed note: a prior version of this was published on this blog on December 30, 2018.

 

Cultivating a pollinator paradise

The sky was slightly overcast, so the sun did not bleach out the color with its light. There was only a light, sporadic breeze — just enough to keep a person comfortable. In fact, this was one of those rare times on the farm that I saw something I liked that made me stop what I was doing to go get the camera.

The purple coneflowers and oregano reached peak bloom at the same time. If you looked closer, you would see other plants that had blossomed earlier, or would flower later in the combined herb and natural wild area we maintain to support pollinators on our farm.

If you build it, will they come?

This picture tells us two stories. The first is what you might expect — there is beauty in nature. There is healing for the soul if you can just transport yourself to that field at the moment when it dresses up to show off. It is then that you truly appreciate the whole year of preparation needed to put on this spectacular show.

The second story is one of absence. The flowers were clearly in full bloom and the weather was beautiful. But, there are no pollinators in this picture. Coneflowers and oregano (and the other flowers in the area) are plants that often attract a whole host of invertebrates, yet I observed very few while I stood there to take pictures. The wind was calm, there was plenty of light, temperatures were moderate and it was a typical point in the day when there would be significant insect activity. This area should have been humming at this moment.

But, it wasn't. 

Something is going on

Our farm sees pollinators as important employees, and we do what we can to pay them by providing food and habitat throughout the year. We maintain permanent wild areas and avoid disturbing the soil in parts of the farm so ground-nesting bees and other friendly critters can have a place to thrive. We use intercropping techniques to incorporate annual flowers that encourage pollinators to visit and stay in our fields where we grow fruits and vegetables. We mow around clover patches when they are in bloom and then mow them down when they pass peak to encourage a new flush of flowers. 

While it is true that we do continue to observe many interesting creatures on our "Pollinator Paradise" (or so we like to call it), we have been alarmed that we can work so hard to provide habitat and not see certain flowers swarming with all sorts of pollinating insects. 

Something is going on here, and it has a direct impact on how well our farm performs. Clearly, the combination of reduced habitat and the excessive use of pesticides bear a cost that our pollinators are paying. In turn, this cost is passed on to growers of food who rely heavily on these workers.

Pollinators hard at work

Zucchini and other squash are most successfully pollinated by squash bees. A squash flower needs to be visited six to 10 times by squash bees in the early morning to set fruit properly. It takes even more visits if other types of bees are the primary pollinator. Our zucchini and summer squash production numbers have gone down per row foot over the years and we have seen more instances of fruit that were not fully pollinated. These cull fruits tend to not fill out properly or yellow and rot off while they are small. We have observed this decline in production over the past eight years on our farm.

We will grant you that weather conditions can prevent visits by pollinators, so it is not unusual to have a period of time every season where there are more culls due to poor pollination. But, there is a difference between seasonal variability and trends across multiple seasons.

Despite our observations that pollinator populations are decreasing, we are still convinced that our efforts are worthwhile. Five years ago, we targeted our melon crops for a new growing strategy. We reduced the number of melon plants by one-third and replaced them with more annual flowering plants such as borage, zinnia, buckwheat and calendula. In response, our melon production actually increased by 30%. And, before you tell me that was an aberration, we repeated those production numbers the next two years with the same system.

One-third fewer melon plants, 30% more marketable fruit and many happy pollinators leads to a couple of pleased farmers. But, this should not take our focus away from the big picture. Pollinators are in decline and it is important that we address it now. We need more people and more farms providing habitat, and we need to break our reliance on the pesticides that threaten our pollinator populations.

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Are you interested in seeing more content related to the Pesticide Action Network?  Take the link to the GroundTruth blog.   Your "favorite" farmer is featured there once a month on average.

Originally published on PAN's Ground Truth blog on July 9, 2020.

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