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Previous entries:
December 9th, 2008 - PorciniFebruary 18th, 2009 - Good ReadsApril 7th, 2009 - Spring ArrivesMay 5th, 2009 - Wild EdiblesJune 25th, 2009 - Creepy-Crawlies
Creepy-Crawlies
Normally when I talk about using animals to help us farm, I am thinking about the sheep and cattle that graze our cover crops, or my plucky dog that keeps hares from nibbling on tender shoots, or even the barn owls that patrol our vineyard at night in search of gophers. But there is another nearly unseen class of animal that helps us keep our vines thriving, and lately we have been working hard to make them feel welcome in our vineyard. These hidden heroes are the beneficial insects and other assorted arthropods that prey upon bugs that aim to harm our vines.
Over the years I have noticed bugs crawling around our vines from time to time. Some of these bugs can damage the vines, but their numbers have seemed low and I’ve always subscribed to a vague notion that as long as we stay away from toxic chemicals, there will be a balance between bad bugs and their predators that keep them in check. Last year, we decided to challenge this idea, and made a serious study of the insects and arthropods in our vineyard. What we found was alarming. Once the summer heat kicks in predators become scarce, and the damaging insect population goes way up. There are two acceptable ways for organic farmers to control these insect population booms. One is spraying a mild mineral oil on the vines. This method is great for washing away the bad bugs, but it also washes away the wild yeast that we count on to ferment and bring complexity to our wine. Plus, it’s expensive. Another option is to buy and release massive quantities of lady bugs and other predators. Although fun to watch, it’s even more expensive. Instead, we are attempting what we think is an elegant, and ultimately more sustainable, solution: cultivating flowers that will attract and encourage the native population of beneficial insects. Preliminary results look promising. I’ll let you know how it works out as we learn more about working with our creepy-crawly friends.
- Ames Morison
buckwheat flower, buckwheat patch in blook and Queen Anne's lace flowering
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ames' diary
