Since they don’t use pesticides (supposedly), how do they get rid of the bugs? Do they smash them, catch release, put them in jars, eat them, or do they cheat? I’m guessing they sneak out at night when no one’s looking and use chemicals. You ever wonder how many Mexicans it would take to pick bugs off of every plant, every day of the growing season on a large farm?
Just curious, I tried to grow organic, but whenever I picked the little gremlins off they would just go right back! I tried taking them over to my neighbor’s garden but that caused friction. I don’t want to hurt the bugs because I think I can be arrested for cruelty by the OFGC (Organic Food Growers Commission) and the EPA.
Interesting and informative answers all, thank you! I see organic farming isn’t for me, too much work involved. Since pesticides haven’t been shown to harm consumers, I’ll stick to that.
Comments
Bio pesticides like neem leaves can be used
Vermi compost also prevents bugs to some extent. and since there is no fertiliser in organic farming, the growth is not rapid and the crops’ defence system is strong.
There are plant’s that are planted between plant’s that keep the bug’s off. it reduces spraying 98%. It like one flower protect 14 potato plant’s. an with out spraying.
The no pesticides is a misnomer. It really is no synthetic pesticides. The same is true for fungicides. Compounds like copper sulfate can be used, where copper sulfate is not allowed in most industrial uses and is listed as a toxic compound by USEPA. If arsenic was not specifically excluded, it would be organic. There are also biogenerated pesticides.
But of course dead is dead. Organic pesticides, misapplied are worse than synthetics. They are even finding unexpected consequences of organic farming. More kids go to emergency rooms due to organic farming than conventional since manure is used as fertilizer. Manure will make you sick if not properly cleaned from produce.
So called Organic farming rules vary from state to state, farm to farm.If a pesticide kills by contact ie inhibits breathing it is not considered Organic. If the pesticide kills by ingestion ie kills by destroying the digestive tract and the pest starves to death it is considered Organic.
That should show you how really ridiculous it is.
Some states allow Sevin(a powered nerve gas) as an organic pesticide since it kills both ways. It is very effective and is the worlds most used pesticide-that will solve your problem and you can also call your produce Organic depending on where you live.
s_e_s
there are many things organic farms to do control insect pests. Many use plant/biologically based insecticides such as Bt, neem, spinosad, etc. Crop rotation, creating lively healthy soil (this can take up to 15 years to do) by applying compost, green manures, rock powders, etc., also are effective. plants grown in great soil are healthy and healthy plants do not attract pests and diseases. Sickly plants do.
Trap cropping-plant a crop intended to attract pest insects about 2 weeks earlier than the main crop. the trap crop is destroyed along with the pests. this can be very effective at long term control but requires keen observation and timely eradication or you can make the problem much, much worse.
Exclusion using row covers is very effective.
Attracting in beneficial insects is very effective but you cannot use any insecticides as most organic ‘cides are broad spectrum and this will take a new grower about 3 to 5 years to achieve a good healthy population of beneficial critters.
Hand picking can be very effective but is not really useful for the big industrial organic farms. On my small farm this is used a lot.
Rotating livestock and crop lands together. Graze livestock on fallowed land and they will often break plant pest cycles
With organic there is no magic bullet but rather a complicated set of strategies used to control (but not eliminate) pests and diseases. it takes many years to become proficient at this kind of growing.
