All of the winter squash has been harvested. We have many different kinds and they are all edible. But it is not up to me, or any of my business what you end up doing with the winter squash. I have seen all sorts of uses for winter squash, pies, casseroles, soups, jack-o-lanterns, and center pieces on tables. So please feel free to decorate or eat any winter squash you receive from Pickpocket Farm.
All of the winter squash has been harvested. We have many different kinds and they are all edible. But it is not up to me, or any of my business what you end up doing with the winter squash. I have seen all sorts of uses for winter squash, pies, casseroles, soups, jack-o-lanterns, and center pieces on tables. So please feel free to decorate or eat any winter squash you receive from Pickpocket Farm.
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Last week while squishing those darn Colorado Potato Beetle Larvae, one got a direct hit into my right eye. I mean, the entire inside of this bug went inside my eyelid and onto my eyeball. It was not pretty.
After standing in disgust and surprise for a second, staring at a smeared 50 cent piece of the guts on my shirt, I ran up to the house to douse loads of water on my eye. My husband stared blandly at me, and commented, "Don't you think you are being a bit overdramatic?" Ugh! This was gross, I couldn't help it! I then gathered my courage, and went back out to the field to harvest some summer squash, only to find I was having a bit of trouble seeing and my eye felt very strange. I made my way back up to the house to have a closer look at my eye. Staring back at me in the mirror was a picture of some horror show! The white part of my eyeball had swollen up and was threatening to envelop the iris of my eye. The nurse on call at my doctor's office, suggested that someone should probably take a look at it. So I drove myself to the ER (at this point, the kids were in bed, and someone had to stay with them). Finally, a little after midnight, I headed back home with some lovely steroid/antibiotic eye drops to be used every 4 hours while awake for 4 days. I spoke with other local farmer's the next day and yes, they had all experienced the eyeball squirt and one relayed a story about the guts making it right into his mouth. Unfortunately, for me, I had some sort of allergic reaction to larvae bug guts hitting my eye. Go figure. As for now, the beetles have slowed down their chomping of my potato plants, and the ones that are still out there, are welcome to continue feasting. I am taking a break from diminishing their population. Colorado Potato Beetle Larva The farmer, Kate Donald, from Stout Oak Farm (formerly from Willow Pond Farm) taught me a great deal about farming. The day she announced, "Today we will be squishing bugs," my nose instantly scrunched up and I thought, "Hmm, I don't do that." She did at least give me the option to wear gloves, or pick them off and step on them, or drop them into a bucket of water. I chose gloves and proceeded to watch in amazement as Kate, fearlessly squished a multitude of bugs with her bare hands. This is the day I knew what it really took to be a farmer. I am proud to say I have been able to move on to squishing a few bugs with my bare hands. I can handle cucumber beetles and adult colorado potato beetles no problem. I don't even think twice of putting them between my index finger and thumb, and giving a good squeeze. I still have my limits though, and I have some room to grow before I call myself a "real" farmer. I still have to use my foot to step on cut worms, and cabbage loopers. A good rock does the trick as well. And I fear people will worry about my sanity, if I reveal my method of eliminating a tomato hornworm. The insect that is haunting me right now, is the colorado potato beetle larvae (see picture above). They are covering my potatoes right now, and I end up spending a good 30 minutes every week, lowering the population. I can not bare to enter into the potato patch without a thick amour of gardening gloves. I think next time I will add face mask and sports glasses, because today, two of them squirted me right in my eyes. Now I have friends that will be completely appalled by this blog, and a Buddhism practicing cousin who studies with the Dali Lama, who I'm sure will have other definitions of who may be a real farmer, but in organic farming, if you want your crops to survive, squishing bugs is a perfectly reasonable farming regimen. So if anyone would like to become a "real" farmer, come on over. I've got some bugs to squish! |
AuthorAudrey Gerkin, is a gardener gone wild, after teaching in special education and raising 3 beautiful girls, ages 5 - 10, she has found a new calling in farming. Archives
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