What pests do we have on the farm?

We don't have many pests on the farm, and they are often crop specific when we do get them. 

Because we don't have tall trees close to our vegetable beds possums are not a problem. Rats and mice also don't do a lot of damage as there isn't much cover for them to hide in. We do have rabbits, which can be very destructive, eating small seedlings to the ground. This is particularly a problem in later Winter and early Spring when there isn't a lot of other vegetation around for them to eat. We also have cockatoos and corellas that eat our peas, all types, including eating shelling peas right out of the pod. Cabbage butterfly caterpillars can be an issue on broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower, particularly in late Summer and Autumn. 

So what do we do about them?

We use nets to protect young seedlings from rabbits, and also to protect brassicas from caterpillars. This year we are installing 30% shadecloth above our trellises to stop the cockatoos and corellas from getting to the peas. This will have the added benefit of shading our tomatoes and capsicums during the heat of Summer, thus increasing fruit production. 

Still to come

Next time I will talk about how we plant potatoes on the farm. 

This week's recipe links

Kabocha Squash Soba Noodle Bowl from Blue Zones. 

Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche from Tastes Better from Scratch. 

Carrot Cake Overnight Oats from Blue Zones. 

Cilantro Lime Crema from Love & Lemons. 

More info

To read more about what's happening on our local organic farm this week as we grow and care for veggies for our box delivery, check out this week's newsletter here.