Row cover: another reason organic costs are higher

Ever wondered why organic fruits & vegetables cost more? The main reason is increased labor and more costly materials.

One reason shown here in picture. We have a problem in this part od the country with an insect pest called the "flea beetle". It's not really a flea. Anyway, it loves to eat the delicious leaves of brassica crops... think arugula, mustard greens, all the asian greens, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. On a conventional vegetable farm, a low-cost insecticide chemical would be sprayed, taking a few minutes, and that would be it. On an organic farm, we use no chemicals. Instead, we fight flea beetle attacks by using "floating row cover", which you see pictured. Costly to purchase, and takes a lot of time & labor to lay it over the beds.

Pictured is just one of many beds being covered now at Wishful Acres Farm.

www.WishfulAcresFarm.com

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Colorful lentils - delicious & nutritious in a 5 bean chili!

Many colors of lentils! A friend of mine purchased a large supply of lentils from an Indian grocery store near the big city. I asked her to grab me some lentils.

I had only eaten the regular, unsplit, brown lentils previously. I was so happy to see these beautiful multi-colored varieties of lentils. Today, they are making a nice addition to my 5 bean chili.

I was surprised when I glanced at the nutrition label... these are loaded with calcium! The tiny white & red lentils pictured have 25% and 30% of the daily recommended intake of calcium. And they taste good to boot... especially in an Indian curry dish, or in this case... a Midwestern beer brat & beef stock-based 5 bean chili with our farm grown onion, garlic, our frozen sweet peppers, and our farm raised & canned tomatoes!

Lentils are a legume, related to peas & beans. Yum!