A Full Field of View
Holistic Farming for a Sustainable Future 25 May 2019
Holistic farming is difficult, of this there is no doubt. But some would have you think that it’s nearly impossible and quite possibly a fool’s errand. But the fact is we need holistic farming now more than ever. We need it to grow better food to feed our minds and bodies, and to raise ourselves to a higher level of spiritual consciousness.
Anyone who starts off farming holistically usually does so with a righteous philosophical commitment rather than for convenience or profit. It is a path fraught with bumps and bruises along the way. It is truly a journey into the wilderness. Holistic farming requires intention and commitment that contradicts the way food is generally grown on this planet. It is the future.
The past few years of working with growers dedicated to this path has made me better understand the biological realities as much as the opportunities. The fact is that I certainly don’t have all the answers and if I had a magic wand I’d wave it and make everything all better. But the fact is we are all fighting uphill battle against climate change, industrial agriculture, and a corrupt government. There are a multitude of insect and disease pests, physiological and nutritional disorders, not to mention all the economic hurdles in their way. Even conventional farmers in this country are finding it hard to stay in business. Net farm income in the US has dropped 50% since 2013, and Trump’s current tariffs with China are not going to make it any easier. Could this be the end of farming in this country?
I believe that innovative, holistic farming holds the solutions to a viable, sustainable future for this planet. Farmers need to go where no one has gone before, where the universities and chemical companies don’t want to go, where climate change and globalization are just daily considerations and not overwhelming conundrums. But we can’t be naive about the difficulties. Intention will only get you so far. Couple intention and awareness with good farming practices and a solid biological foundation and then you’ve got a full field of view. It may be difficult, full of frustrations and more than a few failures, but the resultant future we make for ourselves and those that come after us will be transcendent.
IPM UPDATE Things are a bit spread out across the state. After several weeks of cool, wet weather, the weekend's warm temperatures have changed things in regards to insect and disease issues. Not dramatically - except with fireblight - but enough to warrant heightened concern as WNY growers move into and through bloom. ENY growers are more in the clear as apple scab and fireblight concerns wane.
Fireblight - is now concern where there are open blossoms in apples and pears. Double Nickle + Cueva should be applied prophylactically to protect open blossoms on fireblight susceptible varieties, young trees, and where there has been a history of fireblight. Remember only blossoms that are open when applications are made are protected and protection only last for 24 hours (+/-) and gives 24 hours of kickback against fireblight. Applications should be made every 72 hours since the last application and when the NEWA threat level is High or Critical (or you have a severe history of FB outbreaks).
Apple Scab - scab is less of a concern in ENY, but still active in WNY - though less than it has been the past few weeks, but still there. Continued applications for scab protection in WNY are suggested (the Double Nickle + Cueva from above should provide adequate protection, add sulfur if you are in a major infection period).
Black Rot - Infections in unprotected and lightly protected orchards are starting to pop up. With the weather we've had so far this year I am not surprised. But after last year's bought with black rot and Marsoninna, maintaining foliage health is critically important to a successful season this year, and a successful one this year.
Brown Rot - most stone fruit are past bloom, and so blossom brown rot infections are lessened (there are still a few open blossoms out there), but fruit rot infections are still a concern. Again, Double Nickel + Cueva (or some bio-combo thereof) should help.
Bacterial Leaf Spot - this is an ongoing concern with infections that started the past few weeks. Solo copper applications have been of limited value in most cases, but still the only option for peaches/nectarines/apricots/plums.
Oriental Fruit Moth - eggs are still being laid and larva have been hatching. Right now, DiPel is about the only good insecticide while trees are in bloom. After bloom, at petal fall, then Entrust or Pyganic make sense. Though once the larva are in the fruit, nothing is effective, so timing is everything.
Leps - other leps like OBLR can be controlled using DiPel which is non-toxic to bees.
Mites - though mites are not yet an issues, petal fall is the timing for watching for first hatch. Oils and a few biologicals are available to lessen any issues, if you have them.
Plum Curculio - save the best for last. Right now, PC is not an issue in WNY. In ENY though things are in full swing and there is an estimated two weeks of PC season left. Damage is evident in unprotected orchards. Remember that a single application of anything doesn't protect against PC when the weather is cool. Coverage wanes and PC do a lot of damage at the tail end of its season. Stay vigilant **I know a few stings are not a big deal to cider growers, but too many can cause a lot of fruit drop affecting yields and fruit quality.
Holistic farming is difficult, of this there is no doubt. But some would have you think that it’s nearly impossible and quite possibly a fool’s errand. But the fact is we need holistic farming now more than ever. We need it to grow better food to feed our minds and bodies, and to raise ourselves to a higher level of spiritual consciousness.