Organic Pest Management

Being a farmer (or human, for that matter) means being a part of a greater system of living. The great dance of life goes on, and it is not concerned with your neat rows or your upcoming harvest. If there is anything that life is good at, it is living. And so grass grows among your radishes, dandelions pop up between your onions, and beetles chew away at your cabbage.

Managing undesired organisms is an ongoing struggle for all farmers. Organic farmers especially have to come up with creative and sustainable solutions to these problems. Employing the help of some animal and plant allies often comes in handy. Planting plants that will attract predatory insects (such as wasps that prey on caterpillars and ladybugs that prey on aphids) is one such method.

Here at the farm a traditional pesticide is made using a variety of plants, such as cannabis. The leaves and buds, along with sisnu (nettle), lapsi leaves, chili peppers, and other herbs, are ground up and mixed in cow urine. The mixture is allowed to completely decompose for up to six months. The potent result is then diluted 1:100 parts in water before being applied to crops. This naturally derived pesticide is effective for the majority of harmful bugs found here.

Behold: Cannabis ruderalis

Cannabis (or in Sanskrit: ganja) is grown here to make a natural pesticide