Another chapter in hands-on learning from the “Oops” files. We had such a problem with the squash bugs last year that we only did one early planting of squash this season rather than try to battle the bugs all summer long. Sounds pretty smart, huh? Turns out that, in a pinch, the squash bugs do quite well on cantaloupe. Now that I think about it, it seems fairly obvious that such a pernicious pest would find something else to eat. I suppose we thought they would just leave, or die, or at least fail to thrive. On the contrary, they seem to be doing quite well. The same cannot be said for the cantaloupe plants, several of which have already kicked the bucket. Mary Scarberry of Lazy Dog Farms tells me that her trap cropping has been working well. She plants squash to lure the bugs away from the cash crop, then torches them with a flame thrower. No joke. I guess we will have to give that a try. Besides being effective it sounds really FUN in a sick, sadistic sort of way.
And speaking of lazy dogs, Randy found a nest of baby rabbits while weeding the herb garden, which is right in front of the house and right under the long noses of our three terriers. I guess it is time to give up hope on any help from them.
Ready for some good news? Randy got his new all-terrain wheelchair! He will be able to use it to traverse softer ground, wetter soil, taller grass and bumpier ground – greatly increasing the areas of the farm he has access to and even making it possible for him to visit parts of the farm he hasn’t seen since we got a tour in the real estate agent’s Gator before we bought the place. The chair was purchased by Mississippi Rehab Services which helps people with disabilities find new careers.