Just thought I'd share this non fig moment. If your garden and property are healthy and inviting to diverse creatures you can get away without spraying poison. Here is an example of that. These are tomato hornworms that have been parasitized by a tiny wasp (a braconid) and stopped dead (so to speak) in their tracks. These will hatch out and supply my garden with loads more protection.

Gotta enjoy seeing the natural environment doing what is needed. Another fine example of how the system worked before we mucked everything up.

Chris

I've been an organic gardener my entire adult life.  I'd rather not use poisons in any fashion.  Sometimes I get the short end of the stick, when my veggies and fruit is attacked by insects, and other critters, but I just plant extra to feed all of us.

A healthy soil promotes healthy plants, which keeps me healthy too.

Planting extra is only fair and I do this also.

Nature is brutal, and sometimes hideously efficient. 

I cannot think about what terror, and suffering, Humans would endure, if we did not have modern medicine, and, modern wisdom.

Frank

Hey Frank,
How would you define modern wisdom? And can you give me a few examples?
thx
mgg

How do you organically treat termites?

DD,
It can be done. I believe, however, it becomes more important to know exactly which species of termite you have. I'm sure if you do a google search you'll find tons of info as folks like me fear for the safety of our pets, etc. and just having a commercial exterminator comes spray poison is a scary proposition.
But I do know people who have done it. If for some reason you look and don't find info PM me and I'll ask my friends.

Something of interest from a natural/organic perspective


http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/paul_stamets_on_6_ways_mushrooms_can_save_the_world.html

Termites, thats easy. TNT

I love TED! It's by far my favorite site. This link didn't work for me, but I'm sure I saw it. If it's the one I'm thinking about it is amazing.

mgg....

re: "modern wisdom"

It may seem a contradiction in terms, or, better yet, oxymoronic, in some areas of debate, but I was narrowly referring to modern medicine, and the sciences, and how few humans, in this country anyway, have to endure being sucked dry by parasites. 

"Modern Wisdom", tied to American Exceptionalism just landed us on Mars.  "Modern Wisdom", cures disease and puts food on a plate.  I could go on, and on.

However...in terms of political debate, and "leadership".... then, I see your subtle point.  Saying anything more about my political opinions would be out of place on this forum.  I will say this:   We all have a lot in common with that ignorant, catepillar/hornworm.  That worm has no idea it is being sucked to death by opportunistic, maggots, and is about to die.

Frank

Sorry about the bad link.
tried to correct with copy and paste again, but same problem shows
a break in the address
if you click it and type "six ways mushrooms can save the world" in the pages search  engine, that will take you to it.

Frank,
I guess I was just wondering how you viewed the difference between knowledge and wisdom. I was just emailing another f4f member in Kansas or Brownbackistan as he calls it, and thinking about global climate change and how little wisdom we seem to be using to deal with this issue.

It often seems our technology and knowledge out paces our wisdom and makes the world a truly scary place at times.

As a traveller who's seen a fair amount of the 3rd world we are very lucky in the US not only for medicine, but because we lack the truly terrifying parasites seen in Africa, for example.

I do so hope we invest more in NASA and invest more in the sciences and pure research.

Again, I'm not sure where to draw a line between wisdom and knowledge. For example, we have "created" incredible abilities to harvest huge amounts of crops, yet we endanger ourselves with single species monoculture, and don't always protect the original or "wild types" of the crops we rely so heavily on and this puts at risk.

You're right about steering clear of politics. I think your point about your politics and the hornworm is both funny and easily understood. I wonder if that poor creature is aware. What a nightmare that would be.

The funny or perhaps sad thing is I actually love hornworms as they grow up to be my favorite moths and I grow extra tomato plants so they will be plentiful. But it's just such a good way to show folks how diversity helps keep things in balance.

Frank, That was beautiful. Brought a tear to my eye.


luke

A dose of Thermocide is cheap, organic, and won't hurt you, but it will KILL that ugly worm.

You go organic, you bring back the big boys!  Lions, wolves, coyotes, bears, and down the list of survival of the fittest.  Don't shoot those boys!!  They will eat you, your pets and your kin, but since you are organic, you don't care.  Huge sacrifice in my thinking...........

Suzi

DD,
What? You are joking right? Not wanting to poison your loved ones when there are workable alternatives does not necessarily mean I don't care if my pets anfd family are eaten by lions.
Where I live we have bears and coyotes and lions (arguably mtn lions) and wild dogs that act like wolves, but their presence has nothing to do with anyone farming organically. 
I do not understand what sacrifice you are talking about. Cancer free living perhaps?

I'm talking the pecking order.  Survival of the fittest.  You want organic, you let the big boys live!!  They will take care of everything.  Don't touch them or anything in between, like coons, squirrels, birds, spiders, bees, ants, mites, flies, larvae!

oh, and no electric or deer fences!!  Lets all grow our crops for the feast of the animals!

I'm saying "organic" isn't so organic, now, is it? 

I see RED when I read this organic stuff, so I'm done.  Out.

I see green.
Bye.

thermocide
http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Detail_Product.jsp?REG_NR=01080700107&DIST_NR=035667

Have you thought of trying Diatomatious earth?
or Neem oil? both should work.
Maybe even Boric acid?
I once sealed up their nest holes with a boric acid, and peanut butter paste, that killed them all as they tried to eat through the paste, and then shared it with the rest of the colony.
Works for ants, and carpenter bees too.

Gosh, I clicked on this topic, thinking someone was stating that figs could not be grown organically. Given the fact that fig cultivation goes back to prehistoric times, I was curious to see what might be said. 

I was certainly surprised to learn that there's a direct line between organic gardening and having one's poodles eaten by lions. 

Who knew????  It just goes to show, if you pay attention, and keep an open mind, you can learn something new every day.