Ask Ed - Questions for the Organic Agriculture Extension Educator
Have a question for Don Parsons, Organic Agriculture Extension Educator? Ask Ed your question here!
Questions (click on the link to find the answer):
- I need a source of bulk compost. Are there commercial compost producers in Massachusetts and if so, where can I buy certified organic compost?
- I have been unable to find sources of information about raising sheep organically. I feel like I am flying by the seat of my pants and would like some advice from those who have done it. Issues of worming and disease especially I feel at a loss about. So far, everything I've read depends heavily on chemicals. Any ideas about where I should look?
- I've been growing Nantes Fancy and Chantenay carrots. They are sweet and delicious when harvested but develop a bitter flavor during storage. If I peel them, and lose all those good vitamins, they are sweet. Presently I'm storing them in plastic bags (with pinprick holes) in an old refrigerator. Any ideas?
- My family owns a beautiful five acre piece of land and I am very interested in making it into an organic fruit tree orchard. I want to start the farm next spring. Where do I start?
- I have possession of an old farm that has been out of production for the last 30 years. I would like to pursue organic certification because I have been growing (inadvertently) organic fruit for the last 7 years on my home property and would like to make my farm into a business. I have only had the farm for two years. Do I need to wait the three whole years of ownership? I have had a great deal of success with my fruit and feel it could market well if certified.?
- I have harvested my organic
garlic and found several fists have split out of the outside wrapping and
exposed the cloves. I have had this problem with previous plantings. I also use
my own planting stock. I wonder if this problem is inherent in the planting
stock or if it is because I have waited too long to harvest some of the plants.
- I have always wondered about
something in organic farming. Parking lots, even empty ones, often smell like a
parking lot because of the leaked oil, or gasoline, from cars once parked
there. On organic farms, heavy machinery and equipment are used just like
conventional farms and unavoidably there will be leaks of such toxic chemicals
onto the soil. Are there provisions to minimize such contamination?
- My hens fly around a lot.
Some will fly over the 6 foot high fence around their loafing yard and forget
how to fly back over again. I never really understood the phrase Bird Brain
until I owned chickens. Do I need a taller fence to contain my flock?
- I am moving to Mass. and
will be gardening on a large scale. Ive had gardens in Maine and North Carolina
most recently and I am just wondering where to find any sort of guidelines for
planting times in the central Mass. region.
- Do you know where I can buy a
copy of the film The Future of Food? Do you know how it is possible to support
farmers whose seed supply is being bought up by Monsanto?
- I am new to gardening but I
want to grow organically for the health and safety of my family. What
vegetables should I grow?
- Where can I purchase organically grown seeds?
- I would like to raise a few meat birds in my backyard using pastured poultry methods but many of the resources I find focus on commercial production. Is good information available for home production of meat birds?
- Japanese beetles are eating everything. How can I control them in my garden and around my property?
- Last season I had terrible problems with cucumber beetles. Where can I get information on controlling these insects?
- What is leaf mold? How do you make it?
- I have a terrible infestation of squash bugs whenever I try to grow summer or winter squash and pumpkins. I have tried rotating the crops and handpicking the eggs and adults, but it is a battle to get any fruit. Is there some way to control them?
- I have web-like tents on my trees filled with caterpillars. Their feeding is defoliating my trees. What are they and how can I get rid of them?
- My soil seems to compact on the surface after heavy rainfall. This rain induced compaction prevents my fine seeds (especially carrots) from germinating well. How can I prevent this compaction?
- Japanese Beetles are eating my roses and raspberries bushes. How can I easily catch them?
- Where can I find photographs that show the various vegetable pests in Massachusetts?
- Where can I get my soil tested?
- Have you ever heard of using corn gluten as an organic pre-emergent herbicide for weed control in vegetables?
- I have a rather large compost pile that seems to be attracting rats. How can I prevent rats from living in or near my compost??
-
We recently bought a house with a small orchard (around 40 trees, mostly apple, some pear and plum) which had not been looked after for sometime.
They are all about 20 years old. We’ve trimmed and cleaned them up but still get poor quality apples (though the pears and plums are excellent, when they fruit). We want to avoid chemical pesticides if at all possible. Any suggestions
?
This page was last modified on February 20, 2009 at 8:00:00 AM.
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