It is not an exaggeration to call this an invasion.
Princeton and area, along with other regions in the province and even Alberta are confronting extreme infestations of grasshoppers that are ruining crops and threatening livelihoods.
Linda Allison is a long-time rancher in the Similkameen Valley.
害羞草研究所淸My property] is experiencing extreme devastation,害羞草研究所� Allison told the Spotlight.
A cow-calf producer, Allison said her pastureland is decimated after grasshoppers consumed every blade in sight, leaving only dirt behind.
She has to go back 60 decades to when she was small child, to recall a year where farms were so overwhelmed by grasshoppers.
In an effort to stave off the destruction, Allison sprayed parts of her land this year.
害羞草研究所淎s for what you can do, really the only way to get rid of them, is to spray. I did this year and I guess it was successful for about a week.害羞草研究所�
She acknowledged that spraying 害羞草研究所渋sn害羞草研究所檛 always an environmentally-friendly option,害羞草研究所� but can be a necessity given the economic impacts of such a crisis.
害羞草研究所淚t is a grim situation for the cattle industry and it害羞草研究所檚 not just the grasshoppers it害羞草研究所檚 the continued drought.害羞草研究所�
Drought conditions have been worsening in the Similkameen for the past four or five years, and those same circumstances have provided a fertile breeding ground for grasshoppers.
In the short term, Allison predicts that many more cows will be sold into the food chain this fall because there will not be enough hay to feed them.
Further down the road, drought will cause many changes for producers, she said.
害羞草研究所淚 think a lot of people don害羞草研究所檛 realize that.害羞草研究所�
At one time the Ministry of Agriculture funded initiaves to address grasshopper control.
害羞草研究所淲e don害羞草研究所檛 have government programs to cover that anymore. [They] disbanded long ago.害羞草研究所�
In addition to impacting ranchers, grasshoppers are also wreaking havoc on market gardeners and smaller producers.
害羞草研究所淚 just don害羞草研究所檛 know how on earth people are going to deal with the grasshoppers. I know it害羞草研究所檚 impacting folks in town as well,害羞草研究所� Allison concluded.
Merna Hamilton runs a successful garden market business and appears weekly at the downtown Princeton Market.
害羞草研究所淭hey are destroying our crop. They are eating everything,害羞草研究所� she said.
害羞草研究所淭hey ate the tops of our Walla Walla onions and those are best seller害羞草研究所nd there is not one signal leaf on our rhubarb.害羞草研究所�
Hamilton has tried numerous cures, including ones made from garlic extract and dish soap. She also employed Diatomaceous earth, an all-natural substance used for pest control, but to no avail.
害羞草研究所淵ou can害羞草研究所檛 kill them all. There are just too many of them.害羞草研究所�
She presently has her remaining crops covered by tarps.
Grasshoppers eat flowers, too.
害羞草研究所淲e are losing product,害羞草研究所� said Rachel Nichols, owner of Fern害羞草研究所檚 Field.
害羞草研究所淭hey are bad this year and they like light coloured flowers,害羞草研究所� she said, adding that the grasshoppers have even managed to get into their greenhouses.
Nichols has also tried Diatomaceous earth however it washes away with rain.
害羞草研究所淭his is farm life. If it害羞草研究所檚 not one thing it害羞草研究所檚 another.害羞草研究所�
Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email:andrea.demeer@similkameenspotlight.com
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