Thanks to the people at the Marin Master Gardeners I found out my farm is infested with grubbs!
Bugs for Chickens
These pesky and strange looking soil mongrels hang out about 4-6 inches below the the top of the soil and reek havoc on the roots of your plants.
I learned earlier in the summer that when you find certain critters in your fields you need to look for them at a certain time of the year to prevent the next generation from returning. One idea was to turn the soil in the spring just before planting.
Cleared bed of grubbs
So I went ahead and turned the soil now as I’m preparing the beds for the winter. That’s when I found all these guys! Turns out the Marin Master Gardener had a good suggestion. They recommend placing the bugs out on an open space for birds to come and get them. I did that last weekend and gave a bunch to the crows. When I told my neighbor about the bugs she said her chickens would love to eat them. “They are full of fat!” she said.
Now when I dig up a new area on the farm I look for the bugs and collect them for Helen’s chickens. Now, Helen brings me eggs! How’s that for sustainable farming?
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