Dig It

Farming without chemicals means farming with a vigilance toward bugs, a fixation on seeking them out and squishing them yourself in an attempt to gain the upper hand in what can often seem like a losing battle. I’ve accepted this fact (and have spent a ton of time killing stink bugs and hornworms) but have drawn the line at swallowtail caterpillars, who are free to munch on dill and parsley and carrot tops to their little behorned hearts’ content.

After sending the subscribers snack bags of parsley week after early summer week, I stopped relying on the herb as soon as other things could fill its place. A few weeks ago, I noticed that more than 15 swallowtail caterpillars had taken up residence in the small bed, leaving bare stems behind as they prepared to become butterflies. And as I was harvesting carrots for the last time this summer, I noticed a black swallowtail butterfly fluttering around the veggie piles, seeking out a spot to lay her eggs. Some photos: