I drove north to the Marion County Extension office (2232 NE Jacksonville Rd Ocalla FL) to listen to a presentation about Organic & Sustainable Production. The talk was presented by a University of Florida researcher.
100 years a go, all farming was organic ans sustainable. Back then there were fewer pests, since the world was not as global. Today tankers full of crops are shipped around the world and the pests from one country spread to other countries.
Most problems could be solved before a crop goes n the ground. Talking to one farmer the researcher asked how many years that particular crop was planted in that filed. The farmer proudly told him that the crop had been planted there every year for over 20 years. When crops are planted int he same place year after year, the bugs have a fest.
Planting cotton in the same plot of land two years in a row is illegal in some states. When you get cotton seeds, you must apply for a permit before planting. This is common in many Southeastern states and other cotton-producing areas.The only way cotton boll weevils have been eliminated, over the years, is by this extreme form of enforced husbandry. The first year, the boll weevils will burrow down in the ground and come back with a vengeance the next year if cotton is once again planted in the same spot. It is better to plant something that is resistant to the boll weevils.
Using pesticides tends to kill off the predator bugs which are good for eliminating true pests like aphids. When inspecting a garden bed the speaker saw thousands of aphids, but also saw paper wasps fling around. He decided to not spray insecticide. In a week all the aphids were gone. Wasps lay their eggs inside aphids, and the developing wasp larva consumes the aphid from within, eventually killing it. This process is a form of biological control, where beneficial insects help regulate pest populations. Lady bugs are a more pleasant bug to have in the garden for pest control.
The talk was a fire hose of information. Since I will be on the road in Europe in a month, I will get to use what was learned once I settle dond and set up my own permaculture food garden