We have a lot of cows. We grow a lot of feed. Typically, that means we have a lot of bugs too! Here at Morning Fresh Dairy, we made the decision a long time ago to strive to never use pesticides on our crops for the benefit of our cows, our environment, and you! While it may seem like a small part of the milk making process, pest control is a big deal in agriculture and can have a large impact on the surrounding community.
One of the major negative impacts of pesticide use is its’ effect on our local pollinators! That’s right! Our little bee friends, and their fellow pollinators- moths and butterflies, can be harmed by pesticides, even when they don’t come into direct contact. Bees are known to fly for miles outside of their hive, and we appreciate (and ultimately, survive on!) their hard work, so it’s important to us to make sure all pollinators are safe when collecting their food!
Protecting our local water also means a great deal to Morning Fresh. According to CSU, it takes as little as one teaspoon of certain pesticides to show up as a pollutant in local water. With the Poudre River running by our farm, we strive to keep Colorado’s water safe by utilizing natural pest control as much as possible. Pesticides in the water could not only hurt the drinking supply, but also the algae, bugs and bacteria that keep our river environment healthy!
So what do we do instead? We use what Colorado gave us! We release and maintain the health and life of thousands of ladybugs and praying mantises who eat the pests that destroy our crops, like aphids and corn borers, while leaving our pollinator friends (mostly!) alone. We don’t have to worry about the impact of pesticides on our local water, soil, pollinators, or anything else if we don’t use them! So next time you’re out on the farm, keep an eye out for the praying mantises and ladybugs that have important jobs to do!
