CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — One Alice farmer said he faced new obstacles this fall; however, he's looking forward to more cooler days to help his business thrive.
A farmer from Alice spoke with 3NEWS and said he's looking forward to seeing his crops thrive again. "That's grasshopper damage right there" If it can be grown it can be eaten and not just by humans.
Local farmer, Andrew Edelen said, "The broccoli's, the cauliflowers, swish charge, and kale. All the leafy greens, I've had beets go out."
Edelen has been a farmer for years and bugs are inevitable but for some reason, he said, they're pretty bad this fall. "We had army worms; grasshoppers kick in and I've been on my fourth succession of restarting seeds and going again." He added.
Edelen sells his greens at the farmers market in Corpus Christi but can only take the little he's able to grow, and he is not the only one. "I know a number of vegetables producers that their tables are looking for like mine." He explained. "And since this local farmer does not use any pesticide on his crops, this cold weather could not have come sooner."
Edelen told 3NEWS, "Right now, it's just almost a full restart. Clean everything up and get going once again. I think the grasshoppers are pretty much gone. I've been looking. I don't see them in the fields anymore, I don't see them in the garden."
The cold keeps the bugs at a minimum, which means the farmers veggies can begin to thrive. "December through April is kind of peak on the garden." Edelen said.
The farmer hopes to bring more sprouts to the farmers market soon.
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