We never knew how much work went into growing all the food we eat. We learned a lot, we made new friends, and most of all we had fun! A big thank you to Dawn, Paul and Sam for such a great day!

The Squash Bug
By Dawn Lawless

If you've ever grown cucumber, zucchini, melon, pumpkin or winter squash, the chances are you have encountered the squash bug. The 1/2-inch long adults are brownish black, shield-shaped and flat-backed. They give off an unpleasant odor when threatened or squashed. The nymphs are whitish green or gray with red legs and a shape similar to the adults. The nymphs take all summer to develop, molting five times before maturity. Eggs, which are shiny red to brown ellipses, can be found in neatly spaced groups on the underside of leaves.

Both the adults and nymphs can cause severe plant damage by sucking the juices from the crops, causing leaves and shoots to blacken and die. Severely attacked plants won't produce any fruit.

Control methods include the first step in producing any healthy plant, that is, creating healthy soil conditions. Handpicking all life stages of this pest ("squashing the squash bug") is often the best technique for keeping their numbers under control. Covering young plants with row covers provides a barrier that is effective until it must be removed to allow pollination to take place. Interplanting nasturtiums in squash beds is said to deter squash bugs and providing nectar-producing plants for native parasitic wasps and habitat for bluebirds and mockingbirds should also decrease the problem. For very serious infestations, insecticidal soap may be necessary, or even neem, the botanical insecticide that comes from the neem tree, which is native to India.

When a squash bug bites into a leaf, the plant reacts by rushing insect repelling compounds to the site. But this may take some 40 minutes and in only about 10 minutes the squash bug can chew a trench around a circular piece of the leaf that will stop the compounds from passing to the section inside the circle, which the bug can then consume at its leisure. It seems that at this point in their evolution, the squash bug has the advantage!

Pesticides in Your Schools

As of January 2003, parents will have the right to know when pesticides will be sprayed in or around their children's public school buildings. Over the next few weeks, school superintendents across Pennsylvania will be making key decisions on how to implement the Pesticide Notification Act in their district. This is your chance to help shape their plan, making sure that they implement the law in a way that is most protective for children.

Under the law, districts can either notify all parents using normal school communication (universal notification) or notify a list of parents who request notification (a registry system). Universal notification is simpler and less work for schools. Under a registry system, districts would have to notify all parents about their right to request notification, set up a system for parents to request notification, and then set up a system to send notices to these parents. Under universal notification, they don't have any of that work.

Districts are also starting to design their Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. All districts should adopt a good IPM program that reduces pesticide use and focuses on prevention and non-toxic or less-toxic controls. A regular monthly spray schedule is not IPM, no matter what a district may be told.

HOW CAN YOU HELP? Call your school district and ask to speak to the superintendent's office. Ask if they have made a decision how they are going to notify parents of planned pesticide applications. Encourage them to use universal notification and to notify all parents, instead of wasting time and money setting up a registry program. Now that the Pesticide Notification Act has passed, let's make sure that our school districts do the right thing in implementing it!

In a related issue, do you know about the Hypersensitivity Registry? If you are on this registry, you will be notified when pesticides are used in your area. You need a doctor's letter stating that you get sick from exposure to pesticides. For further information, call (717) 787-4392 and ask for Jill.

Tomato and Basil Pasta

2 large tomatoes, diced
fresh basil to taste
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. angel hair pasta
Parmesan cheese

Mix tomatoes, basil, garlic, salt and pepper and let sit at room temperature at least one hour. Cook angel hair according to package directions. Drain pasta and stir in tomato mixture. Serve immediately and top with Parmesan cheese. 4 servings.