- By Judy Cook

The Comma Queen http://thecommaqueen.com

This is the summer of ants. Never before have I seen so many ants in my house! They seem to appear just about everywhere, two or three at a time.

Common wisdom tells us, ants enter your home because they’re searching for food, including starches, sweets, and some fats. If they find a food source, the ants will multiply in numbers very quickly. Once they’re in your home, ants are pretty tough to completely eradicate. However, you can control them with a variety of earth-friendly methods. Here are some I found online:

• Cinnamon, cloves, cayenne pepper: A line of any one of these spices running along the edges of floors and counter tops seems to discourage ants from crossing.
• Another use of cayenne pepper is to make a paste using a little bit of water. If you can tell where the ants are coming in, put a little paste in that area. They won’t cross it.
• I’m a big fan of essential oils, and discovered several that discourage ants: cinnamon, mint (any kind), and eucalyptus seem to work the best.
• Black pepper is another safe way to get rid of ants. A bit of pepper sprinkled where you see ants congregating will keep them away from the area, long after you’ve wiped it clean.
• A spray bottle filled with soapy water will also do the trick, and kills ants instantly. So does a spray bottle filled with highly-diluted “Thieves” cleaning solution. The solution is completely natural (essential oils), is a great cleaner, and keeps ants away for days. Full-strength white vinegar will do the same thing, and the smell dissipates in moments.

In all my research on this topic, the most unusual recommendation I came across addresses ant colonies outdoors: “Collect a large number of ants from one ant hill, and drop those ants onto another ant hill. The ants will start fighting each other, and there will be many casualties.” Sounds like ant management for fans of spectator sports, to me.

- Ms. Divided – Reno, NV

Dear Ms. Divided,

I am glad to hear that you are thinking about the nutritional and environmental impacts of our current industrial food system. The ideal would be to buy produce that is both local and organic, but this is not always an option – there are a few ways to cut this conundrum. Local sustainable farming benefits our community, our economy and enhances our environment by enriching the soil, protecting air and water quality and minimizing energy use. I will be forthright with my bias towards the fresh and seasonal option wherever possible, yet understand that sometimes you want a Strawberry in November.

I eat what is grown seasonally in our local region because it tastes better, it is better for my body and the global environment. Produce is the most nutritionally dense within three days of harvest and most of our local farms are turning towards organic methods of growing (some are just too small to be certified, but have been growing food without pesticides for a long time).  Some local farms I recommend are Lattin Farms, Hungry Mother, Churchill Butte and Nana Dew. When the farmers markets open, or when you go to a local grocery or restaurant that has locally grown fruit and vegetables – do your body a favor and give it the good stuff!

When you are shopping for produce grown in other parts of the world, there is a list of things you should always buy organic for health reasons. After you finish reading this letter please head straight to the Environmental Working Group’s website www.foodnews.org. The EWG provides consumers with a complete list of produce rated from worst to OK to buy non-organic: peaches are the worst (always buy organic), followed by apples, sweet bell peppers, celery and nectarines. The EWG is a reliable stop for pesticide related information, and they are motivated by the fact that pesticides “are designed to kill living organisms – insects, plants, and fungi that are considered “pests.” Because they are toxic by design, many pesticides pose health risks to people.”

Lastly, industrial food production is entirely dependent on fossil fuels, which, when refined and burned, create greenhouse gases that are significant contributors to climate change. When a tomato travels 1500 miles, and its growth was motivated by what it would look like on the shelf when it arrived at Scolari’s in Nevada – your health was not the priority, remember that! As much as forty percent of the energy used in the food system goes towards the production of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. By adding transportation, processing and packaging to the food system equation, the fossil fuel and energy use of our current food system puts tremendous stress on the environment.

Ultimately, the choice is yours, both organic and local have a positive value and impact. So, if you are motivated to have the smallest impact and gain the best nutrition for you and your family, buy seasonal and local first, and organic outside of our region for most things, but keep it as close to home grown as possible.

Sincerely,

Econista