Well, the SWD bugs won. Because we didn't want to spray chemicals on our fruit, we have decided to let go of the raspberry crop. 

 

Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) is a pest native to Asia that arrived in the U.S. in 2008. It’s a version of the common fruit fly, but with a sinister twist. The female lays larvae in the berries (up to to 60 in one day) and ruins the fruit. It’s a multi-national, multi-million dollar problem -- California lost over 40% of their 2016 crop.

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Despite our attempts to mitigate the pest with traps, traps and more traps, keeping the fields clean of over-ripe fruit (thanks pickers for helping with that!) and the application of an organic mint insecticide, it just was too much for our plucky farm crew. 

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We share your disappointment. We're feeling it, too.