Colorado farmers struggle as infestation of grasshoppers destroys crops

PEYTON, Colo. - It’s not just you, grasshoppers are everywhere this summer. Your backyard garden might have a few bites taken out of it, and Colorado farmers' crops are getting destroyed.

CSU Extension experts explained that a mild winter that led to a hot and dry spring allowed grasshopper eggs to hatch earlier than usual.

Yosef Camire, owner of Ahavah Farm, has seen a lot in his 10 years on his farm in Peyton.

“I’ve just never seen it. It’s just mind-blowing,” Camire said of the infestation of grasshoppers.

He and his crews are starting all over this late in the season.

“We’ve turned all these beds over and reseeded them, and we’ve covered everything with something called Row Cover,” he said of the efforts to keep the grasshoppers out of the new growth.

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The bugs are eating about everything , including crops they typically aren’t known to chow down on.

“You’re supposed to spray garlic spray to get rid of grasshoppers. But they destroyed our garlic, they destroyed our mint, they destroyed all of our chives,” he said.

It’s cost the farm thousands of dollars, and there’s only so much they can do.

Peyton farmer on Colorado grasshopper invasion

“We’re a regenerative and organic farm. We go to the utmost for purity standards, we don’t use any chemicals,” said Camire.

He knows he’s far from the only Colorado farmer dealing with the struggle. He hopes people continue to support their local farmers' market, even if, this year, the Swiss chard looks a little more like Swiss cheese.

“It might not be as pretty of a year as in years past, or what you expect at a farmer's market, but it’s still pure. It’s still good. Ask your farmers questions and support them,” said Camire.

Colorado farmers struggle as statewide infestation of grasshoppers destroys crops

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