>I've never heard of orach, but arugula is very savory.
Orach has been called South American spinach and some people
compare it to arugula. I'll compare them in a few days when
the arugula gets bigger. Orach is interesting because it grows
about 4 feet tall and looks like a small shrub.
>The forest tent caterpillars are still feeding on hardwood trees
>and shrubs, here, but are concentrated in the cities in this part
>of Minnesota.
This area (west coast) has different plants and pests but the
problem with imported bugs is the same:
>As we continue to import more and more timber products, the
>chances of bringing in new exotic insects and diseases increases.
This gets even more complicated when you factor in weather changes,
interactions between new/old pests, and fire control. Here in
Oregon some old tree pests have made a come back and isolating
the factors involved has become difficult.
>Some wood substitutes may come at a higher ecological cost, like steel,
>aluminum, concrete, plastic... others may have a lower cost, like hemp,
>kenaf, or surplus agricultural waste like wheat straw...
Yes, for building the increased use of straw and adobe (earth) are
promising. But as you say everything has a cost. I had hoped
earth sheltered building would catch on but people look at our
house and sound interested, then go off and buy a manufactured
home.
On a more positive note, i've just found some new information
on moles. I'll write it up when weeding and orchard thinning
gets to me.
jeff
