le dausnu pe lo .estorni — The Starling Debate

.i le dalgunma be lo .estorni cu xabju le cange .i ko'agoi loi .estorni cu kansi'u lonu citka je lonu sipna je lonu klama .i ko'a se zdastu lo galraipau be loi barda cindu joi maprultricu .i na frili fa lonu viska ko'a bu'u loi pezli .i ku'i loi su'o renono cmalu zei ja'urxe'a cu torbrato'a fa'a ri .i mu'i leka bredi be lonu muvdu keikei pe le girzu zo'u so'u cipni cu cliva .i lo velvi'u cu klaje'i .i vy kuckla le cange mo'iga'u ja mo'ini'a ja mo'iri'u ja mo'izu'a .i le selska pe le dalgunma ge'u cu binxo

There is a flock of starlings that resides on the farm. Starlings eat, sleep and travel together. The tops of the big oak and eucalyptus trees are their nesting grounds. They are not easily seen among the leaves, but hundreds of little beaks squeak at each other in the quick high-pitched murmurs that reveal their presence to a trained ear. When the group is ready to change locations, a couple of birds leave and the remainder follow. They travel over the farm like a swarm of insects, swooping up and down, to the left or right in a fluid motion. The color of the flock changes as more or less daylight can be seen through the three-dimensional mass of birds.

.i lei dalgunma cu zdile je nolmle je selte'a .i ku'i lenu kufra sepre cu canci ki'u lonu le dalgunma cu stuvi'e lo rutpurdi be lo makcu figre ja najysmela .i lo ti envaxire cipni cu steci nelci lo vifne grute .i le nu nelci poi mansa ro xamgu tervecnu .i co'i pa figre .a pa najysmela cu makcu ca lonu lo .estorni cu cantybargau le grute seri'a lonu gy to'ectixau loi prenu .i le'i crepu bende cu vairselmi'e fi lonu cpacu le'i grute .i lei .estorni cu mencre .i le cipni celxa'i noi ri fukygau le sance pe lo danti poi mi'a cu ci'erse'a mu'i leka terpa befa lo cipni ku'o cu conka

The flocks are entertaining, even graceful or spooky to watch fly around the farm. However, the warm fuzzy feelings fade as quickly as the mass can settle itself onto an orchard of ripe figs or peaches. These non-native birds have a unique taste for fresh fruit, one that would meet the quality standards of any good produce buyer. As soon as a fig or peach is ready to harvest, a starling will gut the fruit, ruining it for human consumption. The harvest crews are given strict orders to get to the fruit first. Starlings are smart; the bird canon [sic], which simulates the sound of a gunshot, that we installed to scare them from the grapes worked for about a day before they recognized its sound and rhythm.

.i le fenxeli purdi caca'o se plixa .i loka sraji pe le cmalu spati cu inci li ji'i xa .i lei cicyspa cu inci li ji'i vo .i lenu plixa pe lo cpumi'i cu muljbi cicyspavi'u .i le'i kurkucydakfu pilno cu gunka .i le selcmi be le re tadji cu pruce fi lenu plixa lo dertu kei .e lenu blegau lo cicyspa kei .e lenu lo cinki cu to'e selzdani .i mi cadzu mu'i le nilmu'o pe lenu macnu plixa .ije mi selspaji lenu le dalgunma be lo .estorni cu zvati le fenxeli purdi .i lei cipni cu plipe gi'e kalte lo vacysai .ijebabo cy cu surla gi'e jikca ca'o le vanci .i cy cu ganse mi .i ku'i cy cu na selfanza mi .i da'inai cy cu clite curmi lenu mi lampagre ra

The fennel field is in the middle of being hoed. The little plants stand about six inches tall and the weeds about four. Tractor cultivation cleaned up many of the weeds and the hoeing crew goes next. The combination of the two techniques results in all of the ground being turned over, the weeds failing and the insect population left with no home. I walked out to inspect the progress of the hoeing crew and was surprised to note the entire flock of starlings in the fennel patch. The birds were jumping around chasing down dinner before settling into an evening of gossiping in the tall oak trees. They noticed me, but paid little attention to my presence, — at best they were courteous enough to hop out of my way.

.i mi kucli lejei xamgu fa lei cinki noi selcitka lei cipni .i mi sexanri lesi'o selsimtu'i lo .estorni .e mi .i mu'a ra citka lo grute .ije ra sabji lenu cicycinki dargau

It didn't take long for me to wonder if the bugs they were eating were good or bad bugs. It also didn't take long for me to imagine how great it would be if the starlings and I could make a deal, — they could have an unlimited supply of fresh fruit in peace, in exchange for pest termination services.

.i .e'o ko nelci le do tanxe .ije .e'o ko zvaju'o mi'a la INSTAGRAM jau'o @farmerthaddeus .e @farmfreshtoyou

Enjoy your boxes and don't forget to check us out on Instagram @farmerthaddeus and @farmfreshtoyou.

.i fi'e la tadi,ys.

— Thaddeus