There is only one problem with eating organically…
This guy.
This headless, antennae waving slippery slime bag.
There I was channelling my inner kitchen goddess, dinner pretty much sorted. The Monkeys behaving themselves, and ready to eat. A lovely enticing dinner aroma tickling the nostrils of those that happened to be passing by my back kitchen door. All that was needed was a chopped up bunch of spinach, wilt it through the dish a little and voila… dinner was ready.
I washed the bunch with intimate attention. I know where I bought that bunch of spinach from, and I know critters sometimes like to play hide and seek within amongst the green foliage. I was no fool, and hadn’t suspected there was still a hide and seek player amongst us. Happily washed, and chopped, I reached in to dump it all in the slowly bubbling aromatic pot of goodness only to find… him.
The slime bag.
Headless.
Dinner plans were slightly reorganised. Hopes were pinned on the now eight times washed spinach. Hopes that the little slime bag didn’t have any close friends still playing the now, not very funny game. I decided there was no need to share the good news with anyone else at this stage and instead keep it as an entertaining dessert time conversation treat.
Dinner’s ready!
cityhippyfarmgirl 
I’ve finally comes to terms with the idea that if the bugs and slugs eat it, then it’s well and truly safe enough for my family to. Doesn’t mean I don’t squeal like wuss when I come across one in the lettuce though.. 🙂
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My body ripples in revulsion when ever I come across one…but like you I’m sort of happy they are there, if there are happy it’s all good to eat. But still…ick!
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You need some chooks. I used to hate finding slugs and worms in the veggies I grew… now I walk out to the chook pen with them and give the gerls some extra protein!
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Would love some chooks! Just tricky in a flat with a courtyard 🙂
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My dad always used to say, ‘there is only one thing worse than a worm in your apple’.. ‘what?’ we would say all wide eyed…..’ HALF A WORM!’ he would say.. just protein you know.. ! c
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I know, I know but it’s slippery slime bag protein… half an eaten slug would be 100x worse though.
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Oh, I had some little green slime bags in my homegrown lettuce the other day, yes added protien…lol
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croutons, garden style?
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If you lick a slug, your tongue goes numb for about half an hour…it’s their defense mechanism…
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have you tested this theory yourself?
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Why yes I have…and I got kids at my homeschool group to do it as well!
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OHHH
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Ugh, but now I have the urge to lick a slug thanks to Citysister.
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Excellent! We have a tester in out midst! Go forth Greg…
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I’ve had that situation myself and it’s not good. But better than finding a headless slime halfway through your dinner.
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So much better than finding it half way. I’m not sure I could continue if that had happened.
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I had some homegrown cabbages I was going to try making sauerkraut (again) but the slug I found just put me off… I knew I wouldn’t able to eat it anyway! Other things I can rinse off & not think about it… but slimey bugs, can you imagine biting into that?! Ergh!!
Chickens were happy though… chopped up cabbage & some extra protein too!
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Oh no! Sauerkraut would have been great dixiebelle. Lucky chooks indeed!
and no I couldn’t imagine biting into it…shudder.
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Oh no, not headless!! That is definitely the worst scenario 😛 I wish I could have eavesdropped on the dessert conversation…
I do struggle with the bug issue – and not just the ones that might be in my food (although they take priority!). My capsicum plants are routinely attacked by white cabbage moths and whilst I hate to use pesticide, I’m running out of ideas as to how to keep the plants from being eaten. It’s a challenge indeed.
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It can be really discouraging can’t it when growing. I’ve got such a small tiny place to grow anything and the plants really battle to get grown- then for some slime bag/ critter to come along and demolish it all over night is heartbreaking.
Keep going though Kari, you’ll find out what works best for you and your garden and hopefully those critters will stay away.
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Thanks Brydie 🙂
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right – that would have had be pondering whether to eat or not!
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It wasn’t as enjoyable as it was going to be that’s for sure.
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Ive heard risning in water with vinegar will dislodge them better than water alone…lucks! Its not the eating that grosses me out (more protein) its the cutting them… makes my skin crawl
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I haven’t heard of that with the vinegar before, I’ll have to keep that in mind next time I suspect a few hide and seek players.
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Ohhh, shudder! I have that same worry with fresh lettuce here. I stopped buying it because it freaked me out. I think someone I know submerges theirs for hours. Maybe it drowns them and they float?? uggh!
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I just try and think, that if they are happy then it will be good for you too. No nasty chemicals lurking instead!
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YICK.
Just yick.
I wouldn’t have eaten it.
I would have soaked it and soaked it in vinegar and then probably still not eaten it.
I love organic- just wish slugs didn’t.
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They are cheeky little slimebags. I really thought I had done a thorough job of searching and washing. Clearly I need more practise.
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Oh veggie bugs, how I hate thee!!! They always seem to find a way to hang on no matter how carefully you think you’ve washed your veggies! Crazy little critters can just go to the chickens for all I care. It’s makes the Ladies happy and takes that little chill out of my spine 🙂
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Very contented chickens they would be 🙂
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Toss them in some garlic, parsley and melted butter. Mmmmmm.
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You’re right. Maybe I’ve just gotten too soft.
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Achh! *gag* Not a fan of the slugs in greenery. To offer comfort, at least the spinach was going back on the heat…which said half slug would be ….ahhh, cooked a little? Protein and all. Imagine, raw slug in a fresh garden salad…*gags once again*. Not, definitely NOT going to try the tongue numbness thing..bleurgh!
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They really are slippery little buggers. You think you’ve got them all when another appears, but I’d rather have snails than chemicals! 🙂
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We had earwigs in everything this year, and my do they move about the worktop! I am always a bit sad when I find a very cold snail or slug in my salad drawer in the fridge. In fact, though you probably don’t want to hear this, most food has a certain level of insect life in it, either eggs or crushed up bits that you don’t know are there. Warming to her theme…. I read a great piece about insect eating the other day in the New Yorker which had a little film of them being cooked and served in a gourmet restaurant, cutting edge cuisine. It will be main stream food apparently as the world’s population grows. Chocolate covered ants, crunchy battered locusts… http://archives.newyorker.com/?i=2011-08-15#folio=038
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Interesting article. I’ve got lots of thoughts with this one. Yes, in western culture it does seem a bit precious not to eat these sort of critters when it’s perfectly acceptable to eat sea crustations, frog legs etc. A meat is a meat, but then how much goodness really is in a meal worm? I was surprised to read the humble grasshopper is apparently just as nutritious as beef would be.
Reminds me of Casu Marzu. Apparently the larvae once disturbed can jump quite a distance, so it’s wise to cover your eyes on eating.
I think if I was going to go down that route the critters would definitely have to be well cooked first.
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I loathe slugs. Loathe them. We have a colony at our place that likes to slime their way into the kitchen at night, suck up any juicey goodness they can find and slink out. Only they don’t slink because they leave those awful wee trail things. Loathe them x
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What a funny little post. To use the words of my husband; ‘a little extra protein won’t hurt anyone’.
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ROFL!! What a funny post and comments. I’ve eaten cooked witchetty grubs but they aren’t slimey. You can also treat a slug the same way as a leech and salt it directly or rinse in salty water and it will remove itself pretty quickly from your garden produce.
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