Categories: William “Tony” Rogers,
By William A Rogers
While walking on 125th Street one Saturday, I checked out some vendors. I became interested in a vendor providing information and products that can address pest infestations naturally.
If you are familiar with my articles, you will note that I often write about natural ways to improve health and the quality of life. I was interested and stopped to explore the products.
Daria Skeete, the vendor, owns Herbbull {www.herbbull.com}. Ms. Skeete is a retired public school teacher who taught at the former Friends Academy on W 113th Street in Harlem.
She also taught classes at the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building as an adjunct professor at BMCC. Twenty years ago, she was offered a very low-priced but very infested Harlem apartment. This started her investigation into Organic Pest Control and later caused her to form an organic pest control business.
I was very interested in her organic approach to pest control. Fortunately, I no longer have that problem, but before moving into a Harlem condominium, my family and I lived in a brownstone in Harlem on West 122nd Street. We did not have a major problem, but living in a house anywhere, you will occasionally experience bugs and mice.
My daughter was very young then, and we had a dog. So, we tried to stay away from dangerous chemically based pesticides. I know many people are not so lucky and have an ongoing battle with rodents, roaches, and sometimes bedbug infestation.
This is especially true with seniors and families in low-income housing units. What was interesting in my conversations with Ms. Skeete was her knowledge of herbs and other low-cost ways to reduce pest infestation without the use of dangerous chemicals or having to use, traps, glue bait, and even poison to kill rats.
New York has a serious rat problem; the first ever Rat Czar {Kathleen Corradi} has even been appointed to address the issue. One of the problems of using poison to address the city’s rat infestation is the death of dogs, cats, and birds.
I invited Ms. Skeete to join the Harlem Tourism Board because hotels and bed and breakfast housing often suffer from bed bug problems, especially with guests from Europe. Paris has been in the news lately concerning this issue as it must be addressed before the 2024 Olympics.
If you visit the Herbbull website, you can find tips on naturally eliminating bed bug infestation. There is even a new Herbbull Bed bug extra strength spray. Ms. Skeete says that she is semi-retired but is interested in giving workshops and consulting. According to Ms. Skeete, many herbs and plants can be used to address pest infestation naturally.
I interviewed Ms. Skeete on my Tuesday, January 16, 2024, Urbanology show on the Soul City Broadcast network. You can watch the interview on the htbharlem Facebook page.
I also invited Ms. Skeete to the next HTB membership meeting scheduled for January 24 from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. It will take place at the Harlem Renaissance Marriott Hotel at 233 West 125th Street. Send an email to harlemtourismboard@gmail.com for more details on the next meeting.
