Hello Paul, thanks for your post and I like hearing of your changing approach. Yes I do think that machines work the soil hard.
The mesh I use is here and the 1.3mm square mesh does not let butterflies through – some sellers even claim that 5mm does not let them in but I am unsure of that.
For four foot beds, it depends how high your crop will be but mostly I find that a 3.6m wide mesh is enough to allow for the crop height e.g. cabbages. Not Brussels.
For talks it depends on travelling time, I may be able to.
