Michigan - Page 3977  

Well, I for one hope that I learn enough skills to continue to grow my own food and keep my chickens and maybe one day have a pair of goats to be self sufficient. In this way, I know my food will be grown how I prefer it. My chickens will be grown and fed how I prefer them. That is how we change industry. Grow it how you want it. Pick the farms that you wish to buy from. That is the way. People... People... People... You want better for yourself and your community, then you need to start with your own back yard. Start with the choices that make you feel better about how you've spent your money. Encourage your friends to make more choices that support the type of farming that is both healthy for the enviroment and the health of the body. That would include the produce you purchase, the meat you purchase... I personally do not like Monsanto. I do not like their practices. I do not support with my purchases farms that are beholden to them. I do support local growers. I buy meat that is antibiotic/hormone free. This is worth is for me and my families life/health. I like to eat. I like to eat well. I like to eat WELL. LOL.

I can see Olives point of view. She is right on several of her points. There are few industrial farmers who are intentionally going out of their way to harm. Some honestly do not feel that they are. They are looking at the bottom line. If insecticides help the bottom dollar, they will use them... Their is less profit in organic. Why do we think organic is so much more expensive to purchase? The yield is far less. Organically grown meat... Much smaller... Healthier meat? Why yes... BUT less of it. 

Back during WW2, the gov't encouraged people to have a garden to produce produce. They were encouraged to have chickens for the eggs as well as for meat. People now, they'd rather do the Supermarket route. People on the whole wouldn't know how to grow a beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes... They wouldn't know how to grow fruit. 3 years ago, I didn't know how to do any thing. I am on a learning adventure. I had no one to teach me. Not one person in my family farms in any way shape or form. I am made fun of by family because I am learning to do this. They do not understand, and do not care where their food comes from. THEY WONT EVEN EAT WHAT I GROW! Nah, they'd just get it from the store. My first excess rooster that I had butchered, I offered to share, and I was told... no. I wanted to do turkeys...  But no body I know want to have me raise them for them. It just creeped them out. They'd rather get it from the store. And because of THAT menality, Farmers are going to meet that demand. It is their job. And they are doing the best that they can to produce the quantity that is need to feed Americans, as well as other nations who can not produce enough food on their own soil. 

So, all in all, you want better food for you bodies, grow it yourself, or buy from those who do grow/produce in a manner you approve. This is just my opinion.

That was well said Nova!

I wish you much success in your backyard farming!

Quote:

Originally Posted by BackyardFarmMom 

By the way... Smart ***!

 

Eh better a smart triple asterisk than a dumb triple asterisk.

(yes, I realize this was even more triple asterisky)

Quote:

Originally Posted by NovaAman 

Back during WW2, the gov't encouraged people to have a garden to produce produce. They were encouraged to have chickens for the eggs as well as for meat. [they were also encourage to raise rabbits] People now, they'd rather do the Supermarket route. People on the whole wouldn't know how to grow a beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes... They wouldn't know how to grow fruit. want to have me raise them for them. It just creeped them out. They'd rather get it from the store. And because of THAT menality, Farmers are going to meet that demand. It is their job. And they are doing the best that they can to produce the quantity that is need to feed Americans, as well as other nations who can not produce enough food on their own soil. 

 

So, all in all, you want better food for you bodies, grow it yourself, or buy from those who do grow/produce in a manner you approve. This is just my opinion.

The problem though, is that big Farma, is producing so much that even though there are many  that go hungry in this country [as well as other industrialized nations],  we are also providing so much food that as a nation, we are "obese".

When it's easy to just go to the store and buy it, and we have disposable income, we don't even stop and think. We eat well, too well most of the time..

So, if we raise our own, we are learning, and we raise quality food, and eat less of it. We pay attention to it.

I used to scoff at organic (himself still does), but now it's what I buy. I eat less, because the flavour of the food satiates the appetite better than the tasteless stuff from supermarkets.  I finally bought meat yesterday (we eat our own rabbit, chicken, ducks, goats porc), an organic turkey. It was nice, but stll not the quality we could grow ourselves.

I firmlyam of the belief that one of the reasons we are a "fat" nation, is that the food is now "cardboard" and we eat and eat, trying to satisfy a hunger that our food does not come close to satisfying.

But we do still need big Farma - there are hungry peoples who can not do what so many of us are lucky enough to do. They don't have the tools, education or resources to raise their own.

I feel lucky and privileged [and I'm losing weight!]

We are fortunate if we have the land to grow things and keep animals.

In Hawaii there are areas where things won't grow well because of the lack of SOIL. The ground is lava and they struggle to create topsoil. 

Also, the sulfer dioxide there and volcanic ash can cause trouble with gardens.

In Los Angeles we were a mile from the ocean and it was often very wet and foggy.  We struggled with mildew.

That is why I enjoy Michigan so much. Things really grow well in this state.

Hawaii was a better setting for the animals. Less disease and less predators.  I find it hard to keep chickens here in Michigan. The Winter is hard on the chickens and me also.

I would do rabbit... but I am so allergic to their fur.... Oh, but it tastes so yuuuuuumy... Nice brace of coneys on the grill... Oh yeah. LOL

COYOTE!!!

Bugger was in my front yard... 15 feet from my house and ME!!  He was a HUGE one too!  Wish I had my pistol handy but I was unloading food from the car.... 

Quote:

Originally Posted by SillyChicken 

COYOTE!!!

 

Bugger was in my front yard... 15 feet from my house and ME!!  He was a HUGE one too!  Wish I had my pistol handy but I was unloading food from the car.... 

Put on your best Sunday clothes and then blast him like Taprock did!  

Quote:

Originally Posted by chicken grandma 

We are fortunate if we have the land to grow things and keep animals.

 

In Hawaii there are areas where things won't grow well because of the lack of SOIL. The ground is lava and they struggle to create topsoil. 

Also, the sulfer dioxide there and volcanic ash can cause trouble with gardens.

 

In Los Angeles we were a mile from the ocean and it was often very wet and foggy.  We struggled with mildew.

That is why I enjoy Michigan so much. Things really grow well in this state.

 

Hawaii was a better setting for the animals. Less disease and less predators.  I find it hard to keep chickens here in Michigan. The Winter is hard on the chickens and me also.

 

 

You really don't need a lot of land to grow enough for your own use. You can grow a lot of stuff in pots, even potatoes in a garbage can. Some people call it square foot gardening. You can also compost in a 5 gallon bucket to improve your soils. 

There was an article recently in the Detroit paper about people in the city turning vacant lots into gardens. Technically most of the people are doing it illegally. Same goes for keeping chickens or rabbits. 

I think this year I just might plant a row or 2 of sweet corn right along the property line of the crabby neigbhor, just to challenge the "weed" ordinance.