EZ Plucker 131 works GREAT!

[backintime]

So what about seeds then? I am planning a decent sized garden for next year and I will need seeds. Is this a concern with the seed companies? I don't have room to grow my own meats - but I do support the local farmer at the All Local Farmer's markets in my area. Everything just tastes better IMO. If I ever do get a farm (when I should say) I would like to get into meat birds. I usually don't eat the skin - so I would probably just skin the darn things instead of worrying about plucking.

I have a friend who skins all his chickens. If I didn't want the skin, I surely would do this.

This past winter when I had a knee-high stack of seed catalogs sitting by my armchair, I started emailing all the seed companies to ask about GMO seeds. I was pleasantly surprised when Burpee and Jung Seeds both wrote and assured me they do not sell GMO seeds. Gurneys wrote me, "Thank you for your email. Our GMO policy is, we will not knowingly sell genetically modified seed until reproducible, independent, statistical testing proves the seed to be safe. If and when that ever occurs we will indicate in the catalog copy stating that this variety may or may not be genetically modified." Other answers I got suggested that GMO seed is marketed directly to farmers, not small "home garden" consumers.

The other thing you can do is buy only heirloom varieties, which have never been hybridized in any way. I got all my seeds from a new source this year - Victory Seeds - and was really pleased with their low prices and the generous amount of seed in each packet. They sell only heirloom seeds. Their website also estimates the number of seeds in each packet, which helped me judge how many to buy. Shipping was really cheap too, about $5 for $60 worth of seeds.

Hope this helps.

 

[furbabymum]

I just wanted to point out to ya'll that there are a lot of reasons people are larger now. This includes better nutition, health care, etc. You're using an awfully big brush if you're blaming everything on GMO is all I'm saying.

 

[backintime]

Quote:

I just wanted to point out to ya'll that there are a lot of reasons people are larger now. This includes better nutition, health care, etc. You're using an awfully big brush if you're blaming everything on GMO is all I'm saying.

Furbabymum (I just LOVE that name!!!) I surely agree that many factors contribute to our size. Not the least of which is affluence which many of our parents and grandparents did not enjoy.

But eating meat (or drinking milk from animals) infused with growth hormones must surely be at least a partial factor. That's not even genetic modification, it's just injections of growth hormones by syringe. It can't possibly just "disappear" from the muscle tissue just because the animal dies.

If you take medications or drugs, they can be detected in your urine. Breastfeeding mothers are told to avoid drinking alcohol or taking medications as they would pass through the milk to her baby. So it would be logical to assume that drugs and medications would remain in cows' milk, including the growth hormones. Even a small amount could be very significant if "taken" over a lifetime.

How much of a growth hormone tablet would you take every day if you had a vial of them sitting on the table? Would you be willing to eat a tenth of a tablet, or a twentieth, or a few grains, every single day?

P.S. I just love how all the threads on this forum wind their way around so many topics. It's like having a good kitchen table discussion with friends and family.

 

[Yukonchick]

True, we don't really know but they were putting alot of growth hormones in cattle and poultry feed for some time. I believe thats discontinued now.

 

[furbabymum]

Quote:


Furbabymum (I just LOVE that name!!!) I surely agree that many factors contribute to our size. Not the least of which is affluence which many of our parents and grandparents did not enjoy.

But eating meat (or drinking milk from animals) infused with growth hormones must surely be at least a partial factor. That's not even genetic modification, it's just injections of growth hormones by syringe. It can't possibly just "disappear" from the muscle tissue just because the animal dies.

If you take medications or drugs, they can be detected in your urine. Breastfeeding mothers are told to avoid drinking alcohol or taking medications as they would pass through the milk to her baby. So it would be logical to assume that drugs and medications would remain in cows' milk, including the growth hormones. Even a small amount could be very significant if "taken" over a lifetime.

How much of a growth hormone tablet would you take every day if you had a vial of them sitting on the table? Would you be willing to eat a tenth of a tablet, or a twentieth, or a few grains, every single day?

P.S. I just love how all the threads on this forum wind their way around so many topics. It's like having a good kitchen table discussion with friends and family.

So long as hormone use was stopped appropriately before milking I do not believe it would be found in the milk. At least I know a lot about human drug and alcohol processing. I do agree that it probably stays in the meat. We have our own cows so we've been spoiled this last year with fresh meat. My family has worked in the beef ranching business a bit so I don't think all grocery store meat is evil. Feed lots are but not all. I don't know. Perception I suppose. I'm not really an organic buyer but we are fairly "off the grid" in our own food supply.

 

[backintime]

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Factsheets/Beef_from_Farm_to_Table/index.asp#3

True, we don't really know but they were putting alot of growth hormones in cattle and poultry feed for some time. I believe thats discontinued now.

Here is a link to the USDA website regarding hormones allowed in beef. Not sure which ones are growth hormones and which ones relate to controlling estrus, but maybe someone out there knows:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Factsheets/Beef_from_Farm_to_Table/index.asp#3

I think we all can find feed at local feed stores without growth hormones for our home-raised flocks and herds; it's just that beef raised in feedlots that ends up in our grocery stores (USDA inspected) has surely been raised with growth hormones. A lot of brands of packaged chicken in the store now have "raised without added hormones" on the labels. I haven't seen any beef with this claim on the package, have you all? But I haven't shopped for beef in awhile; we buy it from a local farmer that we know.

I'm not utterly SPASTIC about the GMO and hormone thing; I still eat at restaurants on occasion, and I eat whatever is served to me at friends' and families' houses without comment or undue worry. It's just something I wish to limit whenever possible. And I try to increase awareness whenever possible, because many folks still don't question the safety of the foods available at the grocery store; they have always trusted government agencies to ensure food safety.

 

[T-traveler]

I just got an EZ-151 and I'm wondering if anyone knows a relatively easy way to remove the protective coating from the tub and stand. Also, is there a fairly easy way to remove the fingers?

 

[jenvoris]

We are gearing up to raise meat birds, mostly chickens and a few turkeys. I want to purchase a plucker that can handle both. Anybody have a unit that works for both?

Thanks for your help.