I've noticed in the corn fields around here that there aren't any other plants growing other than the corn. None. The plants near the edges are usually brown and dying. It's creepy.
Feeding Organic?
- Thread starter wanttobefarmer
- Start date
I was feeding organic to all our birds (chickens, turkeys, guineas) but unfortunately the farm I was getting it from was flooded from Lee. The next closest place is about 2 hours away (although my horse trimmer & I may go in on getting a ton at a time) so for now they are back on regular grain (blue seal). It did make a major difference in my Cuckoo Maran hen that has seizures - she hasn't had one since starting organic! Her and my porcelain D'Uclle (sp?) bantam (she's 90% blind) stay in the house in their own room & Hope (Cuckoo) has diapers to wear. So those two will def. stay on organic one way or another. Our birds free range anyway so that helps out quite a bit. I hated to put them back on regular (the organic smelled sooo good & fresh) but don't have a choice at the moment. I'd love to put all our critters on organic but at least they are fed/kept as natural as possible for now.
- Oct 4, 2011
- 58
- 4
- 48
Well said!
Quote:
The term organic refers to a farm itself working as an actual organism; the crops feeding the livestock, the livestock fertilizing the crops, everything working in symbiosis, as nature intended.
It involves natural practices that do not make use of GMOs and synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides on crops. It is not the absence of of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides as there are many natural alternatives that may be used.
For livestock, it means feeding those organically produced crops. Vaccines and vitamins are permissible. Vaccines are natural biologicals, vitamins can be natural. Synthetic or highly processed sources of vitamins are not allowed. Synthetic medicines and antibiotics are not allowed. Homeopathic remedies are allowed, as long they come from natural sources.
Humane standards are a little higher, e.g., animals must have access to the outdoors, age and weather permitting. Hens are not allowed to be kept in cages. Animals must be allowed to express their natural behaviors.
Quote:
The term organic refers to a farm itself working as an actual organism; the crops feeding the livestock, the livestock fertilizing the crops, everything working in symbiosis, as nature intended.
It involves natural practices that do not make use of GMOs and synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides on crops. It is not the absence of of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides as there are many natural alternatives that may be used.
For livestock, it means feeding those organically produced crops. Vaccines and vitamins are permissible. Vaccines are natural biologicals, vitamins can be natural. Synthetic or highly processed sources of vitamins are not allowed. Synthetic medicines and antibiotics are not allowed. Homeopathic remedies are allowed, as long they come from natural sources.
Humane standards are a little higher, e.g., animals must have access to the outdoors, age and weather permitting. Hens are not allowed to be kept in cages. Animals must be allowed to express their natural behaviors.
Quote:
I have talked to some farmers around me and all they care about is getting the highest yield out of the field. They think GMO is great stuff and organic is just a waste of time.
I am a farmer, we do it for a living. We don't have seperate jobs in the city that provide an extra income if the crops don't grow. If we don't grow a crop, we don't make a living.
Chemical and fertilizer is expensive, we don't spray it if we don't have to. Round Up (which is technically a chemical called glyphosate) is actually one of the safer chemicals out there. It neutralizes as soon as it hits the ground. There are MANY other chemicals that farmers could be using that are much more dangerous then Round Up.
We grow GMO crops, not everything we grow is GMO, but some of it. GMOs provide better yeilds in a shorter growing season (which is very important here as we live in a colder climate)
It all comes down to money really. Organic farming doesn't bring in the money nessesary to support a large farm.
I have talked to some farmers around me and all they care about is getting the highest yield out of the field. They think GMO is great stuff and organic is just a waste of time.
I am a farmer, we do it for a living. We don't have seperate jobs in the city that provide an extra income if the crops don't grow. If we don't grow a crop, we don't make a living.
Chemical and fertilizer is expensive, we don't spray it if we don't have to. Round Up (which is technically a chemical called glyphosate) is actually one of the safer chemicals out there. It neutralizes as soon as it hits the ground. There are MANY other chemicals that farmers could be using that are much more dangerous then Round Up.
We grow GMO crops, not everything we grow is GMO, but some of it. GMOs provide better yeilds in a shorter growing season (which is very important here as we live in a colder climate)
It all comes down to money really. Organic farming doesn't bring in the money nessesary to support a large farm.
Last edited by a moderator:
Quote:
I have talked to some farmers around me and all they care about is getting the highest yield out of the field. They think GMO is great stuff and organic is just a waste of time.
I am a farmer, we do it for a living. We don't have seperate jobs in the city that provide an extra income if the crops don't grow. If we don't grow a crop, we don't make a living.
Chemical and fertilizer is expensive, we don't spray it if we don't have to. Round Up (which is technically a chemical called glyphosate) is actually one of the safer chemicals out there. It neutralizes as soon as it hits the ground. There are MANY other chemicals that farmers could be using that are much more dangerous then Round Up.
We grow GMO crops, not everything we grow is GMO, but some of it. GMOs provide better yeilds in a shorter growing season (which is very important here as we live in a colder climate)
It all comes down to money really. Organic farming doesn't bring in the money nessesary to support a large farm.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/31/us-glyphosate-pollution-idUSTRE77U61720110831
I adore farmers, because I would starve without you. Thank you for your service to our wonderful country!!!
But they have found that Roundup does not go away as advertised.
I have talked to some farmers around me and all they care about is getting the highest yield out of the field. They think GMO is great stuff and organic is just a waste of time.
I am a farmer, we do it for a living. We don't have seperate jobs in the city that provide an extra income if the crops don't grow. If we don't grow a crop, we don't make a living.
Chemical and fertilizer is expensive, we don't spray it if we don't have to. Round Up (which is technically a chemical called glyphosate) is actually one of the safer chemicals out there. It neutralizes as soon as it hits the ground. There are MANY other chemicals that farmers could be using that are much more dangerous then Round Up.
We grow GMO crops, not everything we grow is GMO, but some of it. GMOs provide better yeilds in a shorter growing season (which is very important here as we live in a colder climate)
It all comes down to money really. Organic farming doesn't bring in the money nessesary to support a large farm.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/31/us-glyphosate-pollution-idUSTRE77U61720110831
I adore farmers, because I would starve without you. Thank you for your service to our wonderful country!!!
But they have found that Roundup does not go away as advertised.
Last edited by a moderator:
Quote:
Can you post the mix or mixes that you make? Or if not, I'd love it you could pm me with them.
Can you post the mix or mixes that you make? Or if not, I'd love it you could pm me with them.
AlienChick
Crowing
I've been feeding organic Blue Seal because it happens to be the same price as the non-organic.
However, now that I'm moving, there are no Blue Seal dealers within 100 miles.
I'll look into whether or not any organic feed is available in the new location; but if it's way more expensive, I'll just feed a good feed at a reasonable price.
However, now that I'm moving, there are no Blue Seal dealers within 100 miles.
I'll look into whether or not any organic feed is available in the new location; but if it's way more expensive, I'll just feed a good feed at a reasonable price.
Among other bad things that GMO soy and corn have caused, it is causing a loss of milkweed which is decimating the Monarch population. It's small things like this that will begin to bite us in the next 20 years. How many animal species will we lose due to round-ready crops?
Quote:
Actually, you don't have to go GMO just for better yield in a shorter climate. We have around the shortest, lamest climate there is for growing things and no GMO variety can beat the non-GMO varieties when it comes to that. In fact, the corn we grow that does best here is actually an ancient Mexican variety originating from Oaxaca. Our other heat-demanding things we don't grow in a greenhouse, or even ones in a greenhouse - Not modified.
GMO's were mainly built for resistance (chemicals, insects, fungi, viruses), not climate. Climate is where the breeding varieties comes into play.
If we grew GMO corn here, it would hate our short climate, lack of heat, and excess cloudy, rainy days. If we grew GMO Bananas like in Africa instead of our own, they would hate the high humidity and less sun provided in the greenhouse, plus, the modification done to them is for a disease we don't get here.
ETA - The decimation of Monarchs is not all
That's only told in the news because it is all people care about. I wouldn't doubt thousands of species of beetles, moths, sawflies, etc already disappearing now but sadly people don't care. It's not a pretty butterfly.
Actually, you don't have to go GMO just for better yield in a shorter climate. We have around the shortest, lamest climate there is for growing things and no GMO variety can beat the non-GMO varieties when it comes to that. In fact, the corn we grow that does best here is actually an ancient Mexican variety originating from Oaxaca. Our other heat-demanding things we don't grow in a greenhouse, or even ones in a greenhouse - Not modified.
GMO's were mainly built for resistance (chemicals, insects, fungi, viruses), not climate. Climate is where the breeding varieties comes into play.
If we grew GMO corn here, it would hate our short climate, lack of heat, and excess cloudy, rainy days. If we grew GMO Bananas like in Africa instead of our own, they would hate the high humidity and less sun provided in the greenhouse, plus, the modification done to them is for a disease we don't get here.
ETA - The decimation of Monarchs is not all
Last edited:
Quote:
If you buy a feed from a company that tests their grain, there will be very little GMO. Can't say none since the pollen blows around. It all depends what you want.
If you buy a feed from a company that tests their grain, there will be very little GMO. Can't say none since the pollen blows around. It all depends what you want.
Similar threads
New posts New threads Active threads
-
Latest threads
-
-
-
-
Pecked eye treatment- Started by HensInTheForest
- Replies: 0
-
-
-
Threads with more replies in the last 15 days
-
-
-
-
Open Contest BYC's 4th of July Star Spangled Hatch-Along—Stars, Stripes, & Feathers, a Text-to-Image Contest- Started by Debbie292d
- Replies: 89
-
-
