Homesteaders

[rancher hicks]

I am jumping on quick as this is something I am rather passionate about. Organic is fantastic, if you can use it that is great. But if you go that route, please do your research. There are a lot of growers, like us, that do believe in organic. We do not cut corners, because we believe in them. But there are also many growers that do cut corners. Often they are the larger factory farms, many of who then sell to feed store to make organic feed.
You are much better buying from a small, local conventional farmer. Then a organic farmer who then needs to ship to you. You cannot see the Organic farm, do not trust it outright. Also getting that organic label is time consuming and expensive.
We do have overseers, and inspections every year. We also must document everything extensively. But that does not mean it is always completely legitimate. Factory farms see the extra money Organic brings in and they are not stupid, even Monsanto has organic seed.
So please buy local, if you have organic that is great, but it is much truer to the cause if you just find someone near you. And please do not buy Natural, there is absolutely no over site for that. All that is required if a signature at the time of sale that the grower followed Naturals guidelines.
Sorry i will get off my soap box...

Why are you sorry?

I'm sure many of us would go the organic route but the truth is we don't have the money nor time to jump through all the hoops to Organicville. However as prices come down and folks are educated as to how and what organic is in detail we may make the switch.

I personally can't afford organic feed for my chickens. If I had other animals I wouldn't be able to afford organic feed for them either.

I do buy organic when I can afford it. Right now we have a grocery who only sells organic carrots so that's what you get. Some organic things like lemons are comparable to non organic.

I'm just a small place and don't have a business. I just want to feed my family. I sell or donate the excess. I don't think some of us even know ALL the details of what it is to go organic. Basically we just know it means no chemicals. What chemicals I don't know.

I also don't think Organicville is big enough for us to get everything we need organic. I sure wouldn't know where to look to find organic horse manure. Organic straw? Hay?

Too, as you say folks can say "It's organic" but we have no real way of knowing if it is or isn't. I'm not sure we're bold enough to check. "Oh how do I know these eggs are organic?" I should ask the guy are the farmers market? "How do I know these veggies are organic"? How can I know if there isn't a crossover between non and organic? I have a friend who thinks organic is a gimmic to charge more money for stuff.

Point? You just keep telling us what you know and we'll use that information as best we can. Seems to me it's better to be half organic in some things than not at all. Eventually we'll get there, just not in my lifetime.

Peace,

Rancher
.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

@KlopKlop@rancher hicks thank you both for the heads up on corn. Would it maybe work ok in 4×16 boxes? I gave crap drainage and lots of rocks. Last year I grew 3 rows of 10 feet in nothing but horse manure and it worked grwat. However, it was not enough. So this year I'm expanding it. Horse poo is great for corn though.

@rancher hicks we live towards the top of a hill and it's always soggy here. Last season I only watered my garden 2 times and it never dried up. That's the #2 reason I am trying raised SFG beds. #1 is a bad back and not being 15 anymore.

Is there an animal I could get as a garden pet that would eat the bugs and leave my plants? I do not want chemicals of any sort as my family will be eating the vegetables. But I also don't want to lose food to bugs.

 

[KlopKlop]

@KlopKlop @rancher hicks thank you both for the heads up on corn. Would it maybe work ok in 4×16 boxes? I gave crap drainage and lots of rocks. Last year I grew 3 rows of 10 feet in nothing but horse manure and it worked grwat. However, it was not enough. So this year I'm expanding it. Horse poo is great for corn though.

@rancher hicks we live towards the top of a hill and it's always soggy here. Last season I only watered my garden 2 times and it never dried up. That's the #2 reason I am trying raised SFG beds. #1 is a bad back and not being 15 anymore.

Is there an animal I could get as a garden pet that would eat the bugs and leave my plants? I do not want chemicals of any sort as my family will be eating the vegetables. But I also don't want to lose food to bugs.

I dont see why not. I think you only need 12" between each row and 4-6" between plants for good air flow, so you could probably shoehorn 5 rows into that bed if you tried.

If you want something to eat bugs and not your veggies, i hear guineas are the way to go. THis is just based on what i have heard, no first hand experience. The cost of that is their apparent ear splitting screams.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

Why are you sorry?

I'm sure many of us would go the organic route but the truth is we don't have the money nor time to jump through all the hoops to Organicville.  However as prices come down and folks are educated as to how and what organic is in detail we may make the switch. 

I personally can't afford organic feed for my chickens. If I had other animals I wouldn't be able to afford organic feed for them either.  

I do buy organic when I can afford it. Right now we have a grocery who only sells organic carrots so that's what you get. Some organic things like lemons are comparable to non organic. 

I'm just a small place and don't have a business. I just want to feed my family. I sell or donate the excess. I don't think some of us even know ALL the details of what it is to go organic. Basically we just know it means no chemicals. What chemicals I don't know.  

I also don't think Organicville is big enough for us to get everything we need organic. I sure wouldn't know where to look to find organic horse manure.  Organic straw? Hay? 

Too, as you say folks can say "It's organic" but we have no real way of knowing if it is or isn't.  I'm not sure we're bold enough to check.  "Oh how do I know these eggs are organic?"  I should ask the guy are the farmers market?  "How do I know these veggies are organic"?   How can I know if there isn't a crossover between non and organic?  I have a friend who thinks organic is a gimmic to charge more money for stuff. 

Point?  You just keep telling us what you know and we'll use that information as best we can. Seems to me it's better to be half organic in some things than not at all.  Eventually we'll get there, just not in my lifetime.  

Peace,

Rancher 
. 

Well I can give you a run down on the differences between Organic corn compared to Conventional, Organic Cows, ect, if you are interested. You are right at the very basic it means we grow without chemicals.

 

[RustedOak]

@KlopKlop @rancher hicks thank you both for the heads up on corn. Would it maybe work ok in 4×16 boxes? I gave crap drainage and lots of rocks. Last year I grew 3 rows of 10 feet in nothing but horse manure and it worked grwat. However, it was not enough. So this year I'm expanding it. Horse poo is great for corn though.

@rancher hicks we live towards the top of a hill and it's always soggy here. Last season I only watered my garden 2 times and it never dried up. That's the #2 reason I am trying raised SFG beds. #1 is a bad back and not being 15 anymore.

Is there an animal I could get as a garden pet that would eat the bugs and leave my plants? I do not want chemicals of any sort as my family will be eating the vegetables. But I also don't want to lose food to bugs.

I allow a few of my ducks to free range in my garden. They will nip at a plant from time to time, but their more interested in the creepy crawlies that they can find.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

I allow a few of my ducks to free range in my garden. They will nip at a plant from time to time, but their more interested in the creepy crawlies that they can find.

I was wondering if ducks would work for that.

 

[KlopKlop]

I was wondering if ducks would work for that.

I watched a YouTube video of ducks cleaning up potato bugs from a guys huge potato garden and they whole heartedly did the job but trampled most of the plants Along the way. Maybe they recovered??

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

I watched a YouTube video of ducks cleaning up potato bugs from a guys huge potato garden and they whole heartedly did the job but trampled most of the plants Along the way. Maybe they recovered??

I don't know, it is very possible. But ducks do not eat the vegetables like a chicken does, Right?

 

[KlopKlop]

I don't know, it is very possible. But ducks do not eat the vegetables like a chicken does, Right?

I had Perkins long ago and let them forage near the garden. They prefer bugs and stuff but eventually if there is nothing better they will each some. They prefer roots over greens though if I remember correctly

 

[Loc20chick]

I was wondering if ducks would work for that.

I don't know, it is very possible. But ducks do not eat the vegetables like a chicken does, Right?

I had both pekin and Muscovy and they did eat my collard greens and spinach, they also loved the pumpkin leaves but didn't touch the few squash plants I had left tomatoes and beans alone. Maybe the greens had bugs lol, they free ranged all the time and loved the garden. Got rid of them now.

I am jumping on quick as this is something I am rather passionate about. Organic is fantastic, if you can use it that is great. But if you go that route, please do your research. There are a lot of growers, like us, that do believe in organic. We do not cut corners, because we believe in them. But there are also many growers that do cut corners. Often they are the larger factory farms, many of who then sell to feed store to make organic feed.
You are much better buying from a small, local conventional farmer. Then a organic farmer who then needs to ship to you. You cannot see the Organic farm, do not trust it outright. Also getting that organic label is time consuming and expensive.
We do have overseers, and inspections every year. We also must document everything extensively. But that does not mean it is always completely legitimate. Factory farms see the extra money Organic brings in and they are not stupid, even Monsanto has organic seed.
So please buy local, if you have organic that is great, but it is much truer to the cause if you just find someone near you. And please do not buy Natural, there is absolutely no over site for that. All that is required if a signature at the time of sale that the grower followed Naturals guidelines.
Sorry i will get off my soap box...

No apologies needed we are here to learn. My local guy has signs of no spray on his farms as occasionally the county sprays for mosquitoes I gues or whatever but I always wonder since not all farms in our county are organic doesn't that defeat the purpose to some extent due to cross pollination?