Massive incoming grain and food shortages

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Maybe it's about time the farmers in the dust bowl actually farm instead of being paid by the government not to.

What?

 

[raingarden]

Be careful, I had been using purina, and got almost 20 bags of rotten feed. Like, not feed that had rotted in the bag, but that was made with moldy/spoiled ingredients.

How do we tell the difference between feed that molded in the bag versus feed made with moldy ingredients?

 

[The Moonshiner]

Maybe it's about time the farmers in the dust bowl actually farm instead of being paid by the government not to.

Absolutely
We have too many sitting vacant farms here.

 

[Tervuren]

Absolutely
We have too many sitting vacant farms here.

Too many farms being turned into housing developments here.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Too many farms being turned into housing developments here.

That's even worse.
It's a shame here. You can drive the back roads and see so many vacant places. Beautiful old farm houses with large barns and all kinds of outbuildings just setting.
I guess once they quit working the fields they decide to move closer to civilization.

 

[AGeese]

They're destroying 100 year old farm houses when the farmers die or retire and none of their kids want to carry on the tradition so that real-estate developers can cash in on economic expansionism. Because it's all about that infinite growth (ask your local representatives about that)

The farmers getting paid for CRP are actually doing a service by preventing some of this as well as maintaining a balancing in the environment for species of both flora and fauna.

That said anyone beyond a homesteader is probably exporting to China. Hell I can't even get corn grown in Iowa and I live here. I have wait once a year for the family farmers to have their sweet corn festivals or go to the farmers market because everything at the grocery store is from another state.

So it's a little more complicated than just getting paid to do nothing.

 

[DonyaQuick]

How do we tell the difference between feed that molded in the bag versus feed made with moldy ingredients?

This may or may not be what Opiumbrella saw, but I have seen two types of "bad" feed and am now wondering if one was the bad ingredients type. The molded-in-open-bag feed i've seen looks fine at the start and then eventually shows clumps that have fuzzy patches or a grayish color if you break them apart. The other thing I've seen though is pellets that are bone dry with no clumping or fuzz, but there is a mix of normal-colored ones and those that have some of that already have that greenish-gray color when the bag is first opened - although that color doesn't seem to spread to the ok-looking pellets. My chickens still ate this second type but hated it, whereas the first type they'd completely refuse (usually right before I found a moldy clump).

 

[JENR5514]

So we’re globally in a bad way in terms of grain and food supplies and it is only getting worse.
Been preparing for not being able to buy feed and thought some people may like to know what that looks like.
First I have set up several bsfl breeding tubs, as those are a great source of food.
Planting things like nasturtium, and cucumbers and other grazing foods for the summer, like love lies bleeding, and other major seed producers.
I’m planting millet, and will harvest that too use during the winter, as well as drying fruits and veggies to rehydrate, for them also. I’ve set up an area I can grow spinach and kale type plants all year round as well for calcium. I’m growing peanuts and black oil sunflowers for the cold months as well.
I’ve stocked up on oyster shell so that I have some calcium supplementation to offer as well. And have been stocking up on things like antibiotics/anti fungal/anti parasitic and first aid supplies for the livestock just in case. And am growing and harvesting medicinal herbs like oregano, yarrow, devils claw, calendula, marigold, etc.
Is there anyone else worrying/watching what is happening, and do you have any suggestions On keeping a healthy flock in times of crisis?

Wow...I'd not thought of that. We're just starting out w new chicks/brand new flock in early June. I have a lot of those things on my list to grow in the garden this year ..now I think I'll add a few more!

 

[BlueBaby]

Too many farms being turned into housing developments here.

Same over here. I don't know where they are going to get enough water to supply all of these new resident's that are in the plan. Even the farmer's had to drill deeper for water a couple of year's ago or so.

 

[Birdielee]

Chicken preppers. When armageddon comes I'm eating the chickens before they can eat me.

Funny.
(Thiis is birdielee, just not signed in.)