Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[SillyChicken]

Has anyone else seen that we are losing the Right to Farm Act in Michigan??? Is this really true? Thankfully the restrictions don't apply to me at this point but this is going to affect a lot of people if it's true!!!

afraid so.

We have been discussing this for a few years. Many on here have gone to the capital to voice our concerns, one of us almost ended up in jail for it. There is another thread that also touches on this if you're interested in reading up on it.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/182280/michigan-right-to-farm-law-what-does-it-mean

 

[SillyChicken]

Do you get more beans on a pole bean than the bush type? I guess for square footage you would get more? I usually plant the blue lake bush and only had issues when the ground hog family moved in.

 

[aart]

Has anyone else seen that we are losing the Right to Farm Act in Michigan??? Is this really true? Thankfully the restrictions don't apply to me at this point but this is going to affect a lot of people if it's true!!!

@MarcyR1011 Is this a new development?
I've seen some memes lately that link to articles that are several years old.
Could you provide a direct link?

 

[uchytil]

The RTFA was a hot topic a year, or so, ago. Everyone in the country seems to have seen it in the media (imagine that). My daughter in Boston, Ma. called me and asked if I was going to have to get rid of my farm, lol. Don't get me wrong - it is a concern for some people in Michigan. What's screwy is some people don't understand why other people want to raise their own food, duh? Even if RFTA going away at some point most people will still be able to have a garden, maybe a few critters. In my defense I do not currently know, or follow, what the latest legislation is. The Michigan Small Farm site, or RaZ are probably on point with the current news.

Silly, I think bush beans produce the most, and have a finer skin, however, pole beans are fun, cool to look at the way I plant them, and easier to pick since I can stand up for the most part.

If ground squirrels are a problem I can offer a few solutions: 1. Get a few cats and let them hunt (my mole population has decreased but songbirds are targeted as well). 2. Place a few live traps near the beans. 3. You can grow them in a raised bed. 4- 2x12 any size you like. At the bottom of the bed place hardware cloth and then fill in the bed. The hardware cloth will prevent them from digging up into the bed. Surround the raised bed with 24" chicken wire as a fence. It will keep small critters out. If you make the bed rectangular you should be able to plant a row, or two, and pick directly over the fence.

Did I mention we just rescued 20 more chickens? All under a year old. This is the second time we've done this. I won't go into details, let's just say people should not get chickens that can't house them as the grow "bigger"...Chicken math is NOT our strong suit but being suckers must be!

 

[RaZ]

The RTFA is still a hot topic.
In fact, there is a meeting next Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016 of the Agriculture Commissioners to vote on yet more changes to the GAAMPs.

Let's make it perfectly clear. The law, the actual legislative act (PA93) has not been changed. What is happening is that MDARD is creating policy to hinder any operation that is not a large commercial operation. I could go on and on about what they have been doing.
That meme going around is a piece that has been plagiarized from a few years ago. It was written by Dawn Pappel who is our newest board member on the MSFC (Michigan Small Farm Council).
I agree with John. Some people should not get chickens if they can't care for them. I got a rescue a few weeks ago from Kim. Someone dumped a silkie in the woods where she hikes. The bird is now doing well but I should think about getting a couple of Uggos that are the same size.
PS I did go to jail but I'm not allowed to talk about.

ETA: The original article was from Dawn, not this current piece going around.
Sorry that I wasn't more clear about that.

 

[MarcyR1011]

Has anyone else seen that we are losing the Right to Farm Act in Michigan??? Is this really true? Thankfully the restrictions don't apply to me at this point but this is going to affect a lot of people if it's true!!!

@MarcyR1011 Is this a new development? I've seen some memes lately that link to articles that are several years old. Could you provide a direct link?

Hi Aart! Someone just posted this to my Facebook wall but on the Michigan Eight To Farm thread people are saying it's true. A Coworker said she saw it on the news... So I don't know. Hoping it's not true so thought I'd ask!

 

[MarcyR1011]

I'm not seeing anything current in it online either so I don't know if they made the changes or not...

 

[aart]

I'm not seeing anything current in it online either so I don't know if they made the changes or not...

Always best to check the links in meme's like that before reposting.......i think it's talking about an older article.

 

[snowflake]

This is the first year I've had trouble with the cold, personally. It isn't even as cold as last year! I feel like I can't get warm most of the time.

As a kid I never remember being cold. My parents had to make my sister and I come in for a warm up after hours of playing outside. So strange how things change.

sounds like you need some rice bags. simple to make tubes or pillows sewn into sections, filled with rice, heat in the microwave, nothing like it to warm you up on a cold day

 

[gladahmae]

sounds like you need some rice bags. simple to make tubes or pillows sewn into sections, filled with rice, heat in the microwave, nothing like it to warm you up on a cold day

we just use a long sock and knot the top. I love my rice socks.




Does anyone in MI (or better yet, within 40min of Frankfort/Interlochen area) have Super Blue Egglayers? I'd really like some blue egg layers this year. Looking for eggs to hatch around March I think. Or olive eggers? I have a couple of EEs but they lay regular green. I know of several people who sell the eggs, but I'd like to avoid shipping.