Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[snowflake]

love the heat pad, nifty idea
bracing for another storm, the last one missed us hope this one does to.

Raz, how did that meeting go?

 

[PDPercherons]

Really dislike when you end up with mystery dead birds. Feeling strongly it's a raccoon. Going over 8ft stall walls. So I set up hot fence. Hot enough it'll jolt your heart for you. I think a raccoon wouldnt care for that. Darn critters. Of course one would have to be my Speckled hen. Finally got together a nice trio as I'd planned to start hatching eggs soon, but nooo.

 

[bigmrg74]

Really dislike when you end up with mystery dead birds. Feeling strongly it's a raccoon. Going over 8ft stall walls. So I set up hot fence. Hot enough it'll jolt your heart for you. I think a raccoon wouldnt care for that. Darn critters. Of course one would have to be my Speckled hen. Finally got together a nice trio as I'd planned to start hatching eggs soon, but nooo.

Live traps and marshmellows works well in catching those suckers.

 

[Stacykins]

Ack!!! just had 2 no shows on me today here at work.

Bored and looking to be a bad influence on the Boss's wife.

She has ideas of becoming a farmer with goats and chickens and a garden and Boss has been kinda negative about it. Thinking about their place and their schedule a coop inside of a run would probably work out the best for them. Maybe set up some chicken tunnels for around the garden. Just gotta figure out how I'm going to drop those hints off for Chris to start to plan that out.

All she needs is a fieldtrip to a farm with young baby goats around, and the bossman will likely give in to his wife, hah. All them tiny snuggly kissyfaced baby goats are irresistible! Can you tell I'm excited for kidding time? First doe is due April 22nd

 

[chickflick]

CrAzY ChIcKeN RaNcH is now taking orders for started pullets. Find them on facebook, or google. Great people.

 

[bigmrg74]

All she needs is a fieldtrip to a farm with young baby goats around, and the bossman will likely give in to his wife, hah. All them tiny snuggly kissyfaced baby goats are irresistible! Can you tell I'm excited for kidding time? First doe is due April 22nd

would just have to just find her a goat farm for those two to go to for that.

 

[Living the Simple Life]

Quote:
We use cattle panel/hoop houses for lots of stuff.....turkey pen, meat bird pen, hay & grain storage (inside old freezer), straw storage. We also used them in the garden for our vining squash, pumpkins, zucchini, etc. Love cattle panels!! As for the greenhouse aspect, Eliot Coleman is my go-to for winter gardening in hoop houses. Also if you do a google search for greenhouse or hoop house gardening or growing (as opposed to cattle panel) you may have better results. Just a thought.

 

[Living the Simple Life]

Quote:
We use cattle panel/hoop houses for lots of stuff.....turkey pen, meat bird pen, hay & grain storage (inside old freezer), straw storage. We also used them in the garden for our vining squash, pumpkins, zucchini, etc. Love cattle panels!! As for the greenhouse aspect, Eliot Coleman is my go-to for winter gardening in hoop houses. Also if you do a google search for greenhouse or hoop house gardening or growing (as opposed to cattle panel) you may have better results. Just a thought.

 

[Candy442]

So I'm planning and planning and planning for my garden this year. Has anyone USED a cattle panel greenhouse? I'm having a horrible time finding any information about the actual USAGE of them. I can find eleventy seven and nine how-tos of making them, but almost NOTHING on the everyday practicalities. I'm not trying to grow year round. I'm not trying to grow tomatoes in February. All I'd like is to be able to get stuff started in late march/early april instead of late april/early may. I have priced just about everything out, and I think we can make a 7x8ish one on skids for under $150, but if I can't find any good info on USING one, I will probably just skip it and see if I can get DH to make some cold-frames against the south-facing side of the house.

We have a cattle panel hoop house. All we need to do is cover it with 6ml plastic and it becomes a "greenhouse". From there, its a matter of reading about how to grow stuff in a "greenhouse".

http://www.motherearthnews.com/orga...-growing-cultivation-zmaz11zsto.aspx?PageId=1

 

[RaZ]

So the meeting went pretty much as expected. There were three GAAMPs that were changed.

• Manure Management
• Nutrient Utilization
• Site Selection and Odor Control

The committee chairs were there for manure and nutrient. Commissioner Dru Montri questioned them about including small farmers on committees. Neither could provide any kind of answer. It was pointed out that these committees meet a few times a year and they are not subject to the Open Meetings Act per Brad Deacon, MDARD attorney director. When asked about transparency, Director Clover Adams said that the meeting where commissioners vote is good enough for transparency. She claims that the public input meeting is done as a courtesy. Mr. Deacon said that the public meeting were expensive, $5000 - $10,000 per meeting. MDARD is reluctant to spend money on them.

When asked why small farmers are not included on the committees, Director Adams said that the committees are for industrial professions and not the common person. (In other words, us ignorant peasants.) Commissioner Wolcott said that if we wanted to be heard then join a larger group like the pork producers or the Farm Bureau.

After a bit of discussion between the commissioners and the MDARD presenters, a few "typos" and "housekeeping issues" were cleaned up. The changes were approved by all commissioners. The actual wording of the GAAMP is unknown at this time. What was presented and commented on in November 2015 was revised with no public comment or oversight. The November draft had a paragraph that would allow for the DNR and DEQ to determine that some animals could be excluded from RTF. As far as I can tell, this provision was removed. We will have to wait until the 2016 GAAMPs are approved before we know for sure.

Also of note is that the definition of animals has changed. The term "farm animal" is being replaced with "livestock". This is sure to blur the intent of the legislative act (PA93 as amended) which uses the term "farm animal".

SUMMARY:
GAAMP changes were all approved.
The local authorities still get to determine what you can do on your own homestead.


OPINION:
MDARD continues to disdain the small farmer.
The small farmer, hobbyist or backyarder is not to be considered when drafting policy.
If we want to be heard, we are being told to join a big industrial group like the Farm Bureau or one of the commodity producers.

On a positive note, Commissioner Montri has championed for the small farm operators. She mentioned the MSFC several times. I hope that she will not be overwhelmed by the hubris of MDARD.