Organic and Economy

[j.luetkemeyer]

Quote:
Here is a link with some ideas..

http://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech/...scussion-forum-archives/archive/msg00795.html

I've also read that star thistle is a potassium accumulator. Most of the information I'm finding deals with it on a smaller level. How much of your pasture contains star thistle?

 

[Bossroo]

j.luetkemeyer :

Quote:
Here is a link with some ideas..http://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech/...sion-forum-archives/archive/msg00795.htmlI've also read that star thistle is a potassium accumulator. Most of the information I'm finding deals with it on a smaller level. How much of your pasture contains star thistle?

There are now quite a few areas with this horrendous pest species with varying number of plants. You deinately don't want to let it spread. For one thing: it destroys an area of the horse's brain about the size of the errasor of a pensil. When this happens the horse looses control of it's lower jaw totally and slowly starves to death. There is NO CURE. In California , you can't burn any fields or any parts of it. When pulling the plant or discing, part of the root breaks off and will regrow. if you cut it above ground level , it regrows with more seedheads at even ground level.. The only real solution is generous annual spraying with herbisides such as Roundup* (or now several other companies sell it as the patent has run out at far cheaper prices) prior to flower stage. Spot treat as soon as you see new plants. I have been doing this for 2 years now with some success, however they show up in new areas now as the wild birds poop seed in new areas and reseed them.​

 

[me&thegals]

Quote:
Well said! Generalizing is just too easy and lazy

 

[Brunty_Farms]

me&thegals :

Quote:
Well said! Generalizing is just too easy and lazy

I've tried to make it clear as possible that I'm not against all organic farmers. Their overall goal is the same as mine. But for these companies that take full advantage of these loopholes, I have no respect for. I think the government that sets these regulations is a joke... not the organics themselves. (sorry if I said that differently somewhere else). There needs to be clear distinctions between the regulations of organics in poultry. Until the USDA does this I can't see eye to eye with them. There is just too much grey area and way too many loopholes.


Will,

Yeah I couldn't even imagine smelling that. It would be completely and utterly disgusting.​

 

[chickenannie]

Brunty,
Where DID you get that awesome pic of the green-roof chicken house with the layer hens in the pasture with the dog? What an awesome farm that must be! I'd love to know where that is.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

I got the picture on-line a while back. I'm not sure where it's at but all of their houses are like this.

What a way to stay green right?

 

[j.luetkemeyer]

Quote:
Here is a link with some ideas..http://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech/...sion-forum-archives/archive/msg00795.htmlI've also read that star thistle is a potassium accumulator. Most of the information I'm finding deals with it on a smaller level. How much of your pasture contains star thistle?

There are now quite a few areas with this horrendous pest species with varying number of plants. You deinately don't want to let it spread. For one thing: it destroys an area of the horse's brain about the size of the errasor of a pensil. When this happens the horse looses control of it's lower jaw totally and slowly starves to death. There is NO CURE. In California , you can't burn any fields or any parts of it. When pulling the plant or discing, part of the root breaks off and will regrow. if you cut it above ground level , it regrows with more seedheads at even ground level.. The only real solution is generous annual spraying with herbisides such as Roundup* (or now several other companies sell it as the patent has run out at far cheaper prices) prior to flower stage. Spot treat as soon as you see new plants. I have been doing this for 2 years now with some success, however they show up in new areas now as the wild birds poop seed in new areas and reseed them.

In the smaller areas you can use several layers of cardboard and straw to mulch over the area. This will kill everything under it. It also helps bury any seed left deeper into the ground by adding layers on top. You then plant this sheet mulch with whatever you want. Star thistle is high in potassium so that will help other plants thrive. Just an idea for the small areas. Goats may be another option. I'm not sure if thistle hurts them but they are pretty good at destroying plants in general.

 

[Bossroo]

Cardboard, newspaper or even tarps are not an option. As a general rule, horses will pull them up and play with them carrying them all over the pastures. They will also paw them up and then they will be blown all over by our daily winds. Here in Cal.. litering is punishable by a heavy fine and possible jail time as our ranch is right next to a state 2 lane highway leading to mountain lakes and ski resorts. The highway patrol officers park on the shoulders here to nab speeders. Goats are coyote bait.

 

[Bossroo]

Do you remember the "Periodic Table of the Elements" from your High School chemistry class? It identifies the only particles of matter that exists on this earth. From these , Nature created millions of non living mineral firmament and living creatures . If any original matter can combine to form any inorganic or organic molecule , it probably has over the vast amount of time that this universe, and more specifically this planet, has been in existance. Man is only a late commer and only very recently discovered how to consentrate certain chemical elements and organic compounds to help him survive more favorably, nothing more. Man can not create anything. He can only combine only those particles of matter that will only combine by the laws of Nature. Living organisms have developed far more effective poisons,pesticides, herbisides, and defence and survival methods that mere man hasn't even come close to understanding let alone, copying. So, what is "organic" other than a label for a nostalgic simple lifestyle of the past that some are advocating to market their products produced in a disadvantaged manner that is less efficient in the use of extra steps for the input of raw materials and more costly in time and labor than other more modern methods , and certifications all in the name of being "more healthy"?.

 

[j.luetkemeyer]

Many of these compounds have been specifically created to harm the human body. Many of these compounds have also been created without testing to see if they would have harmful affects on the human body. What they are doing is giving us a poisonous berry and telling us it isn't poison. Even natural elements can be toxic to our body. I agree with the point regarding certified organic. Certified organic is nothing unless the method of approach is one that mimics natural processes. In other words some people meet organic standards because they practice healthy methods of growing and raising food. Others look at the standards necessary just to be able to get the premium of the label. You can argue both sides of the table all day, but what it really comes down to is do you know how the foods your eating have been grown and raised. I tell my customers that my methods of growing and raising food far exceed organic standards because I only utilize what nature provides and I mimic natural processes and relationships. I also invite them to my farm to explain and show them my methods of approach.