organic scratch & peck vs. purina

[ReikiStar]

Quote:
Unfortunately, that is not true. The Environmental Working Group has bumped apples up to the #1 spot on the Dirty Dozen this year because even after washing and peeling apples 98% of them still are contaminated with pesticides.

I don't believe everything the EWG says (they are a watchdog group) but I have read in a lot of places that certain foods hold pesticides worse, especially apples. Apples are the only fruit my kids really like (2 of the 3 like bananas too) and I haven't seen organic apples around here (we live out in the sticks).

What's wrong with a watch dog group? Someone who isn't receiving funds from the same sources as the group they are watching isn't necessarily worthless. In many respects, they might actually be more legitimate.

A side note about bananas & the future of agriculture: The most widely produced type of banana is the Cavendish. Because we've lost so much diversity in the crops we produce, they are predicting the Cavendish will be wiped out within 10 years as there is a disease that is wiping it out all around the world and they expect it to reach South America in the next few years. As of yet, they have not been able to find a way to stop this new disease that no doubt became out of control because pesticides have killed off any competing bacterias and the Cavendish has been so successful for so long, no one bothered to find a way to protect it. Organic farming and the use of heirloom varieties is necessary for the continuation of agriculture. Just like saving the pollinators (which it's now believe cell phone towers are causing the colony collapses), if we keep going with this GMO path and only producing the same crops, the people poo-pooing organic will be regretting their narrow approach to farming & nutrition.

 

[centrarchid]

I do not think pesticide usage had any direct role in developement of the disease taking out the Cavendish cultivar. You simply have a clone that is very common and that a disease organism cracked and no genetic variation in the cultivar is preventing development of resistance. This will over time take out other cultivars and other species. The keeping of genetic diversity, especially as coming from heirlooms and wild populations will enable rapid establishement of new cultivars capable of supporting desired production levels. Having more cultivars that are also genetically more distinct will reduce odds such as disease will have such widespread or persistant effects.

 

[ReikiStar]

Quote:
We have been using Scratch & Peck's Naturally Free Layer, Grower and Stater (all ages over here). We love it. Our dogs love it! (Have to keep them out of the coops). It's actual foods...whole grains like wheat & barley, field peas and fish meal for protein and camelina meal instead of canola (another scourge of a crop). The only negative are the findings that are left over, but you can mix that into a slurry or bake it into a chicken cake and feed it to them that way. Our laying hens go nuts for the Grower feed...for some reason. We do supply extra calcium just because if the girls want more, they should have it, but the Layer does have oyster shell in it. Our birds are in great feather, healthy, lay consistently (beautiful, well shelled eggs with deep golden yolks). They do get daily free range time but spend most of their time in their runs. We also like supporting a local company and they are very accessible for questions.

 

[ReikiStar]

Quote:
Not a direct role but the "bunchy top" disease is spread by aphids and reports have said that in killing off other bugs (good bugs die too when pesticides are used) the aphids have multiplied and spread. Mostly, you furthered my point about needing genetic diversity in crops.

 

[amberlange]

Does anyone have a recipe to make their own organic layer feed?

 

[wrldlygrrl]

I'm not planning to get the holistic or organic food for our chickens but I don't agree with all of this either. Vets are notoriously undereducated on nutrition and they tend to push the foods that they get $$ for pushing.


Not too different from MD's, who oftentimes sell what the pharma-rep pushes and gives free samples of!!!

 

[wrldlygrrl]

Quote:
Where are you located?

 

[tarragon]

Quote:
We have been using Scratch & Peck's Naturally Free Layer, Grower and Stater (all ages over here). We love it. Our dogs love it! (Have to keep them out of the coops). It's actual foods...whole grains like wheat & barley, field peas and fish meal for protein and camelina meal instead of canola (another scourge of a crop). The only negative are the findings that are left over, but you can mix that into a slurry or bake it into a chicken cake and feed it to them that way. Our laying hens go nuts for the Grower feed...for some reason. We do supply extra calcium just because if the girls want more, they should have it, but the Layer does have oyster shell in it. Our birds are in great feather, healthy, lay consistently (beautiful, well shelled eggs with deep golden yolks). They do get daily free range time but spend most of their time in their runs. We also like supporting a local company and they are very accessible for questions.

I use Scratch & Peck Layer also. May I ask how you make the powdery part into a chicken cake? I tried mixing it with yogurt, which they love with oats, but they didn't like it with the powdery feed.

Thanks!

 

[Urban Farmer Savy]

Anyone know where to get organic feed in Louisiana. Shipping is like 30 bucks on a $25 bag. Seems a bit crazy. But I may have to do it if I don't want to feed my chickens GMO corn and pesticide laden mash. I see a lot about the scratch and peck operation, I will have to check that out.

 

[centrarchid]

For those interested in organic feeds, maybe consider looking as feeds used by cockers. I am using one that is 40% layer pellets with balance a mixture of intact grains, cracked corn, with oystershell, and vitamin premix. Fish meal could be used as replacement for layer pellets. If organic layer pellets (which are expensive) to be continued, then they can at least be reduced in respect to volume controlling cost.