The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[shortgrass]

 
speney.  I am enjoying your posts and read thru your permaculture posts.  whole heartily support your massive endeavor.  I support local organic,grassfed/finished beef farmer here in florida, also a organic grassfed/finsihed dairy family and a local organic veggie  farmer.  We need more like you, and you can just ignore those who give you a hard time--you are in the trenches doing the work, not just reading and studying.  Keep it up.

Well thank you lol and thanks @speney too

I don't think I would KNOW any other way; its in my blood ha-ha

Very fortunate indeed; thank you for supporting our hard work, and enjoy that delicious grass fed steak; its the bomb with fresh sweet corn!

Edit* I actually have to THANK BYC; I really had NO IDEA that I would ever be "made fun of" for being a weird hick, but I'm actually used to that; its the chance to help educate, teach, and clarify misinformation or just lack of knowledge. If we all knew where our food came from, we might have a better respect for our soil, and life.


Yeah, I'm used to being teased

 

[hellbender]

Well thank you lol

and thanks @speney too

I don't think I would KNOW any other way; its in my blood ha-ha

Very fortunate indeed; thank you for supporting our hard work, and enjoy that delicious grass fed steak; its the bomb with fresh sweet corn!

Edit* I actually have to THANK BYC; I really had NO IDEA that I would ever be "made fun of" for being a weird hick, but I'm actually used to that; its the chance to help educate, teach, and clarify misinformation or just lack of knowledge. If we all knew where our food came from, we might have a better respect for our soil, and life.

Yeah, I'm used to being teased

That's exactly right. Cattle should eat grass and more folks could eat corn and corn/products. There would be less starvation, not only in far reaches of the 'third world' but right here in the States as well.

 

[shortgrass]

Well thank you lol and thanks @speney too


I don't think I would KNOW any other way; its in my blood ha-ha


Very fortunate indeed; thank you for supporting our hard work, and enjoy that delicious grass fed steak; its the bomb with fresh sweet corn!


Edit* I actually have to THANK BYC; I really had NO IDEA that I would ever be "made fun of" for being a weird hick, but I'm actually used to that; its the chance to help educate, teach, and clarify misinformation or just lack of knowledge. If we all knew where our food came from, we might have a better respect for our soil, and life.



Yeah, I'm used to being teased

That's exactly right.  Cattle should eat grass and more folks could eat corn and corn/products.  There would be less starvation, not only in far reaches of the 'third world' but right here in the States as well.

Absolutely! Most of our corn goes overseas anyway, so why not let the cattle eat the grass and send the corn out to use for cereal, ...and chickens!

I do find it interesting that in the point of *certain countries, they won't buy GMO, but they hoard the organic and make us have to keep the GMO and feed it to OUR citizens, and... Oh I could go on and on lol, but I'm just glad I don't have to worry about feeding all 3 billion Chinese people, they already get all my corn!

 

[lazy gardener]

Well thank you lol

and thanks @speney too

I don't think I would KNOW any other way; its in my blood ha-ha

Very fortunate indeed; thank you for supporting our hard work, and enjoy that delicious grass fed steak; its the bomb with fresh sweet corn!

Edit* I actually have to THANK BYC; I really had NO IDEA that I would ever be "made fun of" for being a weird hick, but I'm actually used to that; its the chance to help educate, teach, and clarify misinformation or just lack of knowledge. If we all knew where our food came from, we might have a better respect for our soil, and life.

Yeah, I'm used to being teased

KNOWING where the food comes from at the supermarket is the biggest reason why I'm raising chickens for meat and eggs, tending a garden, and planting a fruit orchard. Mega farming practices have NO respect for the soil, or even for the life it is meant to sustain.

Absolutely! Most of our corn goes overseas anyway, so why not let the cattle eat the grass and send the corn out to use for cereal, ...and chickens!

I do find it interesting that in the point of *certain countries, they won't buy GMO, but they hoard the organic and make us have to keep the GMO and feed it to OUR citizens, and... Oh I could go on and on lol, but I'm just glad I don't have to worry about feeding all 3 billion Chinese people, they already get all my corn!

Saw part of a documentary recently that outlined the fact that some of the many varieties of corn that are grown in Mexico have been contaminated by American GMO. Seems we donated some of our GMO corn to some feeding programs, and the farmers, being the frugal people that they are... held back some of the seed and planted it. Sad thing is, a lot of the genetic diversity for future corn breeding programs comes out of Mexico. GMO has such far reaching issues that we are barely scratching the surface of what it's capable of doing. And, the US prefers a head in the sand approach.

 

[beginnergirl]

Shorthrass, I appreciate your insight too!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I like weird hicks, and different ways of doing things, what a boring world it would be if we all did things the same, I am learning more from people like you than the conventional people, I do know where our food comes from, today and thirty years ago, it has really changed from family farms and animals treated with dignity to factory farms churning out animals like they're inert. So sad, all for the want of cheap food to cram in our mouths so we can all be fat.

I like you shortgrass, I too am familiar, with being picked on.

 

[Purpletie3]

KNOWING where the food comes from at the supermarket is the biggest reason why I'm raising chickens for meat and eggs, tending a garden, and planting a fruit orchard. Mega farming practices have NO respect for the soil, or even for the life it is meant to sustain.

Saw part of a documentary recently that outlined the fact that some of the many varieties of corn that are grown in Mexico have been contaminated by American GMO. Seems we donated some of our GMO corn to some feeding programs, and the farmers, being the frugal people that they are... held back some of the seed and planted it. Sad thing is, a lot of the genetic diversity for future corn breeding programs comes out of Mexico. GMO has such far reaching issues that we are barely scratching the surface of what it's capable of doing. And, the US prefers a head in the sand approach.

I saw something similar to that about 10 years ago. It talked about Mexico and Central America having over 28 native corn strains. They...being Monsanto...gave the farmers their GMO corn to plant. It has created problems with the native corn. The children were having a high number of genetic disformity from what they were assuming was the roundup that ran off into their water and bathing areas. The roundup ready GMO corn also has a patent on it. Any corn containing it's DNA can be sued for...hence, the backing of small farmers into litigation when their crops were contaminated by RR GMO Corn.

I am with you all on the small farm, almost exculsively Organic, with the chickens being part of my master plan ecosystem.

The mega farmers create a huge issue for the soil. But, if they did not evolve into this Commercial farming they may be extinct. American farmers are on the largest growing list for extinction...

 

[speney]

So I am very excited I got a rototiller for free all it needs is a throttle cable and I'm set I always had a garden for all my house hold veggie needs but I am going bigger much bigger enough for my mom's mems sisters and my house hold needs. My question is what would you all suggest as a winter cop for the soil we alway did winter wheat but I was wonder what other options are out there? Also I was wondering how to turn a back field that hasn't been touched in years into a grazing pasture for my ducks and chickens and what to sow in that area? Should I till the back field and start fresh or is there an easier way?

 

[beginnergirl]

I do find it interesting that in the point of *certain countries, they won't buy GMO, but they hoard the organic and make us have to keep the GMO and feed it to OUR citizens, and...

Monsanto is spending millions in their lobbying to fight attempts to label GMOs in the US. Many other countries have banned GMOs.
https://ecowatch.com/2015/08/26/monsanto-control-food-system/
At least we should know what is in our food. Then each person can choose. After seeing how "cage free" chickens live, I am happy I am raising my hens and can give them organic food. I am trying to be a better gardener...lol. So much to learn.

Anyhow, I avoid corn, soy, beets and canola unless they are organic.

 

[Elaine Wright]

My city brother & family came for a visit, I told his son (13) about the roundup thing and that's why we grow our own corn. Later in the week, I offered to buy corn (too early for ours). He said "gross - no". Gotta love a kid with a brain.