This is why we don't trade outside of our personally known group!!!

[eKo_birdies]

sad but true!

 

[Tropical Chook]

All I can say is thank goodness I live in Thailand now. Sure you pay tax here, but nothing like you people pay, and far less than I was paying before I moved here. Unfortunately for those in the US, I think you still pay taxes even if you're not living in the country.

Tax on dust...........

 

[Humble Homesteader]

Quote:
I have advocated the concept of self sufficiency for many years now as the only non aggressive passive means of disconnecting and fighting the system!
Who would have ever thought the act of prudence would be so detrimental to the system. Must be the system is operating out side of prudence...

I will continue my goal of complete disconnect...

 

[drdoolittle]

rufus wrote:

I think it rather strange that the government can bust someone for raw milk or an unwashed egg, but they can't or won't do anything about all of the dope dealers or illegal aliens.

I hate to tell you this, but there is no "War on Drugs" here in the U.S. Why would they want to completely get rid of illegal drugs when there jobs and money to be made from all the re-hab centers, medical facilities, and fines imposed when the do arrest someone. That's one thing. The other is that the government is going to make money by imposing rules and regulations----you break them, you're fined. They also make money on the big producers by forcing them to purchase proper licenses, etc. So why wouldn't they want to put the small farmer out of business---that only insures that the big guys get all the business. Hope I don't sound paranoid or anything----I'm just being realistic.

 

[babalubird]

My husband and I are struggling w/the economy trying to sell our home to move to our 16 acres where we want to farm somehow to make a profit and enjoy country life. I need the income and our retirement income is bleak.

Every time we come up with a plan, the government is there to burst our bubble and squelsh our dreams. These are the latest in a stream of hard blows. We read, read and read and learn the best ways are sell from the farm, retail--don't wholesale, use your produce to make another finished product, i.e., jam, relishes, etc. for value-added.

Then I read stuff like this where the government is closing any last hopes of all of the above and the wind and the hope goes out of my sales.

Is there no end to it?

Connie

 

[Buster52]

Quote:
'bout time.

 

[slc]

Quote:
No, there will be no end until every citizen falls in line like a good little lemming.

I read your blog. Don't be discouraged. Your solution is simple as three words. Net zero plan. Forget the income part right now. Your plan has to make your farm and lifestyle sustainable without needing to throw a steady supply of money at it.

Net zero is when everything on the farm contributes in such a way as to cover their own cost or eliminate a cost elsewhere. This includes more than animals but also energy needs and dietary needs too. Avoid too many “welfare animals” that only give back expensive manure. Farms and homesteads are like a machine, one gear needs to turn another, or two more for redundancy, and so on in order to make that shaft at the other end keep moving. One expense must be zeroed out by production or a dollar savings elsewhere. Income can’t make up for lack of sustainability for very long.

You have lots of space, find out what kind of markets you have locally and raise some productive livestock to help offset the cost of your parrots, dogs, and horses and you’ll see real progress. Check out the local food scene and find a niche not yet covered, go to farmers markets and see what everyone else is doing and ask them what sells best. Plant some grain to feed back to your animals at least. Check to see if you have a local processor that buys lamb. Throw some Katadin sheep in with your horses on pasture. Better yet put some chicken tractors with the horses, they eat the parasites from the manure and spread it for you nicely as a bonus. In Texas you can legally butcher and sell up to 10,000 broilers from your farm. Get the book “Pastured poultry profits” by Joe Salatin. http://www.polyfacefarms.com/books.aspx

You’re crazy to not be using 16 acres of land for something productive way before now. Plan to produce some of the things you need to sustain your own existence first and foremost. Maybe you’ll be lucky to find out your current income level is enough with a wise self-sufficient lifestyle plan. Farm income will be a bonus rather than a necessity. The government can't regulate what you are doing for your own use. The things that you can't legally sell use yourself and take the money you've saved by not buying them at a store and use that as income for other things. Net zero planning.

 

[RaisinChicks7]

STOP TELLING ME WHAT I CAN EAT! ITS MY BODY LEAVE ME THE $%*@ ALONE! I just saw this thread and it make me furious!!!! If I cut off a portion of mold on a block of cheese and still eat the rest of the cheese thats my choice. (I do that by the way). If I get sick from eating that cheese I have nobody to blame but myself. If someone wants to drink unpasturized milk thats their choice. Unwashed eggs? Eat away thats your choice. So long as the seller has clearly informed the buying public of what they are getting or not getting (unpasturized milk etc) then its on the BUYER to use their own judgement and take some responsiblity for what they choose to eat. I got food poisoning from Red Lobster 7 or 8 years ago. I haven't been back but I don't also didn't go out and demand that the Government shut down Red Lobster. No I called into work, drank my pedilite, felt better in 12 hours and got on with my life.

Whats next are we going to start arresting parents who don't vaccinate their children? I believe in vaccinations and think everybody should, but I won't call someone criminal (reckless maybe....but not criminal) for not vaccinating their children.

You also have to take some self responsibilty too, did you store the eggs you bought correctly? Did you wash YOUR hands before you cut the meat? What about your cats doing who knows what or walking who knows where that you let up or got up on your counter? If you don't trust the person then don't buy from them. If you do, then roll with it and call it a day. I know everybody I get my stuff from. My family hunts hard, our red meat consumption is 99% venison that we hunted, and processed ourselves. We also eat rabbits, ducks, and geese all that we hunted and processed ourselves.

Our pork is bought at the fair from the 4H kids who's families I know and have shared a beer, conversations and often times meals with. I know they run a safe operation to raise their pigs in. The processors I know personally and trust too. I always buy from the kids I know not only because of the knowledge of their operation, but to support them and their hard work.

I believe big buisness threatened by the small farmers, and the growing buy local movement. They don't want the competition and they know they produce an inferior product so they use their resources and influence on government to raise heck with any upstart buisness. They know their product is full of harmful things that when you educate people on it they really don't want what's in the high production product. There is a definate push to eat better produce and meats, so they will do what they can to squash the movement from getting any steam. Government profits off big buisness so they will work with them to ensure profits for everybody.

Its just like why they won't ever make us have to pass a breathilizer to start your car. How many families are devistated by drunk driving? You want to really put a stop to it, make you blow to start your car. If your legally sober you can drive, if not then you can't start the car. And put signficant penalties in place for starting someone elses car if they are intoxicated and driving. No the government profits too much off these things so they'll never truly be illegal. Money is what drives these decisions not health/safety concerns.

Amen to every word you said!!