ArmyRick
Army.ca Veteran
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OK, A short while ago I said I would talk about how land healing, environmentally regenerative farms will/should be the way of the future.
Problem: Too much Carbon in atmosphere (Not argue it)
Problem: Population is going up
Problem: Livestock typically raised in an unhealthy manner
Solution: Farm holistically with healthy products that is financially feasible, socially acceptable and Environmentally regenerative.
There are many, many farms that practice similar methods to mine (polyface's Joel Salatin is probably the most famous and Allan Savory is very well known) and guess what? We are growing!
I have critics, yes I get it. I am too busy farming to argue with these people.
Lets dismiss the myths
MYTH ONE: This is only possible on small farms.
Reality: Small farms, large farms or huge farms can practice these principles. Neil Dennis in Saskatchewan has 10,000 acres and raises approximately 1,000 beef steers EVERY year.
MYTH TWO: This will not feed the world
Reality: Really? Hands on, farming and gardening in the methods our grandparents practice, produces WAY more food and in richer nutrition to boot. My grandfather would use chicken and cattle manure to add to the soil and grow 14 foot high corn plants in the 1940s (long before GMOs tried miserably and failing to do similar). Cattle can graze the same grass field 2-4 times in a year depending on precipitation and soil conditions. Once you try to get them by on corn or grain, the land requirements multiply 3-4 times. One acre of corn produces way less food than one acre of mature grass.
MYTH THREE: There is not enough land
Reality: There is plenty of land available that sits idle and not used or abused. Hop with me in my car and I can show you plenty of unused farms. Ridiculous mind sets such as land prices and quota systems make getting into farming near impossible. Society must change its attitude. I personally say if you own farm land, get it farmed or pay through the nose in taxes.
Thats just a few myths I wanted to scratch. Go ahead, counter my arguments, be logical though, thats all I ask.
So my livestock? I have a heard of Dexter cattle, chickens (layers) and some rabbits. The Dexters are my centre piece. Truth is any breed appropriate to your climate will do. I keep my girls corralled in tight paddocks and rotate them every 1-2 days. In this time, they eat a large portion of the grasses, sedges, legumes, forms and other green life. They will trample the rest, manure and urinate on the ground. The cow gets it nutrition and the land heals.
Cows Eating Grass/green life
Cows are a ruminant animal that have a rumen (first stomach chamber) that breaks down cellulose walls of plants before the remainder of digestion. Cows need only a small portion of seed and the rest in fibrous plant matter. Feeding cattle/goats/sheep concentrated energy in the form of corn or grain, causes the rumen to turn acidic and creates many health issues for the cow. Think of raising children, if all we wanted was a 150 LBS child, no matter how, we could feed a child twinkles, cookies, pizza, pop and by age 12, they will probably be at that weight. Is it healthy? Hell no. That is the approach we take with raising livestock. We need our animals to be raised healthy to enhance their nutritional value when we eat that tasty steak or burger (Omega 3s, Vitamins A and E, CLAs, trace minerals, etc). So lets enjoy a damn good steak and make ourselves healthy too!
Problem: Too much Carbon in atmosphere (Not argue it)
Problem: Population is going up
Problem: Livestock typically raised in an unhealthy manner
Solution: Farm holistically with healthy products that is financially feasible, socially acceptable and Environmentally regenerative.
There are many, many farms that practice similar methods to mine (polyface's Joel Salatin is probably the most famous and Allan Savory is very well known) and guess what? We are growing!
I have critics, yes I get it. I am too busy farming to argue with these people.
Lets dismiss the myths
MYTH ONE: This is only possible on small farms.
Reality: Small farms, large farms or huge farms can practice these principles. Neil Dennis in Saskatchewan has 10,000 acres and raises approximately 1,000 beef steers EVERY year.
MYTH TWO: This will not feed the world
Reality: Really? Hands on, farming and gardening in the methods our grandparents practice, produces WAY more food and in richer nutrition to boot. My grandfather would use chicken and cattle manure to add to the soil and grow 14 foot high corn plants in the 1940s (long before GMOs tried miserably and failing to do similar). Cattle can graze the same grass field 2-4 times in a year depending on precipitation and soil conditions. Once you try to get them by on corn or grain, the land requirements multiply 3-4 times. One acre of corn produces way less food than one acre of mature grass.
MYTH THREE: There is not enough land
Reality: There is plenty of land available that sits idle and not used or abused. Hop with me in my car and I can show you plenty of unused farms. Ridiculous mind sets such as land prices and quota systems make getting into farming near impossible. Society must change its attitude. I personally say if you own farm land, get it farmed or pay through the nose in taxes.
Thats just a few myths I wanted to scratch. Go ahead, counter my arguments, be logical though, thats all I ask.
So my livestock? I have a heard of Dexter cattle, chickens (layers) and some rabbits. The Dexters are my centre piece. Truth is any breed appropriate to your climate will do. I keep my girls corralled in tight paddocks and rotate them every 1-2 days. In this time, they eat a large portion of the grasses, sedges, legumes, forms and other green life. They will trample the rest, manure and urinate on the ground. The cow gets it nutrition and the land heals.
Cows Eating Grass/green life
Cows are a ruminant animal that have a rumen (first stomach chamber) that breaks down cellulose walls of plants before the remainder of digestion. Cows need only a small portion of seed and the rest in fibrous plant matter. Feeding cattle/goats/sheep concentrated energy in the form of corn or grain, causes the rumen to turn acidic and creates many health issues for the cow. Think of raising children, if all we wanted was a 150 LBS child, no matter how, we could feed a child twinkles, cookies, pizza, pop and by age 12, they will probably be at that weight. Is it healthy? Hell no. That is the approach we take with raising livestock. We need our animals to be raised healthy to enhance their nutritional value when we eat that tasty steak or burger (Omega 3s, Vitamins A and E, CLAs, trace minerals, etc). So lets enjoy a damn good steak and make ourselves healthy too!