Roundup/Glyphosate
Feb. 23rd, 2011 12:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
helwenI posted an article a few days ago about this HERE
Now that I've finished reading it, I really need to re-think ever eating most commercial corn or soy products, and the same for chickens and other food animals.
I also try to get responsibly grown seed for the garden, and that can be a challenge! And I'm glad we're working on growing at least some of the food for our chickens -- we can't afford the upfront $$ for organic feed, but I also don't want to be using chicken manure on anything where it might actually damage the quality of the soil :P We don't use really cheap feed, but.... well, it's in-between -- no antibiotics in it, for instance.
But really? I don't need to be eating something that locks up nutrients in the soil and plants, causes people and animals to fail to thrive (or just plain die from malnutrition), affects hormonal balance, causes sterility, and more. No, glyphosate doesn't really decompose, and in fact can stay in the soil for decades _and still be possible for it to be re-activated_. It can be taken up in the plant, and on to all animals (including us, of course).
At the rate things are going out in the Midwest and other agribusiness farms, dumping tons (literally) of roundup-type herbicides and petroleum-based fertilizers, don't be surprised if another dustbowl comes along soon.
Now that I've finished reading it, I really need to re-think ever eating most commercial corn or soy products, and the same for chickens and other food animals.
I also try to get responsibly grown seed for the garden, and that can be a challenge! And I'm glad we're working on growing at least some of the food for our chickens -- we can't afford the upfront $$ for organic feed, but I also don't want to be using chicken manure on anything where it might actually damage the quality of the soil :P We don't use really cheap feed, but.... well, it's in-between -- no antibiotics in it, for instance.
But really? I don't need to be eating something that locks up nutrients in the soil and plants, causes people and animals to fail to thrive (or just plain die from malnutrition), affects hormonal balance, causes sterility, and more. No, glyphosate doesn't really decompose, and in fact can stay in the soil for decades _and still be possible for it to be re-activated_. It can be taken up in the plant, and on to all animals (including us, of course).
At the rate things are going out in the Midwest and other agribusiness farms, dumping tons (literally) of roundup-type herbicides and petroleum-based fertilizers, don't be surprised if another dustbowl comes along soon.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-23 05:31 pm (UTC)You might be able to provide at least some of your own corn for the chickens. We grew dent corn last year and found that it grows with great zest and is quite prolific. My dad said it's what his family used to grow to feed their chickens on the farm, and that it's easy to store and handle. We can testify to how easily it shells and dries, and how well it stores. It's got to be cracked or ground in order to be used, unless you've got the patience to simmer the whole kernels for days, but then I believe (correct me if I'm wrong) that corn for chickens is usually cracked anyway.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-23 06:28 pm (UTC)And yes, chickens like the corn cracked :)
We bought a corn sheller, which works nicely.
The bean/corn auger on our mill is working better, so we're cracking it that way for now. Might end up getting a belt-driven machine for it down the line.
And we still need to get/build a thresher for the oats, although that's mostly for our convenience -- the chickens don't really care :D