Happenings on the Ranch

I’m not a “preachy” kind of person.  I do what I do because I think it’s the right thing for my family, our customers and the world in general.  We’ve chosen to grow our produce and livestock in the most natural way possible because we feel it’s better for our bodies, our animals and our environment.  If people want to know more, I’m happy to provide the info but I don’t stand on a soap box very often.  However, after seeing a press release this week pertaining to animal rights specific to food production I had to comment.

The press release is from the Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS).  Now, to be fair, I have often supported the HSUS on many occasions on specific issues.  However, I am often against the extreme measures and stances they take as well as their classification as a non-profit (because of some of their functions and activities).  That being said, I can’t help but comment on the their recent announcement that they intend to introduce a resolution at a McDonald’s shareholder meeting in May requesting that the fast-food chain use only cage-free eggs.  Now obviously I should be for this, right?  After all, that’s how we raise our chickens; well, more free-range than just cage-free but you get the idea.  And it’s been proven it can be done on a large scale.  The European Union has already decided to phase out cages by 2012.  California passed a ballot measure requiring that all farm animals be provided enough space to stand up, turn around, and spread their limbs; this includes specific regulations regarding chickens, breeding hogs and veal.  Other fast-food chains — including Burger King, Denny’s, Hardees and McDonald’s franchises in the U. K. — already use cage-free eggs.  So do plenty of restaurants, grocery chains and hotels.  So, it really shouldn’t be much of a stretch for McDonald’s to do the same here in the States.

But, this leads us to a much broader question.  If each and every egg producer is eventually forced to go “cage-free” then what changes occur in our food supply?  Moreover, how about organic farming?  As American consumers, we have become very accustomed to being able to go to the grocery and pick up whatever we need whenever we need it for a relatively low price without a second thought to where it came from or whether it’s in season in our area.  But, as we adopt new animal welfare ideals and sustainable growing practices what happens to that system?

As an example, the number of birds currently housed in confinement egg operations (280 million) would require much more room than those producers have.  This causes their costs to rise, which causes wholesale prices to rise and subsequently consumers pay more per dozen.  How much is the average American willing to pay for eggs that were formally $1.75 a dozen?  $3.00?  $5.00?

It’s fine for people to have ideals about animal welfare or commodity crops if they have the space to do it.  But we are treading on thin ice here if we start wide-sweeping changes to our national food system simply based on ideals, rather than need or economics, without properly preparing for it.  Our country supplies food to the global community through the mass production of crops.  Arguably, these crops provide low-cost goods to our food supply.  But at what cost?  Deterioration of the soil from planting the same crop over and over again, requiring chemical fertilizers to be added; hybrid seeds utilizing pesticides and herbicides or being genetically modified, which could have consequences on our health we may not understand for years.  I could go on and on but if you’re reading this blog you probably already have an idea of what I’m talking about.

Our family is lucky that we can have both our ideals and our food and can provide food for others that share those ideals (or just like really good meat!).  But there is a growing concern that organic farming and humane livestock practices cannot coincide with feeding the masses.  But I, and many experts, disagree.  In his article “Can Organic Farming Feed Us All?”, Worldwatch Institute Senior Researcher Brian Halweil notes two recent studies reveal that a global shift to organic farming would yield more food, not less, for the world’s hungry.  Worldwatch also held a very poignant discussion on this issue on their website.  They can say it better than I ever could, but the point is that it’s possible.  The only thing I caution is that it needs to take a gradual shift, something that the HSUS, PETA and other groups sometimes forget in their fervent effort to enact change.

What do you think?  I welcome comments on this topic and hope for some discussion.  Do you think we can make a change in the way our country grows and raises it’s food without taking into account the global effects?

In my January post I mentioned we are focusing on growing heirloom varities of veggies this year.  But what is an heirloom and why should we grow them?

Most large commercial farms grow varieties that have been crossed with other varieties to produce larger vegetables or those that are more resistent to drought or specific diseases or pests.  This allows them to not only increase their crop yield but also store their crops for longer periods of time without spoilage.  This, along with picking them before they are completely ripe (as in the case of tomatoes), lets their product be shipped farther distances and sit in broker storage warehouses longer before making it to grocery store shelves.  They may still look pretty, but they often lack in true flavor.

Heirloom varieties are the classics.  They are fruits and vegetables that were originally grown years ago and have not been hybridized with other varieties.  They are continued by open pollination rather than through grafts, cuttings or scientific intervention.  They are so tasty and many of them are far more interesting to look at.  There is a wide variety to choose from in each type of vegetable and we are growing many of them this year.

 Green Zebra Tomatoes – an heirloom tomato

The other reason we are growing heirloom varieties is to help preserve some of those types that are rapidly disappearing.  Many traditional varieties have already become extinct and many more are dwindling.  To help combat this, we have become members of Seed Savers Exchange.  As members, we can grow heirlooms, save the seeds, and exchange them with other heirloom growers to continue to strengthen the gene pool of these wonderful fruits and vegetables.  And, typically, heirlooms have adapted over time to whatever climate and soil they have grown in. Due to their genetics, they are often resistant to local pests, diseases, and extremes of weather without the use of any pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers (which we love!).

So what heirlooms are we growing?  Here’s a partial list:

Tomatoes:  Amish Paste, Green Zebra, Yellow Stuffer, Speckled Roman, Soldacki, Brandywine, Beams Yellow Pear
Peppers:  Aurora, Quadrato Asti Giallo, Orange Bell
Radishes:  Early Scarlet, Plum Purple, Philadelphia White
Beans:  Dragon’s Tongue, Lazy Housewife, Empress, Pencil Pod Golden Wax
Peas:  Green Arrow, Amish Snap
Lettuce: Grandpa Admires, Slobolt

There’s so much more, but you get the idea.  We’ll be growing heirloom melons, corn and more.  We anticipate these varieties to be both flavorful and beautiful!

Until next time!

Karin

Spring is definitely in the air … the 40mph air!  The wind has been absolutely howling the past two days.  I really don’t mind the wind, although the geese seem to be a it annoyed with it.  What I find extraordinary is the little amount of precipitation we’ve had throughout the winter and I’m hoping it doesn’t continue into the spring as well.

Our farm is in it’s own little miroclimate.  Those of you that garden, and many of you that don’t, are aware that the U.S. is broken up into planting zones.  Each zone has it’s own climate and set of factors that are taken into account when planning what to plant, when, and where.  Zones 9 and 10 are more tropical climates that can sustain many different types of vegetation that can’t be grown in the much colder northern zones of 1 and 2.  Generally, Missouri is considered zone 5.  However, if you look at the zone maps you’ll see a tiny little pocket that’s considered zone 6.  Our farm is smack dab in the middle of it.  That’s usually a pretty good thing for us.  We can plant some things a bit earlier than the rest of the state and grow them later in the season.  But, so far it seems our little microclimate has been working against us.  All to the north of us and down to the south of us they have seen good amounts of precipitation.  But every time there is snow or rain forecasted for the KC Metro area we get nothing.  We’ve had only two measurable snow falls all winter and what we did get didn’t amount to much.  We’ve had one little smattering of rain.  I’m really hoping some things change a little bit or our microclimate will be in a micro drought!

On the plus side, all the seedlings that we started several weeks ago are going strong.  Many of the tomato varieties have been thinned down to the strongest plants and, lo and behold, the eggplant seedlings are doing well (keep your fingers crossed).  Next week we’ll start planting the early crops directly into the newly prepared soil.  These will include kale, several varieties of swiss chard, many types of lettuce, spinach, peas, beans, green onions, leeks and more.

If the old saying holds true and March goes out like a lamb, our crops will be off to a great start!