Proud of your product

[ado089]

I find it fascinating that many of you on here think there are major problems with the food we produce. What intrigues me even more is that you continue to employ these products and practices that are in question. I understand the science of what we do and how things work so I'd be just as happy to feed my product to my family as I would to someone else's. I have pride in my product.

I guess my question to the folks think we're doing it all wrong is...Why do you continue to produce grain using products and techniques you feel are unhealthy, dangerous, wrong or whatever adjective you choose? Secondly if you do truly believe what you're saying how do you reconcile your conscience knowing that every year you are producing 100's if not 1000's of tons of toxic food?

[hobbyfrmr]

"Toxic Food" is a pretty strong term. Conventionally grown products have not been scientifically proven as unsafe, and I think they are scientifically proven to be safe.
Somebody has to feed the world.
If everybody changed to organic farming production, there would be more starving people in the world. The world population is growing so farmers must become more efficient, growing more grains and animals, selling them for less to feed the impoverished and starving. These productivity gains/best management practices are being demonstrated in western Canada and applauded by the agriculture input retailers and wholesale buyers. There are many very productive farmers practicing these production methods which leads to strong competition driving up the costs of buying and renting land.

[cottonpicken]

Got to goto regina farmers market yesterday after someone helped themselves to a part on a grain vac(I will find you i will kill you) could not believe the crowds the lines and the prices but no farm eggs which I'm sure you get eight bucks a dozen.

[Hopalong]

Thinking back, perhaps the most unsafe food on our farm was when we had our own milk cows and chickens (free range).
Sanitation left a lot to be desired.
Thankfully, those days are long gone.

[ado089]

I think getting into another debate over the safety of our food and practices is fruitless.haha What I really want to do is get in the heads of those of you that think what we do is wrong yet continue to do it anyway.

[wmoebis]

Why must farmers get more productive? I think input, equipment, transport system suppliers must get more productive and supply cheaper supplies and services.
Farmers have made every effort to become productive for less now it is the rest of the industries turn.

[hobbyfrmr]

Ado, or else get into the heads/ wallets of the people who want to pay for what they want.
I am not saying this is right, but I think I am the last generation of kids that did not always get what I asked for. I had to work in the garden, chore chickens, cut grass for hockey equipment etc.
I want to supply the new generation with what they are asking for and make money like never before. That's a pretty big dream but not impossible.

I think we live way to sterile of a life now. We used to drink whole milk, eat dirt on garden veggies, shovelled grain with no masks (bad idea but did it), and we would even eat food that fell on the floor! I remember going swimming in the lake for 3 days in a row without a shower!
No exposure to any bugs is making society sicker, but even worse more paranoid, thus addicted to health care system. That is a whole other subject/market in itself.

[ado089]

Hobby, that is a whole other topic. One I think we've beat to death on here more than once. But I agree.

[pourfarmer]

So are you just as proud of your organic products ADO? Or are you just "doing it for the money"?

[ado089]

Pourfarmer, from a quality perspective, you bet. From an economic perspective yes. From an environmental and social standpoint there's room for improvement.

[freewheat]

Hobby, great points.

Hopalong, those days are still here on our farm, and I beg to differ on the unclean-ness. Our eggs are fresher than fresh, clean, and in VERY high demand.

Our kids are going to know how to grow their own food. They are going to have STRONG immune systems. They are going to know how to work, and enjoy the little things in life.

I am proud to be doing this for my kids, and for our health and to be providing a product that people die to have on their plates. In fact, we are expanding our free range hen business.

[pourfarmer]

Well why are you growing it then? According to your previous posts its for the $$$$$. You're no better then the people you're "calling out" by making this post.

[ado089]

Pourfarmer, the difference is that I don't think I'm producing a product that is killing my customers. I'm just not getting the full potential from all my acres production wise. This is in contrast to some that *think* their product is unhealthy yet are satisfied to continue producing it that way and selling for people to consume.

[cottonpicken]

Read a while back about the importance of humans and soil microbes for health also grounding and balancing ions in our bodies. If you or your kid gets car sick drag a peice of metal it really works. Probably bias my kids compared to city kids make them look like a bunch of handicaps.

[pourfarmer]

Previous posts suggest you may very well be killing people in the sense you're not producing as much as possible. Those kids in Asia are going to bed hungry because your only getting 30bu instead of 60.

I don't think it would be too hard to find a post where you suggest organic production can never feed the world, so why would you contributing to food shortages? You also mention the environmental destruction organic farming causes with its intensive tillage, and don't forget the soil mining. There is also all the "misinformation and scare tactics" you ridicule so heavily yet you participate in the same system for monetary reasons? If this post isn't the pot calling the kettle black I don't know what is.