Looking at feed costs

[BlueMoods]

All I watch is non GMO and preservative free. Organic isn't even available here (maybe in Dallas or Little Rock but, either is a 3 hour drive and not worth it. Same fore all my critter feed, I don't want GMO or preservatives, that's kind of the idea behind growing as much of my own food as possible but , the feed doesn't need to be certified organic. That is very costly and, yes, maybe worth it for the health of the breeders long term but, for the meat rabbits, what might be in the stuff I feed is most likely filter by the rabbit so, I'm not eating it, or eating very little of it.

No way my budget could afford organic prices around here, they are crazy. Milk 3.56/gal Organic Milk 9.98/gal and other things are equally as costly if organic. OUCH.

Same as TwoAcreDream with eggs, I wouldn't sell any at the cost I'd have to sell organic for, so I have to feed such that 1.50/dozen is sufficient. Still beatter than commercial meat or eggs.

 

[the reluctant farmer]

I'm going to respectfully disagree with you respectfully disagreeing with me…

And that is what I love about rabbittalk, that we can have conversations without hostility, and that I have the chance to hear and learn from other perspectives, even if we may not ultimately agree.

You sound like you think I haven't done my research in regard to the food we eat.

I am sorry you got that impression, no insult intended. You came across to me as knowing your stuff; that is why I responded to you. I have a different perspective based on my experiences, that is all. I was interested in exploring your perspective.

But - for someone who needs for health reasons to avoid those hormones, pesticides, antibiotics and who knows what else, it's just not the same.

TOTALLY understand this, more than I would ever want to. The point I was trying to make--you're right, if a food is raised with 100% organic standards and ethical practices it isn't the same as one that is "mostly" raised that way, but it is difficult to find that out without a lot of leg- and brain-work. How a product is marketed or sold to you can imply something is much purer or healthier than it is, even with the USDA Organic label. We both agree on that, and if I didn't pick that up from your earlier posts, sorry--middle age may be playing havoc on me.

Anyone who follows SOME or MOST organic practices who then tries to tag on the "grown/raised following organic practices" gets slapped down pretty hard by others in the local industry and their customers when they get found out.

I agree with that; claiming you are following practices or trying to imply something that is not true is utterly unethical, and there should be consequences. I do not like being lied to, as a consumer. (For that matter I don't like being lied to as a non-consumer either, but that's besides the point.) I am glad to hear that in your area it is being self-policed by other growers so there is little motivation to try to do that. Wish it were that way everywhere.

I truly don't mind that we are going off topic here. I understand the frustration that is met by someone who has a small operation and is seemingly being held back by the government and corporations. I think I understand what you're saying - that many people believe that "USDA certified" seal is the absolute guarantee that you are only getting the best, healthiest foods available. Unfortunately, we as the consumer don't get to stop there if we really want to watch our foods.

Yes--you nailed exactly what I was trying to say. That was the point I was trying to get across as well when I said I'd rather buy from the 88 year old non-organic farmer, because I can see what he's doing, and I can ask how he's growing it, and he'll tell me. He'll be up-front in saying what has been grown with just the manure from his animals vs. the tomatoes he sprayed, and he'll be upfront with what he put on his crops (sometimes to the point of pulling a container out of his truck, so I can see it,if he has it on him.) We can chat, and I can find out what I need to know and how it'll affect me based on that vs. someone who will tell me "all our products are USDA organic" and not be very upfront on what that means in their operation. Their feed may be clean, but if their animals are raised in crowded/stressful situations, or produce is being grown organically but out of season, it's still not good food for me to eat, especially at a premium price.

My issue isn't with food being organic or certified, but it is with how food is produced and marketed to us so we can make decisions. From your comments, I think we agree on that point.

There's another thing not even mentioned - and that's the ETHICS of certain foods!

You are right. It is a huge issue that has many layers to it. Could be a worthy discussion in another post that people might enjoy discussing. I would look forward to reading comments, with a homebrew in hand!

 

[Comet007]

Well, after we've both clarified our thoughts, I think ultimately we agree with each other. I can see where this topic can ruffle some feathers of small producers or people who have been burned. I will still hold out and try to get 90% ++ of my at home food sourced as organic, whether actually certified or not. That way even if I get off track occasionally or get burned here or there I'm still way ahead! Hubster brought me home valentine cookies (fluffy sugar cookies from the grocer, yum!) and we've been out to two restaurant meals this weekend. I can feel the difference in my health from it, I ended up shut down for half the day, so I remain convinced about trying to eat more clean foods (in the organic sense). <br /><br /> __________ Sat Feb 15, 2014 10:10 pm __________ <br /><br />

All I watch is non GMO and preservative free. Organic isn't even available here (maybe in Dallas or Little Rock but, either is a 3 hour drive and not worth it. Same fore all my critter feed, I don't want GMO or preservatives, that's kind of the idea behind growing as much of my own food as possible but , the feed doesn't need to be certified organic. That is very costly and, yes, maybe worth it for the health of the breeders long term but, for the meat rabbits, what might be in the stuff I feed is most likely filter by the rabbit so, I'm not eating it, or eating very little of it.

No way my budget could afford organic prices around here, they are crazy. Milk 3.56/gal Organic Milk 9.98/gal and other things are equally as costly if organic. OUCH.

Same as TwoAcreDream with eggs, I wouldn't sell any at the cost I'd have to sell organic for, so I have to feed such that 1.50/dozen is sufficient. Still beatter than commercial meat or eggs.

Even if you're only going GMO free (hard to do with grains for sure!) and preservative free, you probably are also not using the extreme pesticides on your property that are found in large operations.

We pay about $4.29 for a dozen organic free range eggs and I count the cost as worth it. As mentioned earlier - we save money where we can, and spend it on the items where we can't! This is why I would like to get laying hens also - maybe next year! In this area there are a lot of people on the island and on the mainland who are quite successful selling eggs at a premium for following organic practices. It must be a regional thing!

We cook most things from scratch in this house, and have access to Azure Standard (a co-op out of Oregon that delivers all over - I believe they also deliver in Texas so maybe check them out!). They're a bear to work with sometimes, but we save 30-40% over local prices on many items if we choose carefully. I get the majority of our basics from them - bulk baking ingredients, beans, canned goods, cheeses and even frozen items. That leaves us with mostly vegetable produce and spices that we get at our local co-op. Many of these items we've been purchasing we will start growing ourselves this year, so our costs are going to go down considerably going forward! Last Summer we put up about 400 pounds of apples, pears, sour cherries, sweet cherries, blueberries and raspberries in a variety of forms - so we are only buying in season fruit this winter - that is already a significant savings. In our mild climate, using cold frames, we should be able to continue carrots, potatoes, lettuce, broccoli, onions, etc through most of the winter by using different varieties for different seasons. So starting this summer, we will be buying less produce in general, plus little or no tomato products, salsas, etc because we will make and can our own!

We will also be doing cover crops to rebuild the soil - and you can bet that I will be choosing cover crops that can be fed to the rabbits! Hopefully that will keep feed costs down a bit as well. This way of life is not for everyone, we treat it as a fun edible hobby. Great way to spend time with your spouse!