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Earlier this year, the USDA suddenly and without warning lifted all restrictions on the planting of genetically engineered (GE) alfalfa, also known as Roundup Ready Alfalfa.
This surprise move occurred shortly after release of the USDA’s Final Environmental Impact Statement on GE Alfalfa in which it admitted that this frankencrop may indeed pose a risk not only to organic farmers but to conventional farmers as well.
Unrestricted planting of GE alfalfa is a potentially devastating blow to grassbased dairy farms across North America. Alfalfa is considered the “queen forage” for dairy farms that are organic or grass-fed as it has the highest protein and calcium for lactating cows.
Bees and wind have the potential to cross pollinate GE alfalfa with natural alfalfa and, over time, destroy the grass-fed dairy industry.
While GE alfalfa is indeed a serious threat to grassbased dairy, one farmer in Texas is not sitting on his hands waiting for disaster to strike.
Aquaponic Sprouting System to Combat the Scourge of GE Alfalfa
Kelvin Edwards of Pure Milk Farm in Winnie, Texas decided to think outside the box and plan construction of an aquaponic sprouting system and greenhouse to produce quality forage for his herd of jerseys, replacing his dependence on alfalfa hay.
This “grow vertical” solution is designed to cultivate organic grass and legume for livestock year round even during the winter without the use of any chemical fertilizers.
This project will be the first of its kind in the United States and will have the capacity to produce 1000 lbs of organic grass and sprouts per day. Not only will the system allow Pure Milk Farm to harvest grasses at their nutritional peak for the dairy cows, but it will also use 98% less water and land than conventional farming and will protect the farm from the ravages of GE crops.
Of course, the jersey cows will still graze on the beautiful, unsprayed pastures of Pure Milk Farm. The aquaponic system will simply provide supplemental forage – wheat grass juice for cows, if you will – which they are currently receiving as alfalfa hay.
The sprouted wheat and barley grasses will also provide supplemental food for the pastured chickens on the farm.
Take that Monsanto!
Can you help?
Pure Milk Farms is trying to raise the $20,000 necessary to build the aquaponics system plus greenhouse by January 3, 2013.
So far, Kelvin has raised $6,000 via the fundraising tool Kickstarter.
Are you able to help them reach their goal of $20,000? Can you share the information about this project with others you know who might also be able to help?
This is the type of innovative project that needs to succeed so other grassbased farms can follow Pure Milk Farm’s lead in the coming years as GE alfalfa cross pollination gradually reduces the affordable supply of clean alfalfa hay.
Real Food Gift for Your Donation
Pure Milk Farm is offering gifts as a thank you to those who are able to pledge and help them bring this exciting project to fruition. Pledges of $10 will receive a bar of handmade soap from an independent day school whose students drink raw milk.
For a pledge of $20, Pure Milk Farms would like to send you a sample of their “Anything Yogurt Dressings”. These dressings contain all natural and organic ingredients with no preservatives, nothing artificial, and always soy free, gluten free and of course, NO GMO’s.
- Texas Ranch dressing: Yogurt, whey, organic dill, organic parsley, lemon juice, sea salt, celery seed, garlic salt.
- Southwest Chipotle dressing/dip: Yogurt, whey adobe sauce, chipotle peppers, lime, cumin, chili powder, natural spices, sea salt.
- Honey mustard dressing: Yogurt, whey, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, raw honey.
- Creamy kefir dressing: Kefir(made with kefir grains), whey, dill, garlic powder, white pepper, lemon juice, pinch of sea salt.
- Greek Yogurt dressing: Yogurt, whey, olive oil, stevia, rice vinegar, oregano, garlic, white pepper, lemon juice.
We buy milk and eggs from this farm. This is so awesome you highlighted it!!
The farm where I have my cow share just began using something similar, mostly because of this past years drought, and the fact that they weren’t able to harvest the amount or quality of hay that they normally would. It’s exciting!
Would recommend doing some homework before making a contribution to any Kickstarter project. At the very least, do some googling about the business/farm/individual. Then make an informed decision….this would also make more sense to me if I lived in Texas I think!
Those employing fodder systems take note. Monsanto and their cohorts have over the last decade quietly bought out many many seed companies – Stokes is one. This is a very insidious operation – really research where you are getting seed of any kind. I made my own fodder systems for goats, ducks and chickens – this isn’t brain surgery – look at the pictures and get the brain a-thinkin :} You can use regular misting systems, aquarium pumps, instead of PVC which most times isn’t foodgrade and is going to leach deadly chemicals into your fodder, use aluminum pieces that are used in downspout systems to direct water away from your roof overhang. Read books on, or join online groups that use hydroponics – get a feel for it – there is absolutely no reason you have to pay thousands of dollars for these systems. Start small, as you gain wisdom on how the systems work, add more. But back to groworganics website. They have a hundred different kinds of forage. You are not limited to alfalfa – most any seed can be sprouted. I use their chicken forage, or goat forage mixes – it has about 6 different kinds of seeds and sprouts beautifully. Look to the future to grow your own seed.
im planning to move to texas and start a small farm im learning everything i can before i start you guys have really brought the light in all what is going on!!! thank you sarah you got our back!!!!
This is admirable. However, this is just feeding into the cause and effect syndrome. You do something destructive, I react. Do you see where feeding into this activity is not a solution? The only permanent changes come from God. If people don’t start asking for Divine Intervention in these kinds of situations it is just perpetuating the domino effect. I am a veganic farmer – I do not use any kind of animal, poultry or fish products in the production of produce or vegetables. At some point in time we have to start moving forward, money solutions are not the solution – when will mankind realize this? Money is a tool to be used for temporary solutions while you call forth Light into a situation, mankind will never generate permanent solutions of any kind – it is illusion to think so – only God has permanent solutions. Do people also not see that mankind’s ideas on the whole are just a spin off of an old idea that did not work – for new, creative ideas, again God.
Sarah, I raise sprouted grass for my my dairy, beef and chickens here in FL. I have a climate controlled room that mists and grows beautiful grass for my small family farm. Here’s the problem that I see. I’m still quite dependant on seed suppliers. I buy from Countryside Organics feed. Unless we’re able to grow our own seed as well in a controlled environment aren’t we dealing wit the same issues? ~Mary
Also, My father just completed a room that generates 1,600 lbs daily of this grass a day for his beef cattle. A dry roughage is still needed to off set to much green/nitrogen in the the cows gut. ~Mary
A link to a midwest farmer (Iowa) who is farming “the old way” and not using modern methods, lots of chemicals, etc. It can be done, perhaps showing this around more can put a tickle in the back of peoples minds at least? I have never had to use and chemicals on my plants but I also do not do crops to feed my animals since it is easier for me to buy from a farmer I trust and support.
http://www.startribune.com/local/185120861.html?refer=y
Anyway, the article was in todays StarTribune out of Minneapolis. The title if it doesn’t show up is: In Harnessing Land, Iowa Farmer Preserves It
Tracy