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Barnyard Buddies:  Feed costs and GMO.  |
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maggie14
True Blue Farmgirl
6784 Posts
Hannah
Washington
USA
6784 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 27 2010 : 4:18:19 PM
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I don't know about you ladies but here in Washington feed prices are outrageous! I went to the farm store last week and paid $18.00 for one 25 pound bag of feed ( now you know why I am trying to earn money) that will last me about a week. Its just nuts! And I just have a feeling that the grain I am buying has GMO in it. But what can I do? Organic feed is out because I just can't afford it. This year I have talked to my dad about growing some of my own feed for my goats. We don't have a tractor or anything like that so it means we will have to harvest it by hand but to me it is very much worth it for them. Anyway, just wanted to vent!
Hugs,
Channah
Farmgirl sister #1219
Just a small town country girl trying to live her dreams. :) |
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Bear5
True Blue Farmgirl
13055 Posts
Louisiana/Texas
USA
13055 Posts |
Posted - Apr 27 2010 : 5:38:40 PM
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Channah:
I'm assuming you have to buy more than one bag of feed at a time. That could get rather expensive. But- the goats have got to eat!!!! Vent away!!!!!
What is GMO? Have a great day!
Marly
"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up- that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had." Elisabeth Kurler-Ross |
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maggie14
True Blue Farmgirl
6784 Posts
Hannah
Washington
USA
6784 Posts |
Posted - Apr 27 2010 : 10:28:29 PM
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Hi Marly! Yes it is very expensive and I have to buy a dairy feed so I can mix it to make it go longer. I just wish I had 2 jobs to pay for it as I am barly making the payments. GMO is a genetically modified organism (also called "genetically engineered"): a plant, animal, or microorganism that is created by means that overcome natural boundaries. Genetic engineering involves crossing species that could not breed in nature. For example, genes from a fish have been placed in strawberries and tomatoes.
They can do it to animal feed as well. Here is a great artical if you would like to read more about it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_organism
Hugs,
Channah
Farmgirl sister #1219
Just a small town country girl trying to live her dreams. :) |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Apr 28 2010 : 08:01:49 AM
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howdy channah and marley. it is so hard to have a clean life. i use a rolled alfalfa sun dried non gmo. i also grow my own sunflowers the black. i save old feed bags and use them to store the seed. we are fortunate to have a feed and hay place that uses NO gmo. i like making my own. i tried molasses dry. my cow hated it. i thought i will taste it. NOT even sweet. i bet they soak the sugar out and dry that carbon so to speak mass and sell as flaked molasses. i went back to unsulphered liquid. i do some bag feed. my chickens get a non gmo bag feed that is 16 percent and is called natural. we pay 8.00 for it.i try to mix all my fertilizer for garden with all the feed waste i bring in.gmo scares me stupid. movie King Corn is about gmo. channah is right. sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farmgirl #1014
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maggie14
True Blue Farmgirl
6784 Posts
Hannah
Washington
USA
6784 Posts |
Posted - Apr 28 2010 : 1:11:21 PM
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You are so blessed Sherry! I wish we had that here.
There is a great movie out there called Bad seed and you can get it at the library. I would hope that all farmgirls watch this movie because it is a real eye opener and people need to know what is happening in this world. Anyway, thanks for letting me vent.
Hugs,
Channah
Farmgirl sister #1219
Just a small town country girl trying to live her dreams. :) |
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homsteddinmom
True Blue Farmgirl
441 Posts
Brandee
bullard
tx
USA
441 Posts |
Posted - Apr 28 2010 : 1:33:57 PM
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I let me goats eat brush, leaves, things like that. I then also keep hay for them and then for feed i feed a mix of sweet feed and hen scratch. Hen scratch here i can get 50# for $8.50, sweet feed is $6.25 for 50#, and i also feed that mix to my chickens. Now the rabbit food is what costs me so much! I pay $11 for 50# and 1 bag will only last 1.5 days or less! I use 6 bags of rabbit feed a week! more if i have lots of babies!. Maybe hay would be cheaper for you and look into feeding something else/
Homesteading Mom in East Texas. Raising chickens, Rabbits and goats here on my farm! |
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happydaze
True Blue Farmgirl
136 Posts
lorraine
atlanta
ni
USA
136 Posts |
Posted - Apr 28 2010 : 5:23:01 PM
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| Homstead, how many rabbits are you feeding? are they meat or show? Just curious. In the Spring here I plant a bunny garden with whatever is handy and pull fresh for them daily. they also get their pellets and as much hay as they will eat. But it sure can get pricey, when the litters come. |
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homsteddinmom
True Blue Farmgirl
441 Posts
Brandee
bullard
tx
USA
441 Posts |
Posted - Apr 29 2010 : 08:04:43 AM
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Right now i have over 100 rabbits(dont know the exact count as it can change daily...lol). I have meat and show rabbits. we do not feed any greens as most of them burn the rabbits stomachs as they are hard to digest, and we dont do hay either as it can cause them to have diarea. Now on occasion i will give them alfalfa cubes for chew blocks but not often.
Homesteading Mom in East Texas. Raising chickens, Rabbits and goats here on my farm! |
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Faransgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
895 Posts
Beth
Houston
Texas
USA
895 Posts |
Posted - Apr 29 2010 : 08:37:01 AM
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Channah, do you have a co-op near you. I buy my horse feed from the coop where local farmers take their products to be turned into feed for all sort of animals. They don't use any chemicals etc to grow or process the feeds and I pay $8 for a 50 lb bag of the same feed I get at the feed store for $16.95. Plus since it is local it is hypoallergenic. You have to be a member to buy from a Coop but since you have goats that have babies you would qualify. We have to drive a little way but we have three families that go together and that brings down the cost of gas and time etc. for everyone. We get horse and cattle feed when we go. It is something you can check into. We also buy locally made goat mild soaps, lotions and plants for the gardens there.
Farmgirl Sister 572
When manure happens just say "WOO HOO Fertilizer". |
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maggie14
True Blue Farmgirl
6784 Posts
Hannah
Washington
USA
6784 Posts |
Posted - Apr 29 2010 : 3:33:45 PM
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I will have to check and see Beth. Thanks so much!
Hugs,
Channah
Farmgirl sister #1219
Just a small town country girl trying to live her dreams. :) |
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Barnyard Buddies: Feed costs and GMO. |
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Feed costs and GMO.
