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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.
Good to know. I wish them all the luck in the world! I’d love to see more of it!
Thanks for the information. I had no idea about the GE alfalfa. Monsanto is terrible.
The dressing looks amazing…yum
If the farmers harvest the alfalfa when it should be harvested, cross pollination is not going to happen. Ideal time to harvest is in late vegetative state which is before the flower opens up. So one part can be solved by harvesting on time. Until the field needs to be planted again, in my area (Minnesota), that is about every 5 years.
That does not always happen tho–machinery breaks down, rain/mud/etc., lack of labor, etc.
At ideal harvest the plant has the most nutrients in it and does the animal the best.
The problem is going to be in getting the seed for future crops. That can be tested like corn and other crops to determine if the seed is contaminated or not. Alfalfa seed does not always germinate at the same time and can stay in the field not germinated for I think up to two years (may have to check those numbers).
There are other types of hay that can be used instead of alfalfa. Alfalfa is my favorite because it does so much good for my milk and growing animals. But I have been able to use a good grass hay before with decent results. Production not quite as high but still up there.
Also, there is no need in most cases for this type of GMO. IF the farmer plants the alfalfa when it should be planted in the spring, there really is no problem with competing plants because the alfalfa can come up faster and choke out anything trying to grow with it. I can honestly say I have never seen a hay field around me sprayed for any reason. Lime added about every 5 years and replanting at the same time, but I have not seen herbicide sprayed on a properly planted field. That could be just this area and the work load of the local farmers–when we had more small farmers.
How my hay farmer put it, “the GMO alfalfa was created for the lazy farmer and the large corporate farms that can’t get the job done when and how it should be done.”
Tracy
A GMO free seed bank is part of the project if you click over and read it.
Thanks Tracy for your info. I pray this garbage doesn’t take off.
I wish I had more time because I’m darn broke right now!
My raw dairy source in Colorado is also doing the hydroponic feed source due to the drought and not wanting to buy feed from Canada. I don’t think it’s fair – your getting donations for this farmer when there’s others out there needing funding help too. My dairy, Eberts, says there’s not many out there and it’s a new learning for the few who will eventually help others get started too.
I agree completely. This is not “the first of its kind”. There are several and they could all use the support. It is not an inexpensive venture to start a new system on your farm.
I have just one cow here now, but I also sprout wheat and barley for my cow. She loves it and it has increased her milk production. I believe it is a wonderful feed. I built my own sprouter that suits my needs for now, but I will eventually need to invest in a bigger one (I also feed sprouts to my meat rabbits and layer chickens) as my farm grows.
Thank you for bringing this to light for people who are unfamiliar with feeding fodder, but please don’t just single one farm out of many who are on the right track to support financially.
Well, how am I supposed to know about all these other farms? I’m not a mind reader. Kelvin’s farm was the first to email me for help, so I helped. He took the initiative, the others did not. It is completely “fair” that I write about this farm as this farm was the one who stepped out to seek support.
Am I supposed to say nothing about this project in order to be “fair” to others that might be doing the same thing? That is ludicrous.
Thank you so much, Sarah, for letting everybody know about this wonderful project. I purchase all of my dairy from Pure Milk Farms and it is all absolutely delicious. Kelvin and his family are so nice. It’s a pretty long drive from my home in Louisiana to their farm in Texas. One day on my way to the farm I got stuck in traffic for several hours and didn’t get there until 11:00 at night! He and his wife both came from their house to their little farm store to help me. They were so friendly and so understanding. I hope everyone who can donate does. It’s such a great project.
Just donated. Way to go Kelvin!
I like this idea very much but I’m wondering how Pure Milk Farms will obtain a large supply of pure, non-GMO seeds to sprout in the long run? Someone will have to grow these seeds in an open field most likely so cross-contamination is going to be a real problem eventually.
Ultimately, we are going to have to win this fight at the consumer level. Only then will “we the people” be successful in state initiatives that require honest labeling. “We the people” will then also be in the place to bring our federal government back to a sound Constitutional footing (including where the selling of raw milk and other health products are not banned).
Scum