If you farm wheat commercially

If it's the same Keith Lewis and if nobody is plagiarizing him or using his name then he is apparently dead now. It's not too hard to track down people in Saskatchewan since Saskatchewan only has a population of less than 1.25 million, more than a third of them are city dwellers, and not all country dwellers are farmers. There is more information at the link:

http://www.carscaddenfuneralchapel.c...256/id/2421568

OBITUARY

Keith Edgar Lewis
Born: May 30, 1943
Died: February 14, 2014

Keith Edgar Lewis, .......... passed away at Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, on Friday, February 14, 2014 at the age of 70 years.

<snip>

Keith was born on May 30, 1943, and lived his life on Woodside farm at Vandura, Saskatchewan. He proudly represented the third generation on the family farm. Keith farmed, operated a seed cleaning plant for many years, and, later in life, worked for Saskatchewan Municipal Hail Insurance.

<snip>

Keith had a life-long thirst for knowledge and a commitment to taking action on the many causes that he was passionate about. He was a member of the Saskatchewan and Canadian Canola Growers Association, the Western Canadian Seed Growers Association, Saskatchewan Director Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association, the Winnipeg Commodity Exchange, the Moosomin Mainline Terminal and, more recently, the Saskatchewan Archeological Society. In 2013, Keith received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for community service.

<snip>

For a guy like me, who has more years behind me than in front of me, it probably doesn't matter too much if I brush my teeth with Roundup or chew on a few alien genes in my sweet corn, or eat a few bites of bruised potatoes unknowingly. Or, even sip a few more ppm's of nitrate in my drinking water......

But if I were a young person, with children, just in case all the claims that these chemicals used by agribusiness are benign and harmless--just in case they turn out to be false--I would be hedging my bets. How?

As I mentioned, for me, instead of GMO, I would be designing a homestead way of life for GYO(grow your own). I would learn to weld, I would design a food prep center/barn to store my grains, then thresh and grind and package them under roof. I would build the tillage and harvesting equipment right-sized for my acreage, and not rely on antique machinery or old fashioned labor-intensive systems. I would rotate my crops and animal grazing areas to provide my fertility inputs. I would secure my water, and process and preserve my own animals and food.....And on and on.

Yes, "we" farmers have to feed the world. Probably we can't imagine the new processes and engineering works that lie ahead, but my hope is that somewhere buried in this forum, there may be others who would rather not dip their crackers in the chemical soup, or swim in the runoff ditch. The way to go is GYO....

geo

I can agree with much, and understand all of what you say there Geo. I am glad there are choices and options for people to do their own way, and buy what they wish from the many options out there.

Gmo soybeans became available to plant in 1994 I believe. They were talked about greatly in the ag press since the late 1980s.

It was probably 2000 or 2001 before I started using them - over a decade between hearing of them, and actually using them. I actually was pretty cautious getting into them.

Now in 2014, gmo crops are something I've heard of, studied, for over 25 years. Just seems normal by now, old technology. Been around forever to those of us farming row crops....

The stuff I hear on the Internet does not match how gmos are used, what they are, what farmers do. So the incredible tales one hears on the Internet are about equal to that 'French' guy on the commercial a year ago - because its on the Internet, it must be true right? Just silly. People who aren't farming or familiar with it see it as something new, as they weren't bothering to read about it back in the 1980s - they never heard of gmos until a couple years ago, or just now.... The Internet exaggeration scares them of this 'new' stuff. And they are right to be concerned about their food, and be interested in the process.

Over 25 years, there is no smoking gun. There are no ill effects - if their were could you imagine the lawsuits? People would be all over looking for their millions of dollars..... Gmo is just another tool, like fertilizer, like herbicides, like a tractor replacing horses, which replaced human labor before it.

It is different, and there are challenges with anything new or different, and it scares some people.

What I probably forget along the way, is that this is 'new' to many people. For me it is a quarter century old......

Some religious groups still use horses, or shy away from rubber tires.

Some people dislike hybrid plants.

Some dislike gmo crops.

That's all good.

I enjoy the Amish, I enjoy home gardening, I love the different ideas and methods. Different ways makes life and the world a lot more interesting, fun. I love walking through the farmers market in my small town, some are organic, some are not.

What is confusing is the extreme hostility and outright hatred by some on this issue?

I appreciate your moderate and sensible message. I might have a few different ways of looking at things than you, but it appears we can both enjoy life and our different ways and allow each other some freedoms and just understand a little of each other?

Paul

Geo, I appreciate your post! I think it echoes the sentiment of quite a few hear.

Small scale grain production is something that I find quite interesting and would love to be able to add that to the production on the homestead someday. I don't need 100 bushels of wheat, I only need maybe 4 or 5 to provide me all I'd need for our family for a year, and that may be more than I really need.

While I don't care to use or consume RoundUp type crops, I am encouraged that many here either don't use it, or use it way more sparingly than some articles out there would suggest.

And Shannon, thank you for bringing up the subject, even though it is rather a "hot topic" around here. Lots of opinions, some diametrically opposed, but hey, we're all entitled to our own opinion. I had just read a FB post just a few minutes before finding this post about using RoundUp on wheat crops maybe 2 weeks before harvest to boost the yield... so it was timely.

I think that if some of the people that believe that farmers use every chemical they can find would price the chemicals they would see that a farmer that uses them "just in case" or "if a little is good, more is better" is not going to be farming long. Keep in mind that every trip over the field adds to the cost, and may be bad for the soil as well. Farmers, to a very great extent are stewards of the land, very good ones.

I am glad you are willing to learn! But realize too, that some of us are stating FACTS, not mere opinions. The above short statement is one of the bizarre opinions stated in the offending article. ( I addresses it in a prior post, and I realize it is not you stating this, but them )

Because it is impossible, I can freely state that it is not the truth. I am stating not my own opinion, but a fact. Glyphosate sprayed on wheat at that time, does not, has never, and never, ever will increase the yield. It is simply impossible.

Which brings into question, what else are they lying about?

I forgot to add, I too am glad that Pretty Paisley brought it up gracefully, and with a distinct question. Often people post stuff with an AHA!!! attitude, (myself included) at times! So the way it was brought up, I believe allowed for a much better dialogue right off the bat. Getting off on the right foot on a contentious thread, contributes well to the discussion.

Well thank you for noticing, though I'm not so sure I got the benefit of the doubt from everyone. BUT-that doesn't mean I want you living in NC. (Joking, of course.)

And I was under the impression that the whole "boosting yield" was to kill off younger sprouts so they wouldn't be lost in the harvest and to keep from damaging the monster harvesting equipment. Or just for fun, as I often believe Monsanto sells their crap for.

For what it is worth, here is Snopes version of looking at the article that has been mentioned here.

http://www.snopes.com/food/tainted/roundupwheat.asp

One can take Snopes as just another opinion, or however, just providing the link.

Paul

Yeah-Snopes has been pretty much debunked as a couple of washed up Clinton-supporting hippies living in a hole in Nowhere, CA.

I'm going to default to Mother Nature for the answers for now. It's been several million years of human life on this planet without all the new fangled farming techniques and just be grateful for running water.

Heres my thoughts on organics, super healthy, we shouldnt eat this or drink that....
When I first came to Kentucky and started my homesteading life back in 77 I became acquainted with quite of few of those good folks who insisted that organics was the only way to go, and that eating meat would kill you, along with a host of other things that people shouldnt be doing. I continued to eat meat, drink alcohol, smoke tobacco, and bought a lot of groceries at the store containing all of those "poisons" everyone was hollering about. Over the years I have attended the funerals of many of those health nuts along with a few of the more traditional "regular" people. Its gotten to the point that about the only ones left now in my area are those who were a bit more like myself and just went on with life without stressing over every little thing that might kill them someday.

__________________
"Nothing so needs reforming as other peoples habits." Mark Twain

I'll second Yvonne's Husband for the most part.

This thread has been really interesting. I prefer to be skeptical and always question why things are done the way they are. I have enjoyed reading the answers here by many, like Farmer Dale. His posts have been truly informative.

I like progress... I just have a conservative view on things. Progress should be weighed and not just jumped into without consideration. Wheat is one of those things I doubt I will be growing myself, although I do buy it in bulk and grind it as needed.

That said, the instant they have a robot that can wash dishes, vacuum, mop and carry on a conversation I am buying that without hesitation.

YH- here's where I beat a dead horse.

I get it. I get the dirty hippies in the 60's and 70's dropped dead from too much pot and patchouli. And I get that I was raised in the 70's and am "just fine" (debatable no doubt). But what I can't seem to get across is that this is NOT 1950, '60, '70 or even '80 anymore. Junk food is no longer just over processed, sugar-laden crap. Junk food (and by that I don't mean potato chips and Coke...I mean boxed crap that passes as food) is now killing our kids. Tell me why this is the first time in history kids are not expected to live as long as their parents - and don't try that "video game" crap. When I read a box of "organic" mac and cheese it's clear it's nothing more than an old school recipe from 1976-and it's clear that the chemicals that are in the food now ARE something to get up in arms about. If I didn't worry about what my kids ate or were injected with or what I washed their clothes in or what I shampooed their hair with, they would most likely be obese, learning disabled, or God forbid, on chemo whilst eating Bojangle's chicken.

It's not like it's just me I'm worrying about here. Heck, if it was I'd be eating Hamburger Helper and chasing it down with Dt Dr Pepper for breakfast. And frosted cherry Pop-Tarts for desert because dang they taste good. But I have to BUILD a human. I have to nourish an immune system. And there is no one here, even the biggest fans of GMOs, who will agree that what you buy in the grocery store is a smart way to go about that huge task. If they do say it-I call baloney. They are just saying it because they don't like the messenger.

Thanks for the detective work...I didn't know it was so easy to find people there. It's too bad he is gone. I would have liked to have spoken with him to ask if he was the one who left those comments and learn a little more about what he meant if it was him.

I agree with this post almost in it's entirety. I grow grain, and lambs for market, and do the "pretend" ( ) homesteading stuff for our own use and a bit for sale like eggs, etc.

What happens to my grain after it hits the market, is not for me to decide, even if I wanted to. What they make my hard red spring wheat into, is what is a deplorable excuse for a loaf of bread. I read the label, and I can not pronounce half the words! So we make our own. It is not the wheat that is the problem, IMO, it is what they add to it to make "bread".

I look at the anemic, expensive "meat" in the grocery stores, and look at the moose elk and deer in my woods, and my lambs, with pride and recognize THAT is meat!

The eggs, the veggies, the pork, the chicken? It is not fresh, it is anemic. So we grow most of our own, other than pork, which I plan to fix next year...

There is no doubt to me, that home raised, and raw materials at the farm gate is better.

I think the raw materials leaving my farm and others are pretty much as pristine as one can get, raised out in the clean, pure, and fresh air. But then something definitely happens. It gets processed into stuff, and gets stuff added to it, which is to me, the issue.

Was at MIL's last week and they buy all their food, like most. Prepped meatballs, "bread", "chicken". Right down to the apple pie... I swear I almost got cancer in two days! Seriously, I forgot how they make some of that stuff. It gave my belly a "heavy" feeling. I especially noticed the bread. I forgot how it is...

I think we should be pointing fingers more as a society at the junk they add to our food as giving problems. I think it is a far bigger issue than wheat spraying at the 3 leaf stage or a gene placed into a seed.

Be interesting to know if you and I live longer than the average citizen who eats poorly.

It should be pointed out that the average farmer is expected to feed thousands with their product which puts it in w whole other league than the average homestead.

North Americans are also the only society that insists on copious amounts of cheap food on their tables.

If society demand copious amounts of cheap food, my cattle and others grains will be used to satisfy that demand. We raise the best product we can and can't control what happens when we sell it but it's always better to blame the producer than the real source of the problem, which is the consumer.

The consumer doesn't want apples that aren't shiny, they don't want ugly potatoes and the $1.50 loaves of bread fly off the shelves while the $4 loaf sells in limited quantity.

ok, see above for the poptarts and hamburger helper.... rest assured that those kinds of things wont be found in my pantry. Learn to cook, and bake and you will have tremendous amount of control over what your kids eat. Building a human is pretty simple, you start by..... ummm no... you already know all that I am sure. Fast forward a few months here... After they hit the ground you feed and water'em and they pretty much grow all by themselves... its been working that way for centuries. As to building an immune system, let'em get dirty, teach'em all about mudpies, and let'em make koolaid out of the toilet water once and while.... THAT is how immunities are developed, coupled with vaccinations for those bugs that would most likely kill them if they were exposed to them. Its a good system... and it works.
one other piece of old fashioned advise... change those things that need it IF you can, dont worry about the things you cant do anything about, and most important of all.... learn to tell the difference.

ETA: Granny always said you cant get a square meal out of a round can. I am thinking the same prolly holds true for most of the square boxes in the frozen foods section.

__________________
"Nothing so needs reforming as other peoples habits." Mark Twain

I love a good debunking. Excellent work farmerDale. There are wheat fields around here - glorious things that make me proud that the farmers here do so good.

Kids not expected to live longer than their parents:

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Gettin...54_Article.jsp

http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/mar2005/nia-16.htm

http://www.childrensdefense.org/poli...d-obesity.html

Chemicals in children's/body care products:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012...sial-chemicals

http://www.buycott.com/campaign/558/...er-agents-2015

http://www.breastcancerfund.org/clea.../parabens.html

Of course pro-obesity folks say it's okay to be a fat kid and it will all work out in the end and some guy can't be reached for comment and the give-more-money-for-cancer folks would never admit you should skip the deodorant, so you decide. And of course, demerits because *I* am the one sharing the news.

So here's one for you. Got any proof chemicals, petroleum based food dyes, fire retardant on pajamas, and off gassing of crib mattresses are GOOD ideas? Because what I'm not understanding is all the push back I get from the same old crowd for wanting to keep this crap away from my family. Well I guess I do. It's common to point fingers, snicker and gang up on those who resist the status quo. And while I DO appreciate that farmers feel they are saving the world (much like how the soldiers feel they are doing the very best they can for the country) - I don't appreciate the transparent attacks. You're not changing my mind anymore than I'm changing your's - but the folks who read this are learning there is more to the story than what you would like them to know. They get that the resistance to labeling food means there is something to hide. You can fool many of the low information voters most all of the time but you can't fool those who seek the information you are trying to hide.

From my perspective, the reason why kids are so obese those days is because the current food that we eat is more calorie laden than in the past so the body has to really work out in order to keep the body slim. Also in the past, everyone exercised pretty much anywhere. I used to be very active when I was younger..my parents would kick us out in the morning and tell us not to come back til lunch or dinner. Now my kids are stuck doing mandatory home work (they're 5 and 7) so I told their teachers they wouldn't be doing the homework since my kids constantly place in the top 5 in their classes mainly because they were sent to a special pre school where they learned to read and write at age 2 (child writing for fun) and their parents are deaf so they have had the benefits of being bi-lingual ever since they were babies and studies have shown that being bilingual is very beneficial. In Europe, it's very common to find people that can read/speak 3-5 languages and nobody thinks it's anything extraordinary while Americans are all agog when they find that out. Also American foods are so full of preservatives that I suspect it has affected our bodies. In Europe, they shop for food every day or every other day. Their breads have no preservatives so they have to make them fresh every day. The funny thing is when my friend moved to Germany, he couldn't find any ranch or blue cheese dips/dressings. Apparently they're banned in Germany along with certain other processed foods. I also try to get my kids to be physically active.

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Ted H

You may all go to Hell, and I will go to Texas.
-Davy Crockett

Store bought dressings are some of the most awful tasting things ever. Just try comparing off the shelf Cesar to one you make yourself, there is simply no contest, they are not the same thing even.

However, shopping everyday might be easy when you live in such concentrated little clusters. I can't afford to drive to town every day and walking would mean I'd get not much else done with my day.

None of my children go to public school and I think that right there gives them a good chance of never getting to be obese. Sitting for hours on end and eating the trash they serve there (they are trying to phase out you being able to bring in unapproved foods), is the antithesis of healthy living for a child. At home my children can learn outside in the sun and the dirt and with plenty of time to run around.

However, one of the big reasons we are 'playing at homesteading' is because of the loss of information from just one or two generations ago. Things my grandparents just knew we have had to relearn. There is so much we have not bothered to preserve--- no matter how we progress, remembering how things used to be done will always be important. My grandparents did not eat a 'healthy' diet according to today's standards but they were healthy and hale right up towards the end. They were never overweight either. (Though some people tend to forget that a tendency to hang onto weight is useful during a famine and likely a zombie apocalypse too.)

As for our selfish desires to have 'cheap' food on the table... yeah so what? With the rate of rise in food costs and everything else we haven't gotten a raise. So we just keep getting poorer simply to maintain our life. But sure lets compare ourselves to all the other unfortunates in the world and realize we still have a long way to fall until we are all equal. Sorry (not really) but I don't see a problem with expecting to maintain a higher standard of living than in a 3rd world country. ~shrug~