The end near ?

[Shanghai]

I have an urge to head to the Davis mountains and hire on to a big outfit before it's all gone.
The freedoms we've enjoyed as farmers as ranchers I'm meaning.
With EPA, the environmental push, climate change and methane being suspect, the controlling of all water, runoff, pollution, air quality and you name it. The new buzz word sustainability and regulations to meet such terms.
The socialist direction we seem to be headed.

Is our lives as we know it as farmers and ranchers coming to an end ?
Reckon this is how the Indians felt

 

[John Baker]

Re:

Is our lives as we know it as farmers and ranchers coming to an end ?

It will if you let it!!
The only way to stop all this government BS is to unite on a statewide level and vote the SOBs out!!!

We did it in Tennessee and kept fat Albert Gore out of the white house.
Do you know that if fat Albert had won his home state of TN he would have beaten Bush, without winning Fla.

So don't say it can't be done!
Jack

 

[branguscowgirl]

Shanghai I don't blame you for having that "urge". Everything that you stated does make it sound pretty bleak for the farmer/rancher into the future.
They say, "we must embrace change". But some things are just better left alone as they are. Unfortunately the ranchers/farmers of yester years are becoming too old or too few to give it a good fight. And our young are not embracing the desire, or have the grit for that type of life as well as we would hope.

 

[boondocks]

I have an urge to head to the Davis mountains and hire on to a big outfit before it's all gone.
The freedoms we've enjoyed as farmers as ranchers I'm meaning.
With EPA, the environmental push, climate change and methane being suspect, the controlling of all water, runoff, pollution, air quality and you name it. The new buzz word sustainability and regulations to meet such terms.
The socialist direction we seem to be headed.

Is our lives as we know it as farmers and ranchers coming to an end ?
Reckon this is how the Indians felt

I look at it a bit differently. As someone who is trying to live closer to, and even a bit off of, the land, I think stewardship is very important. It's sad that we, as citizens, have not taken more voluntary, grassroots, individual actions to sustain a healthy environment and planet voluntarily. It's a shame that we're so selfish, and greedy, and self-centered, and short-sighted, that we need someone to step in and tell us what should be obvious: that this land is only ours for a moment, and in another moment it will be our greatgreatgrandchildrens'. It wasn't given to our greatgreatgrandparents trashed; how dare we think it's okay to pass it on to future generations in anything less than the best shape we can reasonably muster? To me, it's a deeply moral (even spiritual) issue, and a daily quandary as I do not always (or ever) meet my own standards...

And my gosh, to equate not being allowed to pollute at will with what happened to Native Americans? You do realize they were mostly killed, right? That the ones who survived were systematically rounded up and put onto barren little plots of land, and their children taken away to boarding schools where they were at best, punished if they dared to speak their own language, and at worst, suffered physical and sexual abuse, all in the name of "assimilation"? But I guess it turned out ok, 'cause they've got all those casinos now, and tax-free smokes, so we're square.

 

[texast]

I often wondered the same thing when I take a ride through the country here in Texas. It seems as though all the land is being sold and building's such as warehouses and new sub's are coming up. I think about what are the families doing that own/owned this land and how did it get to this point. I mean like has it been handed down to kids that just want out of the business and want a quick get rich dollar? Just a thought.

 

[branguscowgirl]

boondocks I think that the meaning behind Shanghai's statement is that the land for farming and ranching is being governed for political gain rather then for the well being of the land. Farmers and Ranchers are some of the best stewards of the land, yet they are being run out of business by the pencil pushers, activists, and politicians.
It has nothing to do with not respecting, caring or taking care of the land. I think that most of us are more than willing to do our part and more.

 

[Don McCallum]

That's a 10-4 !!!

 

[Shanghai]

I have an urge to head to the Davis mountains and hire on to a big outfit before it's all gone.
The freedoms we've enjoyed as farmers as ranchers I'm meaning.
With EPA, the environmental push, climate change and methane being suspect, the controlling of all water, runoff, pollution, air quality and you name it. The new buzz word sustainability and regulations to meet such terms.
The socialist direction we seem to be headed.

Is our lives as we know it as farmers and ranchers coming to an end ?
Reckon this is how the Indians felt

I look at it a bit differently. As someone who is trying to live closer to, and even a bit off of, the land, I think stewardship is very important. It's sad that we, as citizens, have not taken more voluntary, grassroots, individual actions to sustain a healthy environment and planet voluntarily. It's a shame that we're so selfish, and greedy, and self-centered, and short-sighted, that we need someone to step in and tell us what should be obvious: that this land is only ours for a moment, and in another moment it will be our greatgreatgrandchildrens'. It wasn't given to our greatgreatgrandparents trashed; how dare we think it's okay to pass it on to future generations in anything less than the best shape we can reasonably muster? To me, it's a deeply moral (even spiritual) issue, and a daily quandary as I do not always (or ever) meet my own standards...

And my gosh, to equate not being allowed to pollute at will with what happened to Native Americans? You do realize they were mostly killed, right? That the ones who survived were systematically rounded up and put onto barren little plots of land, and their children taken away to boarding schools where they were at best, punished if they dared to speak their own language, and at worst, suffered physical and sexual abuse, all in the name of "assimilation"? But I guess it turned out ok, 'cause they've got all those casinos now, and tax-free smokes, so we're square.

I'm 100% with you and agree with what your saying, but a common sense is not in the vocabulary of the EPA or whoever is behind this push to remove humans, farming and ranching from the land and restore it to nature.
99.9% of the people engaged in farming and ranching care far more about the land and take better care of it than any environmental nut that wants to run around naked, eat granola and save the tortoise , whale, minnow or whatever.
How is anyone to keep manure from washing away out of your cow pasture when it rains or as they think contaminating ground water ?
How are you going to capture methane from cattle and reduce climate change ?
What about air quality in farming or soil erosion from wind and rain ?
What about pollution from diesel exhaust from tractors ?
Or chemical and fertilizers or pesticides ?

The thought these people have is locally grown vegetables that are grown without chemicals, fertilizers or pesticides that you drive Prius to pick up a basket and back to your efficiency apartment that's within in walking distance to the university.

If and when the government gets control of the land there will be so many rules and regulation agriculture will be so bogged down in bureaucracy it'll be impossible for an individual to operate.
Farming and ranching will take deep pocket and resources to operate under the regulations.
It'll be the agriculture giants like ConAgra, Tyson and etc and the rest of will crammed in a city waiting for our monthly allotment of tofu and soy milk.

 

[highgrit]

The EPA is not going to help the small business owner or the consumer. The EPA is nothing more than but a bunch of liberal terrorist with a agenda. Do-gooders and liberals are bad for the farmer and rancher. Cost means nothing to them, and we can't operate like that.

 

[Hook]

Re:

Is our lives as we know it as farmers and ranchers coming to an end ?

It will if you let it!!
The only way to stop all this government BS is to unite on a statewide level and vote the SOBs out!!!

We did it in Tennessee and kept fat Albert Gore out of the white house.
Do you know that if fat Albert had won his home state of TN he would have beaten Bush, without winning Fla.

So don't say it can't be done!
Jack

You don't say, sl2......

 

[shaz]

Feeling like the end was near is what got my folks into hobby farming back in 1973. Later, Reagan got elected and we only did cows after that. Prior to 1980 we had 2 acre garden, orchard, dairy goats, pigs and made our own wine.

 

[cow pollinater]

Come on out to California. After a while you'll get over your fear of being regulated to death and start seeing it as just one more small hurdle. When you're not used to it it does feel like they're trying to kill you. In fact the more complicated it gets the easier it becomes because the regulators get to where they can't keep track of it all and the various agencies start contradicting each other. Sometimes you can even pit them against each other and in the mean time you get to keep on being you.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Ask your local dairy farmer how all those regulations are working out for them.

Katherine

 

[blacklabel]

I think the manure runoff is aimed more towards the industrial farms, feed lots, pig and chicken houses. Where its concentrated and collected in run off ponds.

I'll be first to admit i always wanted a small scale feeding operation. Then watched "frankensteer" on netflix and started looking into more local and substantial farming.

You have your electrician your plumber why not have your own farmer if you live in town??

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

You would need your own usda inspector to.

 

[blacklabel]

Just saying. My mother sells a mexican sauce she makes at farmers market and there are a few ranchers there selling beef and pork and some chicken. They seem happy with the market so it can be done. Using a usda processer one of these families has gotten into several stores and restaurants has a home delivery also. Direct marketing is putting more $$$ in his pocket.
Here is their site.
http://www.realfarmfoods.net/

 

[boondocks]

Just saying. My mother sells a mexican sauce she makes at farmers market and there are a few ranchers there selling beef and pork and some chicken. They seem happy with the market so it can be done. Using a usda processer one of these families has gotten into several stores and restaurants has a home delivery also. Direct marketing is putting more $$$ in his pocket.
Here is their site.
http://www.realfarmfoods.net/

I think that's interesting. A lot of people (who some will sneer at as granola-eaters) will pay more for sustainably-raised local meat and produce.

True, not everyone can afford it. Some will argue that we need to be free of the EPA and environmental regulations so that we can keep producing (relatively) cheap meat for the masses.But is it our greatgreatgrandkids' duty to subsidize our desire for the good life, if it means taking what is theirs (a planet in livable condition)? Part of what concerns me is the entitlement mindset--that the earth was given to us to exploit.

i think we need to draw a careful distinction between factory farming practices (CAFOs) and small family farms/ranches. I try to look at facts, not emotion. Every time I have seen someone post some dire prediction about how Uncle Sam is passing new laws that will shut down all farms, I have looked at it and it did not apply to non-CAFO family farms. Again, I agree smaller farmers need to be vigilant, and for sure big agribiz will try to lobby and use their $/influence to make sure they're the only game in town. In general, I just don't see the need for the hysteria, I guess: caution and watchfulness, yes.

To me, the tax structure on farms is the biggest threat. In so many areas, the land is taxed at a rate that reflects some pie-in-the-sky value, like what it would sell for if subdivided into mcmansions at the height of the real estate bubble.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Then you are not close enough to what really happening to see who is getting hit with these regulations. I guess you have a better way to raise chickens turkeys and hogs. that will supply a steady supply to millions of people.

 

[highgrit]

I don't think liberals have a plan to feed millions. We won't be able to grow enough fruits and vegetables to feed the vegans. That's the problem, some people can't see the problem.

 

[Hook]

I don't think liberals have a plan to feed millions. We won't be able to grow enough fruits and vegetables to feed the vegans. That's the problem, some people can't see the problem.

Not with all the land that's going to be devoted to pot growing.