Protein Out of Thin Air

Yesterday afternoon was spent harvesting and processing most of the meat birds.  In our quest to feed our animals from home resources, we decided to save the leftovers from cleaning the chickens and try out a method we read about called "protein out of thin air".  After reading most of Harvey Usserys book, The Small-Scale Poultry Flock, I have to say I was impressed.  He has a bunch of innovative and creative ideas I had never read about or thought of before on how to sustainably care for your flock.  Sustainably meaning not going elsewhere for feed.  The basics of the "protein out of thin air" method are...

-drill 3/8 inch holes all around the sides, bottom, and lid of a 5-7 gallon plastic food grade bucket

-add a thick layer of mulch such as straw or dry leaves

-place your animal innards, road kill, that gopher you trapped, etc. in the center over the mulch

-cover with more mulch and secure the lid on tightly

-hang above the ground in your chicken yard

The idea is that female flies will enter through the holes and lay their eggs, which will in approximately six days become larvae (or maggots).  The larvae will grow and feed on the animal parts, quickly devouring all but bones, hair, and teeth.  When they are ready to pupate into winged adults they will make their way out of the holes in the bucket in search of earth to burrow into, dropping down to the ground and becoming...voila!...free protein snacks for the chickens.  

I know, I know, very few things on earth are as gross as maggots, but Im learning part of this farming business is developing a strong stomach.  In his book Ussery addresses many of the questions you might have about the possible smell, what happens to the carcass, "arent you just breeding flies?", disease, and attracting predators.  Personally, none of those issues really worry me especially since our poultry area is large and nowhere near any neighbors.  I am excited to think that an added benefit may be a decrease in the already annoying fly population since many of their larvae will be eaten on the spot by hungry chickens and ducks.  

In less than a week we will know whether or not it works.  Ill keep you posted!

Read More..

Air pollution High levels to spread across England

"People with health problems are being warned to avoid strenuous activity after forecasts that air pollution will reach high levels in parts of England.

Defra issued warnings as high pollution levels were recorded on Tuesday.

The pollution - a mix of local and European emissions and dust from the Sahara - is forecast in parts of south England, the Midlands and East Anglia.

The elderly and those with lung or heart disease are among those warned against exercising outside.

In February, the European Commission launched legal proceedings against the UK for failing to reduce levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) air pollution.

On Wednesday, Defra (the Department for Food, Agriculture & Rural Affairs) admitted it was a "challenge" to meet air pollution targets near busy roads but said air quality had "improved significantly" in recent decades.

Defra has a 10-point scale for measuring air quality - with level one implying a "low" risk of air pollution and 10 warning of "very high" levels.

Levels are determined by the concentration of five pollutants in the air, including NO2, sulphur dioxide (SO2) and ozone.

High levels of air pollution are usually reached about five times a year, Defra said.

On Wednesday, levels were recorded at six - meaning moderate - in East Anglia and south-east England, with pollution readings reaching level five in London and areas of north-east England.

However, forecasters say pollution levels could reach high levels later in the day and on Thursday, before clearing on Friday.

The BBC weather centre said the highest recordings were likely to be in East Anglia and the East Midlands, while moderate to high air pollution levels were also forecast for large parts of southern and central England."

In parts of Wales, areas around Wirral and Merseyside, as well as Devon, levels were likely to be moderate.

On Tuesday, pollution levels hit the maximum of 10 in north-west Norfolk.

Continue reading the main story

HEALTH EFFECTS

• Those with existing lung and heart conditions may find symptoms worsen
• They should avoid doing too much, especially outdoors
• Healthy people may experience minor symptoms such as a sore throat or a tickly cough
• They should avoid strenuous activity in order to reduce such symptoms

• What will pollution do to us?

Dr Keith Prowse, honorary medical adviser to the British Lung Foundation, warned higher pollution levels could have a "significant impact" on people with respiratory conditions.

"People who use a reliever inhaler should make sure that they carry it with them. If they feel that their conditions are worsening then they should contact their GPs," he said.

Kay Boycott, chief executive of Asthma UK, said the two-thirds of people with asthma who find that air pollution makes their condition worse "will be at an increased risk of an attack".

It adds that "anyone experiencing discomfort such as sore eyes, cough or sore throat should consider reducing activity, particularly outdoors".

A Defra spokeswoman said: "The high level of air pollution this week is due to a combination of local emissions, light winds, pollution from the continent and dust blown over from the Sahara.

"We want to keep improving air quality and haveintroduced a new five-day forecast servicein addition to investing heavily in local and transport initiatives to tackle this issue head-on."

Meanwhile, Maria Arnold, from the environmental law group Client Earth, called for changes to the way pollution warnings are given, saying the public was "generally very poorly warned about these type of events".

"We think the [warning] format needs to become very similar to the warnings for floods and heat waves. It is really important people understand the risks."

Friends of the Earth air pollution campaigner Jenny Bates said air pollution was a "national disgrace".

"Theres not much we can do to control dust from the Sahara, but the authorities could and should be doing far more to deal with the UKs contribution to this air pollution episode, particularly from road traffic emissions," she said.

Dr Paul Cosford from Public Health England told BBC Radio 4s Today programme that pollution levels were "clearly a serious issue".

However, he said it was "important we dont get it out of proportion".

He said the "vast majority" of people would suffer no harm from the pollution levels, but said people with health issues should take extra care.

The BBCs environment correspondent Roger Harrabin said the episode could bring further attention to the governments long-term failure to reduce air pollution."

Taken from BBC News, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26844425, on the 3rd of April 2014

Read More..