Multigenerational Farming offers the chance for a younger generation to reap what’s been sowed by their parents and grandparents. Although there are always new machines and techniques to make farming less labor intensive and more efficient, these new-fangled methods could also have unforeseen consequences. This article touches on two examples where the new generation of farmers could learn from the hard-won wisdom of the family farmers that came before them.
Maintaining Healthy Livestock Weight
It seems nowadays that the demand for chicken has also increased the demand for larger and larger birds. Broiler chickens are bred not for eggs but for their meat and are especially prized for their large breast fillets. The problem is that an estimated 5 – 10% of these larger birds have a condition known as “woody breast” which causes the texture of the meat to be gummy and chewy. Researchers at Auburn University’s poultry science department speculate that the emphasis on growing heavier birds and growing them faster is a contributing factor for this condition. In the 1930s, the average broiler chicken was approximately 2 1/2 pounds. By 2015, the average broiler chicken is over 6 pounds in weight. Additionally a broiler chicken in the 1930s took over 40 days to gain 1 pound of weight. It now only takes a chicken about one week to gain 1 pound due to increased use of high-yield feeding techniques and antibiotics. An unfortunate side effect of the growing incidence of woody breasts in chickens is that farms are losing customers who don’t want to sacrifice meat quality.
The Wisdom of Crop Rotation
Crop rotation is where different crops are grown at different times of the year. What happens when the same plants are planted in the same soil every year is that pest problems can develop. This occurs because pests have specific tastes for specific types of crops. By disrupting their food supply, crop rotation makes sure pests don’t get too comfortably habituated to your plants. For example, corn is often rotated with soybeans or other beans. This also helps to replenish the soil’s nutrients and lessen the need for fertilizers. Soybeans are also a particularly good source of nitrogen for the soil that can help produce a high corn yield.
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