Food & Travel...
Saving Energy Feb 7, 2008
Apple Farmer Uses Pigs Instead of Pesticides
Who needs toxic chemicals when cute little piggies do the job?
Jim Koan is doing something revolutionary on his Flushing, MI farm. Or, is he? Instead of using pesticides to rid his orchard of a pest, Koan is going old school and using pigs.
Koan’s 120-acre apple farm in has been plagued by the Plum Curculio Beetle that lays its eggs in apples and makes the fruit drop too early from trees. He could have used frequent sprays of pesticides for years to get rid of the beetles, or he could use pigs. (He tried chickens and guineas, but they weren’t hard enough workers and the guineas were taken away by hawks. He contemplated sheep, too, but in the end hard-working pigs, too big for any hawk or coyote to steal, were the best bet.) Now he has a group of pigs who shuffle through the orchards when the apples infected with beetles start to fall. They eat the apples and the eggs that would have spelled disaster for next year’s crop, and clear the ground and eat weeds in the process. The pigs make short work of an apple orchard, eating every last contaminated apple. And, bonus: once the pigs have solved the beetle problem, Koan plans to sell them as organic pork.
The Detroit Free Press reported on Koan’s farm on January 28, 2008. I like this story for a few reasons. First, I like the image of pigs rooting around apple trees in Michigan, especially when juxtaposed with the image of tractors driving through the same field spraying pesticides on low-hanging Golden Delicious fruit. And, I like the idea of using pigs when it comes to my own health and the nutrition in my food.
To give you an idea of where pesticides fit into life today: in a 2005 report, the Centers for Disease Control found that toxins used in pesticides (neurotoxic pyrethroids) were found in people’s blood and the Environmental Working Group discovered that developing fetuses are born with an average 200 toxic chemicals inside them (taken from The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved by Sandor Katz). Some of theses toxins ended up in bloodstreams, not because anyone was chugging chemical waste, but because they were eating apples, pears, lettuce, and other fruits and vegetables that had been coated with pesticides as part of the ‘growing process.’
So, revolutionary or not, pigs are a refreshing idea.
Environmental Working Group
| ptp123 | Oct 21st, 2009Environmental Working Group discovered that developing fetuses are born with an average 200 toxic chemicals inside them (taken from The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved by Sandor Katz).
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a good example...
| hampers | Sep 3rd, 2009Although quite some time, the essence of this post is truly inspirational in nature because here lies the beauty of going green, using other safe alternative that will not only benefit the environment but also us, humans. In times of chaotic economy, there is still hope in gearing towards food safety. And since Christmas is just around the corner, fabulous food hampers, and Christmas hampers are nice gift ideas because of its being toxic-free and preservative-free.
Pigs
| amandaconsovoy | Aug 11th, 2009Initially, this article brought a smile to my face, as not only do I support avoiding the use of pesticides in crops, but I also happen to be a vegeterian in the true sense of the word; I avoid eating all animal products and therefore feel I make a significiant impact on the environment.
However, when I read this statement: , "And, bonus: once the pigs have solved the beetle problem, Koan plans to sell them as organic pork.", I realized that this was just another article, another idea, that is really just "half green".
Until we realize the full impact of the cycle we are in by producing pigs, chickens, cows, etc, for food, we will never reach "green". Until we stop viewing animals as a commodity, we will never reach "green". And until it sinks in that eating animals and animal products is horrible for our health and the environment, these half green ideas are both offensive and embarrassing.
Granted, animals that are raised humanely are better than factory farmed animals, but eating them offers nothing nutritionally (Dr. John McDougall, "The McDougall Plan" and John Robbins, "Diet for a New America") to humans and only affects the environment marginally, if at all.
It is hard to take anyone seriously who claims they are an environmentalist while continuing to consume animals. I am sure I will get some replies questing whether I wear leather, own a car, etc., however it is our daily food choices that have the most impact on the enviorment on so many levels, hands down.
Truthfully, what I find most disturbing about this article is how little respect is payed to the hard working pigs. Once again, and inevitably, this article is less about the environment than it about human consumption-what we get out of it.
Ironically enough, the less we eat animals, organic or not, the better off our health, and the environment, will be.
-Amanda Consovoy
I don't really know if this
| joeAnne | May 22nd, 2009I don't really know if this is the best solution because at a certain point you come to the same costs or at least this is what I believe at a first sight. I might be wrong.
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joined up thinking
| footprintfriends | Dec 31st, 2008This is a great story - we are too reliant on a pill, drug or chemical to make it all better.
We should be as sustainable as possible - its a no brainier, saving resources and money. You can not argue with that.
( I trust the bugs did not affect the pigs - or the pork?)
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