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Mice Can Distory Your Farm – Use These Tips to Protect It

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For any farmer, the sight of mice is supposed to raise alarm; this is enough proof that his produce is in danger of being destroyed. Mice can destroy your farm in a way you never thought they would. To avoid the danger posed by them, use this tips to protect it.

Use of soft drinks, this comes as a surprise to many people. Soft drinks kill mice by taking advantage of the fact that they cannot burp. When the rodents drinks the liquid, they do not belch and thus they will have too much gases accumulate in their system thus, they die. This is done using a disposable dish where you add the drink and leave it overnight. You can be sure to see the animals dead in the morning.

Use of plaster powder and chocolate powder, mice are easily attracted to sweet things. By taking advantage of this, you simply mix the plaster powder and chocolate and place it where the mice often frequent. Also, ensure that water is close so that after they have swallowed the bait, they will take the water and they will be gone. This is because the plaster powder hardens inside the stomach thus killing them.

Use of pellet chemicals, this are poisonous substances that are fed to mice to kill them, one can get them in any agro vet. They are usually placed where the mice are usually seen like mice holes or even farm store. They should be kept away from humans as they kill any animal that swallows them.

Use of glue boards, this is ideal for small farms or even kitchen gardens. It entails using a stick substance to catch the mice and they soon die of hypothermia.

Use of cats, cats are natural predators of rats and mice, if the use of poison is not that effective, you can bring in a cat which is mature enough to catch mice. Although not all cats are good at catching mice, you can always borrow one from a neighbor or even hire.

The use of traps, this is one of the most widely used method to trap mice. There are several types of traps and the effectiveness of these traps will depend on their make or the one who set it. You can use either a zapper trap or a classic snap trap.

Use of mice repellants, for those who do not want the fracas brought about by killing the animals, disposing, or the carcass. Peppermint oil is a natural detergent that has a smell that is too intense for rodents.

Use of dried snake poo, snake is a natural predator of rodents. Therefore, they always keep a distance from any snake by sense of smell. You can visit any reptile center close by and ask them for some dried poo. Place it where the smell will be sensed from afar. This will help for some time before they get used to it.

The use of electronic, electromagnetic or sonic devices, this is a way of encouraging mice to shift to the next place. The sonic device produces a sound that is not appealing to the mice so they opt to shift to better places. However, this is only for a short duration as they soon get used to the noise.

The methods are quite good especially if your farm is not pretty infested by these creepy creatures. For those who have colonies in their farms and all that they are doing is counting loses, it is good that you call an expert for more assistance.

What You Need to Know About Organic Farming

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Organic farming is an agricultural process involving improving soil quality. The process involves the use of crop rotation methods and application of green manure and compost. Organic farming is practiced in a very small part of farmlands in the world. However, as more people become aware of the benefits of organic farming, they embrace it. This awareness has resulted in an increase of organic farmers.

Modern organic farming techniques were introduced by British botanist Sir Albert Howard. He has given a detailed outline of his view of organic farming in his book “An Agricultural Testament”. Environmentalists were the first to embraced organic farming because of the effects of synthetic fertilizers on the surroundings. Other people have supported the idea largely because of their fear of consuming unsafe food.

Consumption of organic foods is on the rise. This increase is a direct result of people being aware of the safety of food they consume. It is important to make sure the food being sold to the people is genuinely organic. This is achievable by exercising stringent cultivation standards. In America, the USDA introduced a certification process in 2002 for enforcing adherence to the standards.

The problem of global warming could be eliminated if farmers switched to organic farming completely. Organic farming can help reduce the levels of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. This may not be possible since some of the farmers are still stuck to conventional methods of agriculture.

Many farmers are unwilling to make the switch to organic farming. One of the reasons for this is that organic farming requires one to adhere strictly to set standards. Another reason many people are not quick to embrace the farming methods is because of the lower productivity per acre. Productivity per acre of land is significantly lowered when practicing organic farming. This is not good news for farmers who want to make profits.

The cost of these organic foods is also high to the final consumer. Prices of organically produced foods exceed mainstream alternatives by up to 40 percent. Proponents of organic farming methods argue that people can find ways of buying the food at affordable prices. One can join Community Supported Agriculture organizations or shop from farmers markets. Consumers can also take advantage of sales and coupons.

In a move aimed at lowering consumer prices, large players in the organic food market seek products from other places. The materials may not be produced organically meaning the product will not meet expectations. These firms are no in breach of any USDA rules as that area is not regulated.

Organic farming has many benefits especially to the environment. However, many people who would like to embrace it have no idea how to go about it. The health of people has been affected by consuming foods laced with chemicals used in food production. All these problems are avoidable if more people know of the basics of organic farming. Even if it is not possible to completely switch to organic farming, it will be helpful if more farmers would practice it.