For the Massas, ducklings were part of an ongoing search for solutions to the challenges of modern rice farming. They ended up with duck meat to sell, and though they didn’t take any precise measurements of yields during their first trial run, their rice crops did not appear to suffer at all. “We learned a couple of things,” Raquel says. “The ducks trampled some of the rice in their pond, which would not have been a problem if we had used a larger section of the field. I also think we used the wrong breed of duck. They were a little too large to move effectively between the dense plants, and they were not active enough in their foraging activities. These ducks were bred to sit around all day and eat and gain weight quickly for industrial meat production. We are currently researching which breeds to try next.”
Sustainable agriculture comes with trade-offs, but many feel that the disadvantages are less problematic than are those of modern industrial agriculture, especially in the long term.
The Massas have continued on to incorporate more sustainable agroecology farming techniques into their farm. Organic almond orchards are managed like natural woodlands with a diverse understory (that attracts beneficial pollinating insects); sheep forage beneath the trees, providing fertilizer and helping to maintain the understory without the need for industrial weed control methods. (They used to burn out weeds by hand with a propane flamer.) Pigs have become another permanent part of their farm, moved around the farm via temporary fencing to feed on whatever area best fits their needs and the needs of the farm.
At the end of that first season, the Massas harvested both rice and duck meat. The key to successful duck/rice farming is to remove the ducks before they get big enough to trample rice plants or strong enough to pluck rice seeds from deep within the mud. The hard part isn’t knowing when to do this but having the resolve for what comes next: killing and eating the ducks. The Massa family struggled but ultimately felt good about the outcome. “I know the conditions in which they were raised were more humane than 99% of the meat ducks in this country,” says Raquel. “They had it good and you can taste that in the finished product.”
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Select References:
Baranski, M., et al. (2014). Higher antioxidant and lower cadmium concentrations and lower incidence of pesticide residues in organically grown crops: A systematic literature review and meta-analyses. The British Journal of Nutrition: doi:10.1017/S0007114514001366
Davis, D. R., et al. (2004). Changes in USDA food composition data for 43 garden crops, 1950 to 1999. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 23(6): 669–682.
Hossain, S. T., et al. (2005). Effect of integrated rice-duck farming on rice yield, farm productivity, and rice-provisioning ability of farmers. Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development, 2(1): 79–86.
Reganold, J. P., et al. (2010). Fruit and soil quality of organic and conventional strawberry agroecosystems. PLoS ONE, 5(9):e12346.doi:10.1371
Weber, C. L., & H. S. Matthews. (2008). Food-miles and the relative climate impacts of food choices in the United States. Environmental Science and Technology, 42(10): 3508–3513.
While a typical supermarket may seem to present a dizzying array of food choices to the consumer, a look at the ingredient labels betrays our increasing reliance on growing monocultures of common strains of corn, soy, and wheat. These choices will change only if you, the consumer, demand it.
Individual Steps
Carefully examine the labels on the food you buy. As your food budget allows, opt for food products that are organically grown and, if available, locally produced.
Group Action
Organize a community garden that specializes in heirloom varieties of vegetables that might not be found in the local grocery stores. Start by requesting a seed catalog from www.seedsavers.org or www.rareseeds.com.
Research specific farming practices that more closely mimic those found in natural ecosystems, such as Joel Salatin’s Polyface Farm (www.polyfacefarms.com).
Subscribe to a community-supported agriculture (CSA) farm and receive a weekly supply of sustainably grown produce. For a list of CSAs in your area, see www.localharvest.org.
Policy Change
Identify bodies of water in your area that may be impacted by cultural eutrophication from fertilizer runoff. Meet with local officials and propose ordinances limiting fertilizer use by homeowners, golf courses, or other possible sources of the pollution.
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