Farming with Bio-Vortices
My business is farming providing seasonal produce, beef, pork and chicken directly to consumers year round. We produce everything we sell, 100% naturally and without the use of chemicals/pesticides. I’ve been using Bio-Vortices in a few sizes for approximately 3 years. About the time I got the first one (agricultural), I’d just brought in my pomegranate harvest. I’ve been producing fresh pomegranate juice for more than 20 years, so I know the process very well. If the fruit is bitter when picked, the juice is always bitter. That year’s harvest left much to be desired – the fruit was not in great physical condition and was bitter. My outlook for the juice was pretty dim. And, pomegranates are harvested during one of our busiest times of the year. In looking at what was brought in from the field, I was sure that we’d lose about 1/2 of the harvest.
I placed the BV near the stored fruit to hopefully help them last until I could find the time to produce the juice – this was the ‘maiden voyage’ of the BV and I had no idea what to expect. Two weeks passed! Let me say again: the fruit, when harvested was already in poor shape. During those two weeks, flies did not gather; the fruit did not generate the vinegar-y scent that occurs when fruit decays.
I got the juice made and discovered it was sweet and incredible tasting. Only (approx) 10-15% of the crop was not usable – FAR LESS than the 50% loss I’d predicted. While producing the juice, we generally put the pressed waste nearby on the ground as we go thru the process, and upon completion, the waste goes to the compost. While we juiced, the waste did NOT attract flies or smell. As soon as it was moved to the compost, it finally attracted tons of flies and generated the vinegar-y scents it should have been attracting/generating for the prior two weeks. Interestingly, the compost was outside the ‘reach’ of the coil.
I got a second Agricultural BV and buried it on my farm about 2 years ago. The one remaining above ground gets utilized/moved around as needed. I drive lots and travel with a Bitty in my truck. Lasty, and very recently, I got a Colossal BV.
I’ve used the Agricultural BV for the area where I store my winter squash after harvest. Prior to using a BV our typical winter varieties are harvested mid-Oct. – very early Nov. And typically, by January, decay begins to set in. We generally sold winter squash to about March/April. Between Jan. and April, we lost about 40% of the crop due to average, normal decay. Since incorporating a BV into our storage facility, we are now selling our winter squash easily into April, several varieties displaying much longer than average shelf lives, the harvest is more ‘durable’, and instead of our ‘normal’ 40% loss, only about 10% of the crop is lost due to decay – all else is sold. Same amount of work; same amount of harvest, much greater profit margin due to selling the 30% of the crop we normally did not sell. Additionally, I’m also now a bit more competitive in the winter squash market as I can offer restaurants winter varieties much later in the year than other farmers. My favorite part: my customers speak about the taste of the varieties I deliver incredibly highly – it’s sweet, richly flavored, robust; our customers LOVE our product.
In the summer, I offer a variety of melons. Typically, melons are not sellable beyond 10 days after harvest due to decay. Since employing the BV where they are stored, on day 19, I can confidently sell most varieties of my melons and still offer a robust, great tasting product that will give the customer shelf life as well. Again, our customers RAVE about our melons, and longer shelf lives equals greater revenue.
I drive about 1000 miles per week. Break downs, traffic jams, road rage, you name the traffic/travel hazard, it’s been a common, everyday part of traveling the roads for a very long time and generally wastes time/energy. Since traveling with my Bitty, my break downs are close to home, saving me valuable time, lost work, stress and occur in a manner making the whole thing relatively easy. I notice my travels are far less dramatic: less dangerous, fewer police encounters, less road rage. However, I do experience moving, flowing travel with lots less stress.
Farmer Greg