Happenings around the farm.

July 2006. Local Blueberry Grower Uses Falcon Crop Protection™ to Help Protect Fragile Crop

Gingerich Farms Products, located in Canby, in its ongoing effort to incorporate sustainable agricultural practices into its operations has brought in Getty Pollard, founder and owner of B-1RD, LLC.  Getty Pollard is a falcon trainer and has developed a service for farmers to protect their valuable fruit from Starlings by using trained falcons.  The trained falcons deter nuisance birds from eating up their blueberry crop.

Noisemakers and decoys have been used to no avail with an outcome over the years in losses of tens of thousands of dollars, not to mention irritating the neighbors.  Using Falcon Crop Protection as a deterrent is neighbor-friendly, virtually silent, and it works.  The Starlings are genetically programmed to not habituate to the falcons.

The falcons and their handler, arrived in early June in order to provide time for the falcons to learn “the lay of the land” and will remain at the farm until the blueberries are harvested in mid July.

Getty currently owns 30 captive-bred falcons but only travels with a small contingency depending on the amount of acres to be covered.   When not working the falcons are in training.  Getty utilizes an ATV to cover the entire farm as the falcon soars overhead following him.  There is also play time as Pollard swings a leather lure that is attached to a long tether.  The falcon will swoop in and try to “catch” the lure.

The falcons are trained to annoy the starlings which will cause them to choose another location where they can exist in peace.  Getty states “I train these birds to not kill birds.  What we are really trying to do is have a predatory presence in the area.” 

Verne Gingerich, owner, says “there were flocks of Starlings before Getty and his falcons arrived and now we aren’t seeing any.  The results have been very positive”.

It’s a winning situation for the farmer, the neighbors and the environment. To learn more about Falcon Crop Protection contact Getty Pollard, with B-1RD, LLC at 1.866.712.7127 or on the web at www.B-1RD.com.

Watch these informative videos on how Falcon Crop Protection creatively solves a real problem.
KATU Falcon Crop Protection and Gingerich Farms Products in the evening news. • small: 4mb • medium: 9mb	The Falcon Crops Protection informational video • small: 4mb • medium: 9mb
REQUIRES ADOBE FLASH PLAYER Get the Player here

Well, that is it from Gingerich Farms Products. Until next time.

  ~Verne

If you have comments or want to contact Verne, send him an email directly, he would love to hear from you.