By the looks of things I have a job working with feeder insects on a farm!

Part I: Introduction and Protein

At every level, insects and (arachnids) are around us, whether it be a fruit fly or those fucking stink bugs that we get in the house every single winter, they’re around us whether we like it or not. Chitinous critters corral themselves into crannies or cowardly fly cross the room when we’re trying to kill them, but what if we used these cool carapaced creatures to our advantage instead of them being a general annoyance, no i’m not talking about beekeeping or honeybees or even those bee hotels that don’t really work, I’m talking farming them, cooking them, seasoning them, dehydrating them, etc. We’ve all heard that insects are the purest form of protein as a joke when someone accidentally swallows a bug, but this little joke is actually true, specifically with crickets. Crickets contain 2-3 times more complete protein than a beef steak on the same weight basis and contain no cholesterol and fat, on top of it all they contain more iron and contain fiber as well. That’s not even including the ecological benefits, such as water usage, waste disposal, carbon emissions, and runoff from improper animal waste disposal.

Part II: Pollination

Like I said above, I don’t condone owning honeybees, not out of a moral stance or anything, they’re ecologically unsafe, they compete with native bees and usually end up winning due to sheer numbers. I’m talking about mason bees and growing habitats for them, yes growing habitats, mason bees use reeds to make their hives, so grow some pop grass (horsetail reed) and watch the magic happen, preferably not too close though. Spending money on those bee houses isn’t a good idea anyhow, they’re a breeding ground for diseases and mostly get occupied by native wasps, which isn’t a bad thing, having natural predators around a certain area is a very good thing, but they’re not pollinators, which is the focus right now.

Part III: Permaculture 

Insects and arachnids are essential members of our ecosystem and play a vital part in keeping it balanced, whether it be a common fly laying eggs on a carrion for decomposition or a butterfly doing its butterfly thing of being pretty and drinking nectar, they all serve a purpose, even the annoying bastards like mosquitoes or those fucking stinkbugs. Some may even serve a culinary purpose in the future, like meal-worms, crickets, and grasshoppers being the most common forms. These little creatures make a significant impact together, just like us.

A few dives ago, I found multiple bags of dog food that were thrown out due to rips in the packaging, or being a day past expiration.

I gave away the least damaged stuff to people I knew with dogs, but that still leaves me with 4 bags. I'm gonna be spending the day using my shitty little $15 food processor to grind it all up for mealworm feed/compost/fertilizer for my veggie garden 😅

Key Takeaways: Insect farming offers a sustainable alternative to traditional protein sources, addressing global food security and environmental concerns. The industry faces challenges such as regulatory hurdles, cultural perceptions, and the need for more research and development. Significant growth is noted in the market, with projections showing a compound annual growth rate of 27.4% from…

Livin Farms’ investors are betting $5.8M on powdered fly larvae

In a world of climate change-fueled food shortages, insect-based proteins are being viewed as an increasingly valuable potential alternative food service. Livin Farms has put insect larvae at the center of its own alternative protein play. The Vienna-based firm produces Hive Pro, a modular system designed to automate the process of rearing and processing black soldier flies. It’s been about four…