Pig farming: Freshwater Pearls - Down on the Farm, the Pearl Farm

Anyone who has seen a pearl farm of a movies or pictures of a modern pearl farm in the ocean or saltwater bays would think that all pearl farms were modern laboratory centered compounds. Some probably guarded with AK-47 wielding guards or else watched very closely. Of course the laboratory is the center of these operations, they might not call it a lab, but the areas where the oyster spat as young oysters are called, are raised, are very controlled. Then there are the areas where the oysters are implanted, of are course very controlled also.So when it comes to the freshwater pearl farms of China, you can be assured that some are quite modern, but there are a great many pearl farms in China that are small family run businesses. There a farmer might keep a few dozen mussels in his fish pond, along with the ducks and fish that the farmer raises for him or for sale. Contrasted with the large scale farm production right down the road where there are tens of thousands of pearl mussels spread across acres and acres of artificially irrigated land.Down on the family farm, the ponds produce much more than just pearls. Ducks, pigs, rice, soy beans are all part of the holistic combine. Waste from the animals and plants help to make the ponds nutrient rich for the mussels and fish. Meat from the mussels feeds farm animals and ground mussel shells contribute lime which feeds the soil. They really are quite holistic in their functioning.And on the opposite extreme are the huge private or cooperative farms that might have 100,000 mussels implanted with mantle tissue waiting for harvest. This type of farm can produce by itself a ton of pearls, and a ton of pearls is a lot of pearls.All is not idyllic down on the farm. Most ponds are shallow and subject to pollution from runoff, and that same shallowness is the reason for the ponds to eventually fill in from sedimentation. At this point the farmer can move or dig new ponds, leaving the old filled in ponds to be rich beds for the next land crop. It goes full circle. [EXTRACT] Anyone who has seen a pearl farm moving or still images of a modern pearl farm in the sea or salt water bays would think that all pearl farms were made centered modern laboratory. Some probably guarded with AK-47 armed guards or closely watched. Of course, the laboratory is the center of these operations could not be called a laboratory, but the areas where oyster spat, as the young oysters are called, are raised, very controlled. Then there are the areas where oysters are implanted, are of course very controlled also.So when it comes to farm freshwater pearls from China, you can be sure some are quite modern, but there are a large number of farms pearls in China are small family businesses. There are a farmer can keep a few dozen mussels in fish ponds with ducks and fish that the farmer up to him or sale. In contrast to production in large farms just down the street, where there are tens of thousands of pearl mussels spread across acres and acres of land.Down artificial irrigation in the family farm ponds produce far more than rubies. Ducks, pigs, rice, soybeans are an integral part of the combine. Waste from animals and plants helps the nutrient-rich ponds mussels and fish. The meat from farm animals fed mussels and mussel shells land contribute lime that feeds the soil. They actually are quite comprehensive in its functioning.And at the opposite end are the large private farms and cooperatives that could be 100. 000 mussels implanted with mantle tissue of waiting for the harvest. Such farms can produce by itself a lot of pearls, and lots of pearls is a lot of pearls.All not idyllic at the farm. Most ponds are shallow and are subject to contamination from runoff, and that is why it shallowness of the ponds to fill the time of sedimentation. At this point, the farmer can move or dig new ponds, leaving the old lagoons full of rich beds for the cultivation of the land next door. It goes full circle.