The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Growing => Vegetables => Topic started by: MrRee on January 21, 2008, 06:38:03 pm
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Can I find any?!?!?!? Well,yes I can,but only in quantities suitable for a whole acre @ 35 quid a packet. This would be great if I had the space,but I'm only looking to plant 100 odd to feed to the second batch of weaners as a suppliment to their food. Kale,swedes and some cheapy spuds are going in as well,but no problems sourcing the small amount needed. I have tried doing a search in all the major seed suppliers to no avail.
So,anyone have any ideas,have seen or are using a supplier already or would sell a small packet?
regards............. Ree
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Hello Ree,
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/100gm-box-Fodder-Beat-Vaurica-8-000-seeds-Vegetable_W0QQitemZ140195721369QQihZ004QQcategoryZ1512QQcmdZViewItem
I bought a packet of these and they are the same as some I got from ,(I think it was chase organics? I will check this out ), they germinated fine , grew very very big (15lb-20lb) and would seem to be what you are after. Hope the link works ok , you should be able to get 1/2 - 1 ton from a 100 or so . I read somewhere that you shouldn't feed the leaves to pigs ? so if nobody knows for sure? best put those on the compost heap and just feed the root !!!!
Cheers
Russ
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hello again Ree,
http://www.organiccatalog.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=2118
those are the seeds I got from chase, they are good too. Seem to be the same thing ,and grew to the same size as the other mangels.
Russ
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Wow,thanks Russ....... they're mahoosive...... have ordered a packet from the latter link...... the ebay one was 2000 seeds for the same price,but had to be planted by the end of '08........ thanks again...... Ree
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no probs Ree.....the sow by 2008 ones would be fine for next year too really, but I realise you didn't really want that many anyway.
If you leave a few in a corner somewhere to go to seed , you won't need to buy any in future years. If you do, try to leave the biggest and best shaped ones to go to seed .That way you will get better ones in future.
Good luck with them mate.....
Russ
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We grew those mangels from the organic catalog a few seasons back. They grew very well, shame Smokey didn't consider them fine enough for his palette!
If you suffer the same fate there's a recipe for Mangel Wurzel pie here:
http://www.brimi.it/en/recipes/8.html
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Oh, Dan, you've never tempted me with this treat!
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awwww Rosemary,come 'ere,I'll mangel your wurzel!!!! ;D
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We are so lucky here in Normandy. The dairy farmers of which there are plenty grow the mangelwurzels every year for their cattle and sell the surplus to likes of us. We will get through about 50 tons this winter for the pigs and my goodness how they love them. Even the goats and the rabbits eat them providing they are cut up of course.
Surprising one of our larger boars has trouble eating the larger ones - bless him, we have to cut his up! The rest of them just munch at whatever they get to first.
Kate
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hello Kate,
do you feed the leaves to your pigs ? as I said before I read that the leaves weren't good for them . I looked after pigs on a farm years ago ,but only fed them pig nuts , as that was what the farmer used. It would be handy to know how well your pigs do on them, as I want to grow as much of my own feed for my pigs (when I get them) as possible. I will have plenty of comfrey (Hopefully about 500 plants or so) along with small amounts of grain ie wheat, barley, oats and rye .I can grow more or less as many mangels as I need really ,1-100 tons if need be . It is just very hard to work out exactly what amounts I will need , as all the books just say feed X amount of pig feed per lb of pig and so on . I will only be getting 2 weaners at first , to get the hang of things , and will feed them what they were getting where they were born ,till I can ease them onto the food I can grow them . My main aim is free meat from free food off my land , well more or less anyway. The pigs will be in big paddocks by the way, so grass will be available too. The theory sounds ok to me ::)D but am I being way to ambitious ? Growing the feed isn't a problem , I don't mind the work .....I would be interested as to what your thoughts would be .
Cheers
Russ
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Russ
The leaves are removed when harvested and left to rot. These things are ideal when the ground is frosty as the moisture content is high and the pigs don't have to worry about their water supply is freezing over. We also feed Farrine D'Orge mixed with water which doesn't look too inviting but in the pigs eyes is something that has to be scoffed at a rate of knots. We have an abundance of apples and pears in the Autumn which go down a treat as well as the pulp from cider making locally.
John
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Hello John,
many thanks ....Farrine D'orge (Farine D'orge ?) the nearest I can make out is that this is Barley flour/meal......? mixed with water, is that right ? I can only hit the translate this button for anything French.... ;D Thanks again
Russ
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Yes Russ, that is it - sorry - in the habit of using the French! For young weaners or gilts/sows in pig, milk and eggs can be mixed in as well - raw eggs with shells - they eat it all.
John
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Thanks again John,
I would never have thought to feed egg shells as well ?....funny some of the things they will eat...! Barley is a really good feed ! If you have a horse that needs to put weight on , or one that struggles to hold weight over winter . One of the best things you can use is boiled barley. Just bring it to the boil , then simmer , best to do that in a slow cooker , for a few hours. Once the stuff starts to go all glupey it is ready . Let it cool down and feed......Never use too much of this ,as you will see your animal put weight on in front of you almost .It is a very effective weight gain feed.
Cheers
Russ
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Thanks for all the links in this topic-i've been searching for the same myself,to no avail, but have now ordered the organic pack- thanks all
G ;D
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I've just found this post, I know its late but if you do grow Mangelwurzels and have chickens, it great for them. When they start growing, just pick a few leaves of every now and then as this wont hurt the plant and the chickens love them. Then store for the winter and when grated the chickens also love it.