The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: princesslayer on February 28, 2015, 09:59:30 pm
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Hello! :wave:
Does anyone grow a crop of anything like kale for their small flock? I know great big farms do it, was wondering if anyone had any experience of doing it on a small scale?
Thanks
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I grow kale for both humans and goats. Goats get a few leaves at a time over winter, usually with their lunch. It is not much, but kale seems to be growing by itself for most of the time, if you can keep the beds mainly weed-free. Needs netting against pigeons around here.
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Fodder beet is useful on a small scale for just a handful of sheep. Tuckers seeds sell the seeds in small quantities.
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How small is small scale?
What's your area?
Kale with some swede mixed in for a ground level bite. Some varieties will stand up to cold winters.
Or another option is that if you are ever thinking of reseeding a grass field.
Graze it short around July/Aug, then spray it off with glyphosate.
Then sow stubble turnips into the dead sward. Let the crop grow through the dead sward and then strip graze over the winter from about November time.
Muck is put onto the ground from the back end of the animals (mainly sheep) ready for being worked in before sowing the new grass seed in the spring.
Its a good method as there is very little weed competition for the turnips as they are directly sown into the ground. A customer of mine does it and got a great crop last back end - in fact he still has plenty of turnips left over yet.
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Thanks all, I've only got four ewes, but would like to reduce reliance on bagged feed a bit at this time of year. Will consider all options.
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Yes, like "princess", I've only got 4 ewes but was planning to sow something mid summer to provide some winter feed. Swedes don't do well on this land so I'd initially planned to sow turnips but an old (1947) shepherding book that I've got warns that turnips can cause ewes to abort ?
Anyone know about this ?
Sugar beet grow well around here. Maybe that would be an option ?
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I do fodder beet for winter feed for pigs and sheep. I usually buy an acre pack of seed and only use about 1/4 of it and advertise the left overs on here, will be doing so again this year if you want a little to try.
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I do fodder beet for winter feed for pigs and sheep. I usually buy an acre pack of seed and only use about 1/4 of it and advertise the left overs on here, will be doing so again this year if you want a little to try.
Yes please! I've only got four ewes and a limited area so was only going to do a very small patch this year (literally 10m2 or so) and perhaps do a bigger patch if I've got enough ground next year. It seems it only comes in acre packs. When are you sowing it?
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I do fodder beet for winter feed for pigs and sheep. I usually buy an acre pack of seed and only use about 1/4 of it and advertise the left overs on here, will be doing so again this year if you want a little to try.
Ben, I'll happily take 1/4 acres worth (or a bit less if you have others that want some). Do contact me when you get the seed so we can arrange payment and collection/postage
Cheers
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Is it really worth sowing small amounts, when you can buy a ton of fodder beat for 25-30 quid?
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Is it really worth sowing small amounts, when you can buy a ton of fodder beat for 25-30 quid?
Agreed. But over here (in the east) fodder beet for sale are a rare commodity. Sugar beet .... now you're talking. Maybe I should buy a couple tonne of sugar beet instead ? Problem is they'll want £40+ per tonne collected unless they are over quota and need to dump it at a discount