Author Topic: broad bean stems as food?! (Read 9895 times)

little blue · « **on:** August 06, 2009, 02:23:50 pm »

Hi all.
Another slightly mad question...
Can I use the finished stems and leaves of the broad beans as livestock food?!
For chickens,pigs, goats. Or do they need to be cooked first (the veg, not the animals!)
My mum always says theres an enzyme in raw beans thats toxic. Will a quick boil outside do? (to keep to DEFRA rules)
Seems a waste just to compost when they are still beautifully green

Same question applies to many other veg-sweetcorn, onions,

And yes, I know not to give them rhubbarb, tomatoes, potatoes before anyone says!

VSS · « **Reply #1 on:** August 08, 2009, 09:14:52 pm »

You can feed broad beans, but they probably won't eat them.

Hilbillie · « **Reply #2 on:** August 10, 2009, 07:56:19 am »

Our goats LOVE broad bean greenage, especially the pods after the beans are taken out. They also eat all the mange-tout and pea greenage. In the next week or two we'll be pulling up the french bean greenage after the last harvest and they love that too!

The geese tend to get in there and finish off anything the goats leave too!

Roxy · « **Reply #3 on:** September 03, 2009, 10:51:01 pm »

My goats will eat most greens, but not beans, nor will the llama or ponies. Don't like onions either!!

At a show I saw a lady feeding her goats pea straw - helps the hay ration out. I would like to get some, but no one round here ever has any to sell.

chickens · « **Reply #4 on:** September 04, 2009, 08:19:41 am »

I was wondering the same thing as the stems look great and I thought maybe the piggies would like them or the goats, worried now as I have been feeding my goats and pigs tomatoes (the ones with slight blight) - they have been having just a few a day in with all their other veg - please can u tell me whether that is okay or not? What about the tomato stems as well?
thanks