I’ve run into a couple issues, as well as changed the way I do a few things. This is an ever evolving system, as I learn and make adjustments on how I do things. I will keep updating my fodder system posts as I make changes, so keep on the lookout for those.
I have done a few experiments concerning oats, and they have all really been failures. I tried adding an equal amount of oats to the chickens sprouts, the oats molded after just a day. I rinsed them well every day and about half sprouted, but the seed itself continued to mold. The chickens ate them, but I am not happy with feeding them moldy things so I won’t do that again. I tried to just sprout oats by themselves, however, they molded and there was no growth. I tried rinsing them in both cold and warm water, as I’d read that oats need the warmth, with no luck either way. I will be calling the oats a failure for me, and won’t be messing with them again.
I went to my very first seed swap last weekend. I ment to go to this one last year, however, I didn’t have any seeds to trade, even tho they say you don’t need to bring anything, and somehow I missed it. I think it didn’t end up on the calendar somehow. I almost missed it this year too… Somehow I managed to run across it on Facebook. I made sure I signed up for the group running it this time so I don’t miss it again next year.
I’ve been changing the way I’m feeding my chickens over the last couple months. While I was doing my research on fodder systems for the rabbits I realized that I could feed my chickens fodder as well. It was a bit of a revelation to me, I just hadn’t thought about it before. The reading I’ve been doing seems to say that they like sprouted feed a bit more then actual fodder, so that’s what I’ve been doing for them.
Many in the KC metro area might have noticed the press a new grocery store is getting. “Sprouts” recently opened a new store in Overland Park, right off 135th street. Reading the newspaper articles, description, and marketing, I was really excited to see this store go in. After all, Fin and I make an effort to buy local / organic produce when possible. I mean, look at their advertising materials:
I am attempting to feed my rabbits as naturaly and species specific as I can manage. I am not a person that just feeds the “total nutrition pellets” of any kind that you can buy at your local store….for any of my animals. My cats get a raw meat and bones diet, as do my dogs. The chickens are fed as natural a diet as I can manage as well. I will do a seperate post in the future on feeding chickens.
I’ve done a LOT of reading on growing fodder for about a year now. I had intended on getting it set up to try just as the weather got cooler, however, life got in the way, as it often does. We had some roofers put a new roof on my grandmothers house….which turned out to be a seriously frusterating experience. Then a week later, my grandma died. Its been a pretty rough fall. I’ve been growing fodder for about two-three-ish months now, and I have to say, I am a convert.
I am, however, going to set out some goals that I am going to strive towards this year. I will try to do posts every month, or couple of months, referencing these goals. I want to try to track my progress and hold myself accountable.
1. Greenhouse
I want to work on getting the greenhouse up and running this spring, so as soon as the weather warms up enough I can move all of my seedlings out into it. My plan this fall was to get it set up and start growing year round lettuce and cold crops. We missed our window of opportunity in the weather to set it up, though, when my grandma died. You need between 50-70 degree days to stretch the plastic and we plunged into freezing temperatures really fast with very little return to warmth since then.
I’m maintaining my yearly habit of new years goals. This year, I’m going to attempt to be slightly more specific, in hopes of actually accomplishing a few.
1. Pay off 2 more accounts
If I can manage this guy, I’ll probably be shouting “I’m debt free” some time in 2015. Debt sucks. I’ve been working slowly at paying off a lot of it over the years, and, hopefully, Fin and I will dig ourselves out soon. Until then, we keep working at it.
