Granted....it's Slow Foods

 

So it's been awhile since we've talked about the grant. Apparently it's hard to raise Slow Food.


Old Type Rhode Island Red Chicken 

Pictured left are the Old Type Rhode Island Red Chickens we have been waiting on. I met the supplier in Warrenton on Saturday after the market. Originally we had planned on getting them from Kelly Klober, author of Talking Chicken. For various reasons, including fertility issues caused by the late snow storm, Kelly couldn't provide them but commissioned another breeder, Phil Peake a friend and fellow farmer to provide the chicks. Phil sells at Silex while his wife sells at the market in Mexico, Mo. These chicks pictured are between a week and 17 days old. They are from 2 batches. A fun fact, or maybe not so fun for the rooster, when a rooster's comb freezes, in renders him infertile. Interesting, no?
 Possibly not if you are the rooster.



 


If you don't remember, the grant was for two purposes.
The first of course was for the furthering and raising awareness of a Heritage breed chicken. The second was to an experiment to try and raise Milo as a source of non GMO(Genetically Modified Organism) organic feed with the possibility of weed suppression. Milo is a form of Sorghum. (Pictured right.) I had been reading studies about Sudan Grass which is a Sorghum cross,
Sorghum X Drummondi to be exact, has been used with some success for weed suppression.. Here at Sunflower Savannah, our main issue is Bermuda grass, otherwise known as "Legion-I am many". Bermuda grass is wonderful for yards but Heck on Gardens. Once it takes hold, you cannot kill it. Roots going sometimes 6 feet deep that are segmented. Each segment starting a new blade of grass. Kind of like those old fashioned day lilies that were so pretty until you had a thousand of them and tried to clear a few out every one you dug sprang a new one and every bit you left grew another. So sick of buying Genetically modified corn, that I nor my customers wanted and unable to afford the organic stuff, I decided to try Milo.
Apparently, other people are having the same idea out there. For some reason the scientists have not found a way to Genetically modify Milo. The source that I researched for organic Milo was True Harvest. This milo looked a little different than that which I had been buying for chicken feed and was advertised as Organic Grain Milo, 10 lbs. for 14.95.  By the time I received the grant money, they had sold out. The next source was Purcell Mountain farms, 10 lbs. for 19.95. My order was excepted and Finally I turned to old faithful...E bay. Natures Creations, One thousand organic seeds for 3.95. I ordered 10.  Whew that was close! Then 2 days later, I received a message that they only had 8 oz and were shipping immediately. Eight Ounces!!! Turns out that there are 1000 seeds per ounce and they too were sold out for the very same reason. Every one is buying it to grow non GMO grain. SO I ended up paying like 65.00 a lb. for this stuff. This is an experiment for us. At this time we will harvest by hand as we don't have the equipment to harvest mechanically. Imagine if someone did. Here's hoping for the weed suppression capabilities. As you can see on the right of the picture, the Bermuda is struggling to come in. Also visible is the gullies washed out by the heavy rains.

                                  The milo is the one that has the corn like appearance.

 

Okay, so Saturday we will be at Market in Tower Grove Park. This weeks goodies include;

 

 Spring Wild mix

Green Onions

Cilantro

Dill

Spearmint

Fresh, Sour Cherry Jam from Certified Naturally Grown Cherries

and it will be the last week for Tomato Plants.

We will be bringing and assortment of varieties. Shoot us an email if there is something special that you want.

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Oh yes....listen for the call.....Lemonade.....ICE  COLD  L E M O N A D E!

 

God's Blessings on you and yours

 

TTFN

 

Sam and (Flying Solo) Bill