Delightful video, Herrick. I’m almost embarrassed to admit that we have done no gardening for the past several years. The main reason is that our three acres was almost entirely wooded. We changed that a few weeks ago by having more than an acre cleared. Our excavator crew left a large slash pile at the far edge of the property, two impressive piles of mostly pine and poplar logs, space for the cabin we plan to start in the spring, and about 1/8 acre of garden space. Until today, I’ve not thought much about a cover crop. You have inspired me to turn it all to winter rye this fall. The non-garden parts will get a mix of grasses and clovers as well. I’ll need a larger threshing setup. We bake a variety of breads from freshly-ground grains. I have good, Austrian-style scything equipment and an excellent Grainmaker Mill. I hope to harvest and dry a significant amount of “pumpernickel on the hoof.” I believe I can put my hands on my forty-year-old copy of Gene Logston’s “Small Scale Grain Raising.” That will start me in a good direction. Thanks for posting. Be well and productive.
If it comes down to needing to grow all your own food, I've seen figures how much land it would take per person per year to be fed: 9,000 sq. ft. each person. That's with technology on our side, and includes raising fodder for livestock; completely self-reliant. Evidently comparing to the early 20th century here in the U. S., without technology, it was taking 2 acres per person, in comparison.
Depending on your zone where you live, some or all will need to be high tunnel. Evidently above 45 degrees latitude would be without hope for growing enough in an outside garden.
This is a great video just like most that are on here. One thing I see about this process is this. It may be great to grow your own seed, as I do with some things. But I did just buy a bag of rye for seed and feed and it cost me just over .21c per lb. So in the time it took Herrick to cut top and strip this amount of small grain he saved .37c not counting fuel to go and buy the grain. Now usually I do not make a special trip just to buy my grain, so I double dip. If you cannot do that then you must include your fuel cost. But for me with the shot amount of extra time I have I will surely be buying my seed and let the other guys do the work. I have too many chores, like I feel most folks do. Thanks for listening to my rant and thanks Herrick for your time and expertise.
There's a method for everything! Especially when it goes from fun to work! Making canned spinach was so time consuming (cutting the large vein out, one leaf at a time), and waiting and waiting and waiting for tomatoes to cook down for paste and sauce, taking popcorn off the cob (oh my fingers), and de-podding peas for freezing, and dry beans for storage---so fun until it becomes work. But, will do it again when the time comes that we have to live off only our very own homegrown garden. The time may actually come and be forced on us. Thanks for showing us about rye seeds. I have a large sack for sowing and could eventually need to reap my own seed.
I have about triple more wheat to thrash than your rye there. (just planted my rye) . I think I'll let the grandkids help me cut off the heads. Someone suggested using a food processor to knock the seeds out. Works great!
0:13 That's a "sheave" of rye, not a shock. Sheaves are the small bundles. They are just big enough to get a hand around to hold while tying it off with a few stems of rye. Then you pile 7-10 sheaves together to make a shock ('shook' ). The top sheave is 'fanned out' and made into a rain shield (umbrella) and placed atop the shock. Base of the shock is left partly open toward prevailing wind to help dry the grain. After 4-7 days, depending on drying, you load the shocks on wagon and take to threshing area
Is that one and three quarters pound of grain from all the rye from 2 mini beds? I am going to use rye for overwinter in my garden and plan to leave some to harvest. I am currently thinking to plant it the same as you do in your mini beds. Very cool! Good video!
Herrick: I noticed you have planted oats, buckwheat and now rye as cover crops, I suppose mainly for mulching. I don't know if you ever compared between them, which is better, why, etc. If not, would you please give us a short comparison? Thank you.
I have a few questions: I am wanting to grow rye so I can harvest the grain for rye flour to make bread. Is cereal rye the same type of grain/the type of grain I would want? And if so, do you have a recommended source to purchase some seeds to get started?
It's an annual plant. It will grow up, go to seed, and die. When young, if the top is cut and the crown is not dug or undercut, the plant will regrow until it can produce seed.
"Thrash"... Intransitive verb... "To strike or beat, especially repeatedly with a flail or stick." "Thresh" ... Intransitive verb... "To beat the stems and husks of (grain or cereal plants) with a machine or flail to separate the grains or seeds from the straw." 🤷♂
ok . . interesting. . . but now for 25 families for the whole year . . . and also the wheat etc . . . Thinking small as a pensionado is not that difficult. . . growing food for bigger amounts of people and do it with your hands etc . . seems to be another story isnt it? Ask my grandfather who was a farmer in 1930 . . . in Europe . . it's always difficult to hear 'new' countries talking about this kind of things.
