Rotating pigs to improve soil... what cover/fodder crop can I plant this time of year?

Hello all,

I'm working on a permaculture project in the north of Scotland and we've a couple of Tamworth piggies. We're using them to break up and poop on some fairly neglected sandy soil which has been used for intensive barley production in the past.
We're moving them into a new section and scratching our heads over what to plant following the piggies. Can anybody recommend something to stick in the ground that will get a head start over the encroaching grasses and/or feed the piggies if we move them back onto the spot?
Bit late in the year now I know, but perhaps someone out there has an idea

Many thanks

Sean

Very few if any plants will germinate this time of the year. You can try a few plants from the garlic/onion family, or the cabbage/kale family, some clover seed/fava beans.

Neeps --nothing like an old standby.

But don't just throw the seed out and hope for them to come up. This time of year, you are going to have to pre-germinate them. Put them in a hot water soak and watch them closely, and when you have a couple of mm of radicle emergence, THEN go and sew them.

This is too late to plant. Too cold, too little light, mice will steal the seed.

Instead frost seed in the spring. The frost opens and closes the ground covering the seed. Then when it warms enough the seed sprouts. Works well for us here in the mountains of northern Vermont. We do about 70 acres by hand as its too steel, rocky and stumpy for machines. See:

http://sugarmtnfarm.com/2010/09/15/frost-seeding/

Thanks for your suggestions folks! It is a bit late in the year for sure, I agree that Spring will be our best bet. Gonna throw down a load of clover