Hello from Southern Michigan, I'm trying to figure out the best way to grow some supplemental food for our
chickens this year. The seeds I already have available are Dundale (field) peas, Buckwheat, Forerunner Triticale, Harris Early Parsnips, (very) small amounts of corn and an accidental order of 2lbs extra Pole beans. I will have lots of garden rejects, tons of edible
volunteer plants and they will be rotated across the fields in their electronet all day during the summer but this winter I'd like to be less reliant on bagged food. My space dedicated to this is limited only by my time (no
tractor) and fencing to keep the
deer out.
My latest, probably ridiculous, idea is to plant the triticale and parnsips together and let them stand the longest (possibly just letting the
chickens forage it themselves, I'll go out and knock some down and spade up some parsnips). Is this a reasonable possibility or will everything just rot?
I would like to plant the peas and buckwheat together, scythe down and finish drying inside if necessary, the weather here is so unpredictable. I've never grown any grains before and have NO idea what to expect, could this work? Even if it fails as a food crop, I'm desperate to get some organic matter into my soil and all of these seem to fit the bill.
I could add something to this mix if it's prudent, all the seeds are on super clearance around here right now (seed potatoes at $0.22/ lb!) Maybe oats?
Thanks