Will Barley Smut cause problem for my urban organic homestead garden?

Jan 29, 2019 15:53:50

Hello all!

This is my very first post on Permies! I have an organic urban homestead with chickens in Southern California.

Azure Standard sells very affordable (organic barley $20 per 45lb bag) barley for animal feed.
https://www.azurestandard.com/shop/product/outdoor-garden/animal-feed/farm-stock/barley/whole-barley-animal-feed-organic/11698?package=GP168

I bought these with the intention of growing a row of barley fodder along my long chicken run, so that my chickens could stick their heads through the horse wire and have their buffets of barley sprouts/fodders.

However, I noticed that the organic barley contained many small brown specks that I thought was mouse feces. I was told by Azure Standard that these are grain smuts in the bag of organic barley, not mouse poop. I am tempted to continue buying barley from them but I am afraid that when I sprout these barley, I would be transmitting smut into my organic edible homestead garden.

Do you have experience with this?

(1) will this smut cause disease in my organic edible garden?
(2) what is a good organic source of grain/barley for growing fodders for my chickens?

Thank you!
Jzin

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