Dez BRK (post deep roots)

T Melville wrote:I posted a similar image once, and learned a new word: ergot. (Ergotism) I'm not an expert, but please search that, or look in your books/ ask around before doing anything with that grain. I'd only eaten one seed before someone said that to me. It tasted bad, but I didn't experience any side effects. Looks as though the side effects are pretty serious though.

That sure looks like ergot to me. I see it only on the rye grain heads I grow. The wheat and barley don't show any growths.

The ergot fungus is in the soil and will thrive if the grain is watered or if there is a lot of rain. This year I grew a big patch of rye by scattering seeds last fall and letting them come up naturally on some disturbed, poor soil we had from some construction work. I didn't water them once and yet they produced really well. I don't know how they did it. The soil was dusty dry with nothing added to help them grow. Out of thousands of grain heads I only found about 6 ergot growths. I throw out (not compost!) the seed heads that are infected to minimize re-inoculation of the fungus in the soil.

As T Melville pointed out, the effects of ergot are very serious if enough is eaten. It is also heat stable so baking bread with it in the flour will still make you sick.

I had that too, that Rye Ergot ( Claviceps purpurea). I mentioned it in the thread on Sepp Holzer Grain.
Here's a photo of it


Like T. I ate a little of it and did not get 'ergotisme'.

Post 810
Day 56 [timing]
2023.07.30 Sunday, morning entry

Grateful for home..

Post 811
Day 57 [timing]
2023.07.31 Monday, evening entry

Grateful for freedom..

Post 812
Day 58 [timing]
2023.08.01 Tuesday, evening entry

Grateful for taco Tuesday
Checked in on Doug—coolant was low and slight  seeping at lower radiator hose.. will continue to monitor
Organized the shop a bit more today—the back area got some much needed love