the drought has effected our area profoundly. our chicken pen is a desert, our neighbors corn is already dry, the orchard looks like a scene from the dust bowl. premilinary estimates for the usda declare an average increase of 4% in meat and egg prices next year. these estimates don't yet include the inevitable increase in feed prices. so how can we afford to sell eggs for the ridiculously low prices expected around here; we're talking less than $2 a dozen for farm fresh free range eggs. and they keep a ton of roosters, too. these guys are making maybe $.50 per dozen after feed cost, and i have to compete with that, or start selling frozen custard. :)
to compete, i started researching on what i can grow to sustain the girls.
my criteria: drought resistant, easy to harvest, high yields, high protein, time to harvest
corn needs too much water, millet needs quite a bit of water, oats need lots of space. all are hell to harvest.
since quality of life for my flock is a high priority, i'm looking into a few grains and pseudo-grains as well as legumes and sprouted seed (for winter greens). i'm not okay with just a soybean/corn mash with vitamins. i've begun to look more closely into quinoa and amaranth. quinoa being the cooler season, and amaranth being the warmer season crop. extremely drought resistant, can produce well with 10 inches of rain; large yields relative to fertility, up to 8 oz per plant; spacing at 6-18 inches and up to 8 ft tall; nutritious leaves, seeds grow in long groups, easy to cut and store on the stem.
millet is a drought resistant true grain (grass), well love by birds, high protein content, drought resistant, short growing season, easy to harvest at waist height.
sunflowers are great for sprouting, drought resistant, simple to harvest, dries in the field, short growing time.
i'm probably going to pass over the traditional crops: corn, sorghum, soybeans, oats, are too water intensive and pest attracting for what i'm going for here.
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