Organic Fodder beet/maize any experince?

robot Jerseys · Mar 9, 2013

greatingrass said:
Triticale & Lupins or SW & Lupins both make excellent forage.

Triticale whole crop would be some very strawy stuff surly? With lucerne dont know about the being to close to the sea as were in shropshire, but be warned the 1st year it is very slow growing full of weeds but the next year what a difference and the cows love it.

Great In Grass · Mar 9, 2013

My growers have not expressed any concerns about stiff straw with their triticale when harvested for wholecrop. It does have some advantages for the organic farmer in having good disease resistance and rabbits tend not to like it either.

robot Jerseys · Mar 9, 2013

I was thinking more the straw to grain ratio of the long straw trit. We have grown it in the past for grain, but i think that rabits dont like it is a bit of a myth seem to munch on it fairly well even with some nice grass/red clover on the other side of the hedge.

Sid · Mar 9, 2013

robot Jerseys said:
I was thinking more the straw to grain ratio of the long straw trit. We have grown it in the past for grain, but i think that rabits dont like it is a bit of a myth seem to munch on it fairly well even with some nice grass/red clover on the other side of the hedge.

cut it high!

pellow · Mar 10, 2013

neighbour grows organic fodder beet, consistantly get 15-20 ton/acre has had over 30 ton, uses a steerage how for weed control

He hasn't had good results with triticale, disease damadged it and yeild was under 1 ton/acre, gave up growing it after a few tries, first year was good but never seemed to dodge disease after

Slowcow · Nov 27, 2021

@robot Jerseys
I know this is a really old thread, but did you grow any organic fodder beet?
If so are you still?
Cheers

Devil's advocate · Nov 27, 2021

It must be really hard to grow organic fodder beet because of the delicate seedling without protection from pests & diseases? If you can get them past that, great for rotation etc.

Flat 10 · Nov 27, 2021

Devil's advocate said:
It must be really hard to grow organic fodder beet because of the delicate seedling without protection from pests & diseases? If you can get them past that, great for rotation etc.

I saw British sugar’s attempt to grow organic beet. Both times smothered by weeds. Not easy I don’t imagine and I would suggest plenty of muck underneath and and tractor hoeing 4-5 times

Devil's advocate · Nov 27, 2021

Flat 10 said:
I saw British sugar’s attempt to grow organic beet. Both times smothered by weeds. Not easy I don’t imagine and I would suggest plenty of muck underneath and and tractor hoeing 4-5 times

Saw a video from France & orgaic growers had revived the idea of transplanting in paper pots.

Not enviromentally friendly growing row crops organically.

Slowcow · Nov 30, 2021

I've not grown it before so am unaware of the pitfalls! We grew maize for 3 years for a bit of energy for the dairy cows, was fine first year but once the rooks found out was a waste of time!

What makes you say its not environmentally friendly to grow organic row crops?

Anyone been growing it long term organically?

Cheers

Devil's advocate · Nov 30, 2021

Slowcow said:
I've not grown it before so am unaware of the pitfalls! We grew maize for 3 years for a bit of energy for the dairy cows, was fine first year but once the rooks found out was a waste of time!

What makes you say its not environmentally friendly to grow organic row crops?

Anyone been growing it long term organically?

Cheers

all the hoeing, flame weeding, transplanting et all.

Farmersboy · Nov 30, 2021

@organic antares

robot Jerseys · Dec 1, 2021

Slowcow said:
@robot Jerseys
I know this is a really old thread, but did you grow any organic fodder beet?
If so are you still?
Cheers

Yes did grow some and still are with some varying success. Good seedbed plenty of muck and start interrow hoing earlier that you think. Once the crop gets going need a bit of speed to chuck soil in to the row have upped seed rate to 55000 ac to get in the row covered quicker. Fat hen is one of our problem weeds so run the topper over to tidy it up and stop it smothering the crop out.
A friend has got one of these https://farmdroid.dk/en/welcome/ for his organic beet and its surly the future!

Slowcow · Dec 1, 2021

Thanks for the reply, good to hear your still growing it! Do you lift it in one go? How do you feed it?

Have a mixer full of knives, would that be any good?

Cheers

Slowcow · Dec 1, 2021

That is the future

Flat 10 · Dec 1, 2021

robot Jerseys said:
Yes did grow some and still are with some varying success. Good seedbed plenty of muck and start interrow hoing earlier that you think. Once the crop gets going need a bit of speed to chuck soil in to the row have upped seed rate to 55000 ac to get in the row covered quicker. Fat hen is one of our problem weeds so run the topper over to tidy it up and stop it smothering the crop out.
A friend has got one of these https://farmdroid.dk/en/welcome/ for his organic beet and its surly the future!

What row widths you on?

ploughman1963 · Dec 1, 2021

robot Jerseys said:
Yes did grow some and still are with some varying success. Good seedbed plenty of muck and start interrow hoing earlier that you think. Once the crop gets going need a bit of speed to chuck soil in to the row have upped seed rate to 55000 ac to get in the row covered quicker. Fat hen is one of our problem weeds so run the topper over to tidy it up and stop it smothering the crop out.
A friend has got one of these https://farmdroid.dk/en/welcome/ for his organic beet and its surly the future!

Is that brettles? I think we are going to try growing 20acres next spring

Scholsey · Dec 2, 2021

Grow 10 acres, had 28t/ac last year 23/ac this year, 1 pass with a hoe, growing it for £25/t ish its £50 to buy in. Needs to be up and away to keep ahead of weeds, plenty of muck seems to be the key.

Flat 10 · Dec 2, 2021

Scholsey said:
Grow 10 acres, had 28t/ac last year 23/ac this year, 1 pass with a hoe, growing it for £25/t ish its £50 to buy in. Needs to be up and away to keep ahead of weeds, plenty of muck seems to be the key.

That’s impressive. I can’t imagine growing organic beet without hoeing about 4-5 times and probably then surfing the tall ones out later

robot Jerseys · Dec 2, 2021

Lift a bit as we need it last couple of years as brought own harvester, fed it whole to the cows they seem to love chewing on it. First few days each year they get to excited and grab one and run off with it chopped would be better but haven't got a chopper.
On 18 inch rows
Yes Brettells,
Have sold cows now so will have some beet for sale this year and lots more next year @ploughman1963

Organic Fodder beet/maize any experince?

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

0 %

Up to 25%

25-50%

50-75%

75-100%

100% I’ve had enough of farming!

Share this page