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Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 10:52 am
by timandsharon21@hotmail.co
Hi has anyone fed Brassicas in particular cabbage, we have a glut at the moment, and not sure if its digestible, perhaps it needs to be shredded/chopped, any advice would be welcome,
Tim
Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 11:51 am
by Saffy
I can't see that it would be any different to feeding kale especiaaly if you graze it like kale, mine have enjoyed the remains of a few cabbage, I don't think there is much difference.
Srtephanie
Edited By Saffy on 1282042375
Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 9:26 pm
by domsmith
i would have thought it would be fine. i always struggle to get them to eat new things though. usually if the greediest eats some the rest will follow. breaking it up a bit might help to get them started.
Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 1:09 am
by wagra dexters
In 1822, William Cobbett wrote the wonderful little book , 'Cottage Economy', in which he advises how to grow a plot of cabbages for the house cow's sustenance.
From memory, which isn't great regards detail, he also says something like "a couple of flitches of bacon are worth 10,000 Presbyterian sermons", that a family who lives on potatoes instead of bread are "no better fed than Irish pigs, and ill fed pigs at that", and that every labourer should have bread, bacon & beer for breakfast, so as to properly do a long days work!
... Not sure how well he'd cope with 21st century political correctness. He got himself into enough trouble 200 years ago!
Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 9:53 am
by Duncan MacIntyre
Mr Cobbett certainly had some remarkable views, but the book is an extremely interesting one for those interested in self sufficiency!
His views on tea, which was quite new at the time, are particularly extreme, it appears it is likely to cause moral decline and drive the women of the household to a life of depravity and the whorehouse. I think the reasoning was due to lack of work making the beer, which was food as well as drink. I have not got my copy to hand at the moment so cannot quote exactly.
He had the ground needed to keep a house cow down to a minimum with the growing of cabbages and turnips, and advocated transplanting the turnips which I thought was interesting.
Any Dexter breeder who has not read the book should do so as soon as possible.
Duncan
Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 1:14 pm
by timandsharon21@hotmail.co
Hi some great helpful replies, thanks,
the book sounds interesting for us smallholders.
Fed the cabbages in small quantitys this morning and was well accepted, our steer is very greedy, and devoured the first lot quickly followed by the rest !
Thanks for all the replies. 