Anybody out there growing perenial grains?

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by bjgnome, Jun 23, 2005.

  1. bjgnome

    bjgnome Junior Member

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    I've been reading about perenial grains, mostly wheat being bred (not engineered) in the US northwest. They say they've got some plants that have produced continuously for 5 years now... There are also strains of perenial rye and corn being developed. Curious if anybody has had any experience or is following this?

    https://www.pioneer-net.com/psr/page10.html

    -Jonathan
     
  2. Tamandco

    Tamandco Junior Member

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    Most grains are perenial as they're grasses, it's just that modern farming practices treat them as if they were an annual as it suits them better. Increase yield (tilling and resowing), weed control and use of herbicides.

    You can reasonably successfully sow a crop of oats for instance and harvest each year but you'd find that the competition plants would gradually reduce the amount of viable oats remaining. I presume it's because the crop is usually not indigenous to the area and is competing with the perserverance and suitability of plants more suited to the area. Unfortunately, that doesn't yield high enough to prove ecconomically viable to most modern farmers of today.

    On Landline a couple of weeks ago, they showed no how they were overcoming the drought by using zero til farming. As the yield of the crop is reduced each year, they sow in between the rows of the previous crop's stubble, treating it as a semi perenial crop and providing beneficial ground cover and allowing the prior crop to decompose providing little channels in the soils which allow the water to penetrate. They were testing the moisture content of the soil following a substantial dry spell and it was impressive. The theory behind it is great.

    The trouble is that in reality they need to use a lot more herbicide to keep the weeds at bay. They showed however, this fantastic invention demonstrating how it can limit the amount of spraying to the weed only, saving money, reducing the -ve impact on the environment and reducing contamination of the crop. You just had to see it to believe it. From what I could see on the tv, it surely must have reduced the spraying by 80% or so. They were referring to the use of glyphosates. It might not be the ideal, but it's certainly a lot better than the indiscriminant blanket spraying and the 'need' for gm crops to resist the spraying, that we see so commonly used today.

    Did anyone else see the program? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

    The link is here https://www.abc.net.au/landline/content/ ... 391539.htm
    it's worth a read.

    Tam
     
  3. SueinWA

    SueinWA Junior Member

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    Tam, doesn't that method (w/o the herbicides) sound similar to M. Fukuoka's (The One Straw Revolution) method? Badly distorted, but very similar.

    Is there anything written on that method, or was it just on television?

    Sue
     
  4. Tamandco

    Tamandco Junior Member

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    Hi Sue,

    I'm afraid I'm not very learned when it comes to the various methods kicking around so I couldn't tell you if it is or not.

    The only reason I follow Pat Coleby's method, that's not in it's entirety either, is from my days competing on my horses and her connection through her daughter, Caroline. My girlfriend gave me a copy of her book, natural horse care, and I adopted her system mainly due to ecconomic reasons. I had my performance horses on a suitable diet but containing some very expensive additives. Pat Coleby's methods overcame this problem by allowing me to make up the mineral additives at home and managing a balanced diet through natural methods instead of commercial ones. When we bought this place a few years back, I automatically applied her principles to our farming methods through habit and prior good experiences rather than having extensively researched for the best method. Until I have a reason to change, I'll keep going the way I am.

    Mostly, I just plod along, doing my own thing, picking up tips here and advice there and asking questions when I need to. I've really set things up using logic and what's available around me rather than reading someone's book and following a list of instructions.

    I haven't embraced permaculture in it's entirety as there is still much about it I don't approve of. I'm sitting on the fence so to speak, waiting for a time where I can be convinced that it's the way to go. Until then, I'm not going to change just for the sake of it. It's like religion really. Not every religion is going to suit every person and not every person is going to acquire their faith from a book or a church. It might not quite be what we're used to but if we can open our minds enough to see outside the square (permaculture), there's a whole range of methods and techniques that could benefit our environment and lifestyles.

    A bit off the track but if people know where I'm coming from then they might understand a bit more the method in my madness.

    Tam

    P.S. It's beautiful outside, what are we doing sitting infront of our pcs using up fossil feuls. Anyway, have to go out now and feed the animals.
     
  5. SueinWA

    SueinWA Junior Member

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    No method is engraved in stone, and they shouldn't be. By choosing bits and pieces of different philosophies, you can make up what works best for you.

    Sue
     
  6. Chook Nut

    Chook Nut Junior Member

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    Hi Jonathon,

    No experience with Perennial grains but i do subscribe to a newsletter from the Land Institute... their website is: https://www.landinstitute.org/ I like what they are doing!... and for anyone who likes reading worthwhile articles and stories... check out the Prairie writers section... i find Wes Jackson a good read and have bought one of his essay books from America....

    Yes Tam, i did see the Landline story... looks as though a lot more farmers would adopt this method except for the set up costs.... perhaps the govt could look at drought relief money going to something that will help them for the longterm like this rather than letting them continue their current unsustainable practices on marginal land!!

    Cheers... Dave
     
  7. CROBOT

    CROBOT New Member

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    I went to the Short Course at the Land Institute a few months ago. Sounds like a good source of perennial grains is a few years out. i would definitely recommend checking out their site. it has a wealth of info on the subject.
     

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