i have just moved to a 3 acre homestead. in between the chicken house (used for all the animals and a workshop) and the garden 100x50, I have a area about 100x400 that i want to plant some fruit trees and blueberry bushes. I want this orchard to be dual purpose. I am getting bees in the spring to be put on the back side of the property, but would love to plant them some clover. I also would like a place to grow some grain. can you plant wheat in georgia? what is grain amaranth? what is it used for? If I can plant wheat, how much would this small plot bring and how much does any average family of four need for bread? i plan to use semi-dwarf trees so there should still be plenty of sun. I also plan to fence this plot in and use for a free range for chickens, only 5 hens and a rooster. Thanks for all the help. are there other geogia homesteaders out there? I love Countryside mag, keep up the good work. Plan the submit my imput soon to your mag.

-- janet reid west georgia (patmos27@bellsouth.net), January 03, 2002

Answers

I "free range" my chickens, dux, geese, and guineas in my fenced in orchard. Just remember that if the fruit hits the ground - DON'T EAT IT. It's theirs. E. coli is a nasty thing. My chickens love to eat the June bugs from the orchard...

-- Gailann Schrader (gtschrader@aol.com), January 03, 2002.

I'm a little north of you in southern Tn and we plant winter wheat in rotation with soy and corn. You will get great information here but it really pays to contact your local ag agent because they may have some ideas you haven't thought of. I am very interested in hearing your experiences with putting your chickens out there when you do it. You may want to put up the chickens at night to protect them from predators.

-- Ann Markson (tngreenacres@hotmail.com), January 03, 2002.

If I read correctly what you said about planting grain, you mean to plant in the same area as the orchard; you also mean to free range the chickens in that area. Maybe I misunderstood; but be aware that free ranging chickens on a grass covered pasture or established orchard is one thing; letting chickens in where something is planted and the ground has been tilled is entirely different. They will keep that area pretty bare. Those little scratching feet can do a great deal of damage in soft dirt.

-- Dianne Wood (woodgoat@pacifier.com), January 03, 2002.

for info on grain amamranth try looking up teff. barbaras' foods might have info too. they have a delicious amaranth cracker.

The seeds? are also used for a wonderfull red dye. unfortunately one study on rats showed an increase in cancer so red dye #2 was removed from our m &ms'.

Natural does not mean harmless...something i have to remind visitors to my organic farm who want to eat stuff right off the ground & all. :0

-- bj pepper in C. MS. (pepper.pepper@excite.com), January 03, 2002.

Fencing your orchard, planting it with bee flowers like clover and also comfrey, and free ranging chickens is great. The grain area should be separate, let the chickens on that area after harvest,or they will tromple the crop and eat the grain, if it gets that big. Let them do the gleaning after you harvest that area. Digging up the soil to plant the grain seed is not good for the tree roots.

-- seraphima (gardener@com.post), January 03, 2002.

Just my experience, but chickens eat bees. The ideas of clover for bees and cover crop in an orchard are good. the ideas of running chickens in the orchard are good. Perhaps combining too many good ideas at one time is not so good? both bees and clover seed are expensive. Is this the diet you want for your chickens? Think before you sink.

-- Just Duckie (Duck@spazmail.com), January 04, 2002.