Gardening/ farming .. for Calories...
Calories/yield/ acre
Jerusalem artichoke, = 345 cal / lb x 66,000 lb / acre = 22,770,000 cal / acre
Carrot = 186 calories/ lb x 40,000 lb/ acre = 7,440,000 cal / acre
Sugar Beets = 315 calories / pound, 60,000 lb/ acre = 18,900,000 calories/ acre
Winter squash [butternut] 204 cal / pound, x 40,000 lb/ acre = 8,160,000 calories/ acre
Irish potato = 347 calories/ lb = 60,000 lb / acre = 20,700,000 calories/ acre
Rutabaga, 163 calories/ pound , yield = 40000 lb/ acre = 6,520,000 calories/ acre
Sweet potato , 390 calories/ pound, yield 20,000 / acre = 7,800,000 calories / acre
I think Jerusalem artichoke is a very underutilized resource.
For human, and animal food.
Animal feed,
Rabbits [feedipedia]
Foliage and tubers of Jerusalem artichoke can be used without problem in rabbit feeding. They are used in small scale rabbitries in Italy, for example (Mesini, 1996) and have been recommended for a long time for family-run rabbit production units in France (Lissot, 1974). Young foliage is particularly palatable to rabbits (Hay et al., 1992). Fresh tubers are considered to have a significantly higher nutritive value than fresh fodder beets for rabbits, mostly due to their higher DM content (30-32% vs.13-15%). Long-term tuber storage is difficult and only recently harvested tubers should be used (Resti, 1995).
and ...
Jerusalem artichoke can be fed raw to rabbits and chickens, while Irish potatoes must be cooked for rabbits, and should be cooked for chickens.
I have no problems storing J. artichoke in damp sand, or in a clamp. "Storage problems" occur in "commercial" storage facilities..
J. artichoke can also be left in the ground and harvested as needed, in areas where the ground does not freeze solid.
[ I raised J.artichoke in 300 ft long, x 2' wide, raised beds ,about 3.5 feet on center, I harvested one bed and weighed the results - we got just over 1800 lbs -- So, I figure 37 rows to the acre x 1800 lbs = 66,600 lbs / acre]
For those interested in producing alcohol... J. artichoke is a "very underutilized resource" in that area of use, also...
Calories/yield/ acre
Jerusalem artichoke, = 345 cal / lb x 66,000 lb / acre = 22,770,000 cal / acre
Carrot = 186 calories/ lb x 40,000 lb/ acre = 7,440,000 cal / acre
Sugar Beets = 315 calories / pound, 60,000 lb/ acre = 18,900,000 calories/ acre
Winter squash [butternut] 204 cal / pound, x 40,000 lb/ acre = 8,160,000 calories/ acre
Irish potato = 347 calories/ lb = 60,000 lb / acre = 20,700,000 calories/ acre
Rutabaga, 163 calories/ pound , yield = 40000 lb/ acre = 6,520,000 calories/ acre
Sweet potato , 390 calories/ pound, yield 20,000 / acre = 7,800,000 calories / acre
I think Jerusalem artichoke is a very underutilized resource.
For human, and animal food.
Animal feed,
Rabbits [feedipedia]
Foliage and tubers of Jerusalem artichoke can be used without problem in rabbit feeding. They are used in small scale rabbitries in Italy, for example (Mesini, 1996) and have been recommended for a long time for family-run rabbit production units in France (Lissot, 1974). Young foliage is particularly palatable to rabbits (Hay et al., 1992). Fresh tubers are considered to have a significantly higher nutritive value than fresh fodder beets for rabbits, mostly due to their higher DM content (30-32% vs.13-15%). Long-term tuber storage is difficult and only recently harvested tubers should be used (Resti, 1995).
and ...
Jerusalem artichoke can be fed raw to rabbits and chickens, while Irish potatoes must be cooked for rabbits, and should be cooked for chickens.
I have no problems storing J. artichoke in damp sand, or in a clamp. "Storage problems" occur in "commercial" storage facilities..
J. artichoke can also be left in the ground and harvested as needed, in areas where the ground does not freeze solid.
[ I raised J.artichoke in 300 ft long, x 2' wide, raised beds ,about 3.5 feet on center, I harvested one bed and weighed the results - we got just over 1800 lbs -- So, I figure 37 rows to the acre x 1800 lbs = 66,600 lbs / acre]
For those interested in producing alcohol... J. artichoke is a "very underutilized resource" in that area of use, also...
