peak forage season

[Rainey]

It's raining so I'm taking a few minutes to post about our natural feed. Last week we cut hay--not a very good yield since May was very dry and mostly cold, but the grass was heading out and the clover just starting to bloom so the quality was good.
The willow is also in peak condition so we've been cutting that and hanging it to dry the past couple weeks. After we'd cut a big trunk that was starting to lean really low over the road and taken that to dry, another section blew down and is still partly connected so staying green and is down where we can easily gather it for feeding fresh. So glad to have the new barn we built last year. the loft gives us plenty of space for hay and to hang willow and other stuff to dry where it is out of the sun but gets good ventilation without any rain blowing onto it.
We're feeding 8-12 4 gallon buckets of fresh forage daily. Lots of plantain and chicory, dandelion and wild carrot along with grasses and clover. My herb garden contributes parsley, cilantro, oregano, dill, and the borage which self seeded and is coming up everywhere. (The rabbits love borage--even though the leaves look sort of tough and prickly and bug-eaten)
The weather has been odd. So cold and dry for most of May and then we finally got almost 3 inches of rain late last week and then dry again and cold for June (highs in the 50s and low 60s, gusty wind) Anyway I'm grateful for the abundance and the space to store it well. And for how things grow in spite of the weather. The peas are blossoming and the asparagus is still producing well. Peonies and roses just starting to bloom this week. I've still been managing a walk as the sun comes up but sometimes crawl into bed before it's really dark

 

[MaggieJ]

You're doing a great job, Rainey! :goodjob:

I know it's a lot of work, but natural feeding for the buns is so satisfying.

 

[FourRingCircus]

You're doing a great job, Rainey! :goodjob:

I know it's a lot of work, but natural feeding for the buns is so satisfying.

I agree (with both points!)... I have been doing forage this year and it does take more time and sweat (sweat equity?), but they sure do like it and it's definitely far more satisfying then just scooping out pellets. So far it's mostly clover and plantain... of course since I want dandelions in my yard they are almost nonexistant... or at least not very big. I see the flowers, but there isn't much plant life to go with it. Grr... Also some wild blackberry, lambs ear, whatever grasses we have, kale, chard, radishes, etc. from the garden. I have kept a section of the yard unmowed, but there is more and more coming up that I don't know what it is so I am leery to feed it to the rabbits. You mentioned wild carrot... I still haven't figured out how to tell if what I have is safe or not (I know there are some poisonous look-a-likes). I am out of hay... need to get another bale but keep forgetting.

Willow - is that what I have always referred to as "weeping willow"? Or are there different types?

 

[Rainey]

You mentioned wild carrot... I still haven't figured out how to tell if what I have is safe or not (I know there are some poisonous look-a-likes). I am out of hay... need to get another bale but keep forgetting.

Willow - is that what I have always referred to as "weeping willow"? Or are there different types?

I usually call it Queen Anne's Lace but didn't want to bother to look up the latin name and wild carrot is more descriptive. You can tell it easily by smell. Pull one up and the root smells like carrot.

We have 7 kinds of willow. Just one weeping willow and it mostly leans out over the pond and is hard to get any branches. I've tried to start some new ones of it. We have lots of very large willows that even our botanist friend was unsure of the exact identity--thought it was salix alba or white willow but crossed with some other willow. Then we have several kinds of more shrubby willows. The rabbits show a definite preference for the white willow cross and that is what we dry. But they'll eat the others too and all of them are safe.

 

[MaggieJ]

Here's a couple of links for wild carrot aka Queen Anne's lace. The Latin name is Daucus carota.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daucus_carota
http://www.eattheweeds.com/daucus-carot ... carrots-2/

Do not feed the seed heads. The seeds are an effective contraceptive and not what you want your rabbits to be eating. All other parts of the plant, including the flowers, are safe.