I've learned so much on here, especially finding helpful the list of rabbit edible plants (and the reminders to stick to Latin names) and being able to learn from other folks' mistakes about growing fodder. Was amazed when I listed the different plants we fed spring through fall to see how many different things we'd fed and how much we'd learned about our rabbits' preferences.
Looking ahead to the next green time, I want to get more efficient about gathering and want to dry at least as much as we did for this winter and perhaps of more different plants. What I don't know is when different plants are best gathered, especially the ones that the whole plant can be fed. I'm thinking right now of cattails (sorry I don't have the Latin at my fingertips--we have 2 different kinds and the buns loved the leaves I grabbed on walks last spring/summer) Maggie's list says the whole plant is edible. Has anyone here fed the flower?--the fuzzy brown sausage shaped part--or the roots? If so when did you gather them and did you dry them or feed fresh? I have the same questions about Jerusalem artichokes.
I find with the herbs I gather that it really makes a difference to harvest them at the right stage and thought the same might well be true for rabbit forage. I've read some pretty impressive numbers for protein content in various "weeds" but it's usually given as a range without saying when it is highest or lowest. Also read not to feed dock later in the season (although it is good spring feed) because the older leaves build up something toxic. What about places where it was mown off and new leaves are growing back? Is the problem related to age of leaves or temperature or day length?
The Feeding Rabbits on Scraps book has this kind of information but it is for England, mentions several different kinds of kale to be fed at different times of year (most of them names I've never heard of). Is anyone else out there interested in figuring out this sort of information for N. America. Or does someone already know all the answers and I failed to find them? So much more fun to learn from someone else's mistakes.
Looking ahead to the next green time, I want to get more efficient about gathering and want to dry at least as much as we did for this winter and perhaps of more different plants. What I don't know is when different plants are best gathered, especially the ones that the whole plant can be fed. I'm thinking right now of cattails (sorry I don't have the Latin at my fingertips--we have 2 different kinds and the buns loved the leaves I grabbed on walks last spring/summer) Maggie's list says the whole plant is edible. Has anyone here fed the flower?--the fuzzy brown sausage shaped part--or the roots? If so when did you gather them and did you dry them or feed fresh? I have the same questions about Jerusalem artichokes.
I find with the herbs I gather that it really makes a difference to harvest them at the right stage and thought the same might well be true for rabbit forage. I've read some pretty impressive numbers for protein content in various "weeds" but it's usually given as a range without saying when it is highest or lowest. Also read not to feed dock later in the season (although it is good spring feed) because the older leaves build up something toxic. What about places where it was mown off and new leaves are growing back? Is the problem related to age of leaves or temperature or day length?
The Feeding Rabbits on Scraps book has this kind of information but it is for England, mentions several different kinds of kale to be fed at different times of year (most of them names I've never heard of). Is anyone else out there interested in figuring out this sort of information for N. America. Or does someone already know all the answers and I failed to find them? So much more fun to learn from someone else's mistakes.
