The two patchy looking rows in the foreground are naked oats, sown in autumn 2009 and photographed in March this year. The rows were about 3m long and the total yield was just over 1kg. I am trying to decide whether to sow it all again in spring, or sell it in 10g packs to curious growers. Not much point in having a dehuller if it is too successful. It is second from the left in this pic.
What variety of naked oats did you grow? I had success with an autumn sown variety years ago, I think it was Kynon from the Welsh Plant Breeding Station as was, now part of University of Aberystwyth. I wonder whether it would have survived this winter?
ReplyDeleteI don't know what variety they are. I picked up a handful of seeds at a farm in Kelkenny a few years ago, where they were being grown to feed chickens and turkeys. I emailed the farmers today and I will let you know it they get back to me. We had some pretty severe weather last year when they were in the ground. I didn't get around to sowing any this autumn.
ReplyDeleteMore details of the Welsh oat breeding project here: http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/ibers/research/minister_launches_oats_study/
ReplyDeleteThey might have a bright future as soya bean substitute concentrates, according to the blurb I've read. Hell, people could even eat them.
Madeline, do people have de-hullers for their home there in Ireland? I've become interested in naked oats because I think I could roll them at home for food.
ReplyDeletePreviously I thought that regular oats were rolled, then the hulls sifted out to make rolled oats.
Sorry i forgot to reply till now. Normal people don't have dehullers in their home. Naked its are a better bet if you want to eat your own oats. Even with a dehuller it is hard to make your own porridge as not all the oats dehull and you need more equipment to separate the groats form the rest.
ReplyDeleteThis is fascinating, thank you for sharing the info and pics. Btw, I love your beautiful header of 2014 made with seeds :-)
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