Millet, Dragon's Claw

[amyinowasso]

Adaptive seeds sells this millet which attracted me because of it's looks and because it's short. Also, from Africa and accustomed to hot and dry. Presumably it could be fed to chickens, but I wonder about human food. Supposed to be hard to Hull, so usually made into flour.
Anyone have experience with millet? Anyone eaten it? Is this an "unusual" I should live without?

[FrostyTurnip]

It’s a good question, one that I cannot answer.  I’ve considered it, though. I have some millet and sorghum on hand but know not what varieties.  

I’ve bantered around the different cereal grains in my demented noggin for a few years now.  All of my requirements are for fodder and human consumption, but know not which is best.  In the end, it’ll depend on what simply grows best.  

As for The difference between sorghum and millet, I decided that sorghum had more sustainable benefits:  greater volume of biomass for fodder and other uses,  heat and drought resistance (same as millet),  Now, as for tiny grains, the Red Garnett Amaranth I have is very pretty, leaves edible when young and just a joy to grow.  

In the end, I asked myself about all this:  Diversity is important for potential crop failures, but why bother when wheat and corn grows so well here?  Right about that time, I decided to invest in a grain mill and plant more comfrey.

If I had that special variety, I’d definitely grow it to test it out and see if it’s worth the effort considering the severe droughts we have experienced. 

My Mesquake  corn couldn’t cut with the drought, but the hard red winter wheat with proper irrigation works out fine because it’s done by the time the really toasty weather hits.  Just water it over winter occasionally.  Cut when it is established as needed for consumption or fodder.  Comes back in spring.  I didn’t water last year, but I did pick up a 50# bag of wheat locally to comp.  Because it grows very well here.  I’d like to also try spring planted, but I bet that would be a real headache.  

I look forward to your posts should you trial this variety.  I know you are a stickler for details and documentation. 

[amyinowasso]

I grew sorghum one year with the intent of popping the seeds like popcorn. I didn't get any. Maybe the birds beat me to them. But I agree, the biomass is great. I also liked growing cereal rye through the winter. I harvested before seed set to use for mulch. I haven't attempted wheat.

[FrostyTurnip]

Was the rye hard to get rid of?  I have Larry complaining about tilling it up the next year etched in my mind for some reason.  others have complained bout it.  I know the wild rye on my property is a certain pain to cut or remove. 

[amyinowasso]

I planted Elbon Rye (developed by the noble foundation.) It is supposed to help get rid of root knot nematodes. The sorghum followed it in the problem bed. I didn't till it, I poked holes through the stubble and dropped in the seeds. Built in mulch. I have beds, and I don't till them. I planted the rye in 2 beds and the other bed I put tomatoes in. Pulled the stubble apart and dug a hole. No dirt splash in that bed. I rather liked the system but never got rye planted again. I've considered oats,too. A guy on Facebook planted oats and then garlic. The oats winter kill and fall to become mulch for the garlic. Living mulch saves me from having to buy if. By the time I figure all this out, I'll be too old to do it.

[FrostyTurnip]

Yeah, the years are flying by. 

[woodeye]

Dec 28, 2022 22:22:54 GMT -6 FrostyTurnip said:

Yeah, the years are flying by. 

True, the years are in the jet stream now. But each year seemed like a decade when I was younger & paying child support...  

[heavyhitterokra]

The kids bought me a tee shirt that says, "Once yer over the hill, ya start pickin' up speed!" There's a lot of truth to that. I blame it on the extended naps.  

[rdback]

I found THIS ARTICLE about millet interesting. Thought you folks might as well.

[woodeye]

rdback, this article describes many of my techniques perfectly, especially being that millet was nicknamed the "Lazy Farmer's crop". Thanks for posting the link, I was not aware at all that millet is as drought tolerant as stated in the article. I'm assuming that "millet" is the term for small grain crops and sorghum is included in millet family. My grandpa grew sorghum on this place, the information in the article helps me realize why he grew so much of it. I guess sorghum is drought tolerant and poor soil tolerant like the other millets. Cool...

[amyinowasso]

Interesting article, thanks for sharing it. I didn't buy any millet. Kind of wish I had.

[FrostyTurnip]

Great article, rdback.  I went further and looked up the variety.  Wikipedia says this variety is one of the smallest seeds within the millet group.  It must taste good!  I’ve harvested seed from grain amaranth.  I’ve never peeled them.  The hulls of the millet must be shed.  I guess they beat them to death.  

I have some unlabeled sorghum seed that I hope to get into the ground this year.  I’ll be able to cover more ground this year with the tiller (no pun intended) but I’m not certain of soil erosion on my slope.  I may need to take it slow and dig in swales along with the tilled rows, take expansion slow.  But sorghum was one of the things I am excited to have room to grow.  Gotta tame excitement with