Arizona Chickens

[City farm]

So, about these moringa trees.  Everything I read about moringa made me excited about growing them for us and the animals to eat.  What's not to like about them?  They're beautiful, super fast growers, roots, leaves and seeds are edible and the nutritional content is fantastic.  I had a hard time starting them over the winter (mistake) and by the spring I'd lost quite a few.  I tasted the tubers of some of those early failures and they were sublime.  Wonderfully smooth and a rich nutty taste with nice hint of horseradish (I love horseradish).  It made me even more hopeful.  But then I started tasting the raw leaves--not so good.  Thinking they might be better cooked, we tried stir frying them and they were still a bit bitter and something seemed odd about the flavor.  I started thinking that maybe it was because some of the leaves I cooked were older and maybe the younger growth might be better.  So, while topping the trees off and trimming them back I tasted the growth tips and at first they were wonderful, kinda like broccoli stems or asparagus.  But then a strange, powerful and long-lasting aftertaste (that I still can't quite describe) took hold.     I think maybe I've just found the only food stuff to grow from dirt that I don't like.  I'm still hopeful that the seeds will taste good.

Oh well, at least I can feed them to the chickens, right?  But my chickens don't like the leaves either.  Dang chickens loved the short seedlings and would eat them to the dirt every chance they got but now that the trees are larger, they don't like them.  I even removed all the protection I had for the trees and the chickens couldn't care less for the leaves.  Even the tortoises don't like them.  

Has anyone else grown and eaten moringa or fed it to their chickens?  Your findings and thoughts?  Recipes?

Not had any type of luck with growing 5 we had.. All 5 were at different times.. However, with what you have said, it might be possible to keep it as a bush.. Then you, the flock, & tortoise will be able to enjoy..

 

[City farm]

Gallo they have a class offered on CL that teaches about how to grow and use the tree. I am waiting for the boys to go back to school and then I want to go. If I do I will let you know what I find out. I also wanted to ask you if you have extra grape cuttings can I buy get some from you?

I'm not having any problems growing them, they're growing amazingly well, better than anything else I've got growing right now.  It's the taste.  I'm wondering what others think about the taste and how they prepare them and do their chickens like them.   It has me wondering if this is normal, maybe my trees are just weird tasting from my soil or maybe my family and my chickens are just weird.  That last part is probably true anyway.     Yes, I have a grape cutting for you!

A while back I did take a few branches from @Sill and brewed it..
I used our coffee grinder, when the leaves were still green, added "almost" boiling water.
I let it sit for a day. Only because I forgot about it.. Put it in the fridge.. It was stong and had a
Raw food like taste along with a slight sweetness , I want to say chlorella flavored. Her tree was about 2-3 feet past her garage roof, if I remember correctly..
Chlorella is a fresh water single celled alge, like seaweed. The one we had was from Taiwan..

 

[City farm]

Here you go, I added a runner for ya


Dave you are a little s/7??.. Flipp'n hilarious!! I guess we all will have to celebrate eachothers birthday at all of our gatherings...

Still trying to figure out what is the s/7??

@carnivore. Asked the same thing a few posts back.. It is what I call my kids, DH, baby chicks
& anyone that makes me laugh. It is a endearing gesture..like if or when you have a grand kids, I would say you are such a "cute little stinker", when they do something funny... Or when anyone for that matter does something funny.. It must of looked weird the way I posted..

 

[City farm]

I know we will be seeing you soon, don't think I will be able to top that off.. When are you passing threw again?

My daughter's baby shower is Aug 2 in Chandler. I have other things I need to get done while in the big City so probably thinking I will be there from Thurs, July 31 to Sun, Aug 3. I am still trying to coordinate my weekend. I can come there on Friday, or Sunday before we head out back to Havasu. Or even Saturday afternoon following the shower. Let me know your plans and schedule for that weekend and we'll make it happen.

I think the seed box concept was originally to let each member have it for a short time then pass it on. Sorry if I live so far away, but I really want to have it for my share of time. I have a ton of seeds to add and I hope you all are OK with me having it for a month. If not, please state your differences here and I will bring all my seeds to share when I come in August.

Either way, I will be back to the Valley the first week of September when my granddaughter is due to be born. I will pass off the seed box to whoever wants it at that time.

Okay great. I have your schedule times on my calendar.. My plans go day to day, really.. You just let me know what works for you.. I understand how it goes trying to fit everything into a small time frame..
As for the concept of the seed box, I totally agree!! I never planned on having it for this long, it has only worked out this way.. When I saw @Arizonachicken I made a special trip to drop off & pick up for her since she is so busy & wanted it. She said she has been to busy to be on here.. Then after she had it , it went to a neighbor that is a avid Gardner. They wanted to contribute, so I jumped at the opportunity to learn from them & get more seeds for others. I leave it up to everyone else schedule.. with that said you can text me if you are just passing by, if I am not home I can have one of the kids or DH pass it off to you, or if no one is home leave it on the front patio, or you are welcome to come over for tea..either way works..
Also, since a few could not make it for the 4th of July get together, we would do another date so other new members down this way that have not met could meet eachother.. I even stated in other posts if you have nothing to contribute and wanted seeds there are plenty to share, or just come by when we do have a potluck to talk chicken/gardening..oh & DUCK
I might add that their was a few books & magazine's.. I took the compost book & our neighbor took the bee book.. There is a few magazines left.. I will put the book back in if it makes it way back here..
I will PM you my phone number..

 

[City farm]

Check out this web sight from @JaciesCoop
There is a vintage dish made out of glass..
https://www.etsy.com/listing/178837...lass-dish-chicken-in-a?ref=shop_home_active_6

 

[carnivore]

Still trying to figure out what is the s/7??

@carnivore. Asked the same thing a few posts back.. It is what I call my kids, DH, baby chicks
& anyone that makes me laugh. It is a endearing gesture..like if or when you have a grand kids, I would say you are such a "cute little stinker", when they do something funny... Or when anyone for that matter does something funny.. It must of looked weird the way I posted..

Look up scheisse on wikipedia. @City farm yes, it just looked weird the way you posted it. Being an official old guy, I thought it was some kind of internet slang I wasn't privy to.
Being from a predominantly German family, we always used scheissenkopf.

 

[City farm]

Still trying to figure out what is the s/7??

@carnivore. Asked the same thing a few posts back.. It is what I call my kids, DH, baby chicks
& anyone that makes me laugh. It is a endearing gesture..like if or when you have a grand kids, I would say you are such a "cute little stinker", when they do something funny... Or when anyone for that matter does something funny.. It must of looked weird the way I posted..

Look up scheisse on wikipedia. @City farm yes, it just looked weird the way you posted it. Being an official old guy, I thought it was some kind of internet slang I wasn't privy to.
Being from a predominantly German family, we always used scheissenkopf.

I have no idea about Internet or text slang.. However I do get lol.. I prefer to never use this so called "slang"
I am a first generation imagrant from Germany... Our family did it legally..
However I have some hick in me', Yeehaa

 

[carnivore]

I have no idea about Internet or text slang.. However I do get lol.. I prefer to never use this so called "slang"
I am a first generation imagrant from Germany... Our family did it legally..
However I have some hick in me', Yeehaa

My family has been here a while, I think we settled Indiana when it was still the "wild west".

 

[chicksurreal]

Check out this web sight from @JaciesCoop
There is a vintage dish made out of glass..
https://www.etsy.com/listing/178837...lass-dish-chicken-in-a?ref=shop_home_active_6

Thanks for the link. It is now MINE!!!

 

[desertmarcy]

ok. any preference on what kinds of food? what gets brought a lot?

My personal preference is home made rather than store bought stuff that is full of soy, gmos, high fructose corn syrup and all sorts of other crap... MagicChicken brings awesome homemade banana bread. I usually bring deviled turkey eggs, homemade cookies are always wonderful