Day 3 of sprouting! Pic, wow it's going well.

[Angiebubs]

Any recommendations of seeds to sprout other than Wheat, Rye, barley? (Gluten allergies/Celiac disease in the family and my DD isn't suppossed to even handle those three grains) Im trying sunflower right now... Thanks!

 

[KenK]

sproutpeople.org has a good website that you might be able to get some ideas from. I like Alfalfa sprouts raw and mung bean cooked.

 

[ryan820]

In reference to the FDA or the ag people, whoever, sprouting is safe. It doesn't shock me that they would put out such a statement. I mean honestly, does anyone feel it's any safer to handle meat on your counter top? Of course not! You have to be smart about it. Seeds by their nature have the ability to not pass on nasty stuff...it's when they are grown in a nasty environment that the sprouts could harbor bad stuff and yea, the same goes with meat or anything else we eat.

We sprout sunflower seeds without the sand, this is to the original poster. No need to use sand, really. Ours will sprout in about four to five days. Every day you start a new one and you keep the rotation going.

I personally put mine in mason jars and use the wire mesh to rise them. Then each day I empty the contents into a suet feeder so that the chooks don't waste them and I put them just out of easy reach...hehe I know I'm mean, but it's fun to watch chooks jump and try to get all the sprouts.

 

[Nicole01]

Here are my sunflower sprouts. I cut/pulled a few out and the chickens go absolutely nuts for them. They treat these as if they are worms.

Sorry for the poor quality photo, taken from my iPod touch.

 

[Attila the Hen]

Quote:
I have sprouted plain old brown lentils from the store. The chickens like them more than I do. I think it's the sprout that makes them think it's a worm or something.

 

[KenK]

Those look great, you had said you were going to do them in a basement? Did you put them in a window?

Did you try them yourself? They are pretty tasty to me.

 

[Nicole01]

Quote:
I haven't tried sprouting in the basement yet. I will use a plastic tub/container when I do so. I will put it near a window, but the sun will not shine on it at all. I don't know if I could get myself to eat these.lol However, alfalfa is fabulous! We ate most of them already. Maybe if I sprout without the sand it would be easier to eat.

 

[Azriel]

Alfalfa is also expensive to buy. I bought the pound for $9.50 and I bought the 50 pound sunflower seeds for around $20

If you go to a seed company or mill ( a place that sells seed to farmers) you can get alfalfa seed for less than $4.00 a pound. I think that in the spring even TSC sells it, but they are most likley more expensive.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Sunflower seeds are traditionally planted, instead of sprouting, to be clipped off and used as a salad green.

 

[clucksbc]

very interesting...
wondering where you get the seeds...to do on an ongoing basis
seeds are just so expensive...

just a potential tip maybe...if they didn't directly eat it raw and you want them to have the nutrients...
maybe dehydrate and grind in the blender then sprinkly over there food...