Winter greens

[GloriaH]

This may seem like a silly question but, has anyone ever frozen any green grass clippings to use for winter greens. They would get soggy when thawed but would still be green. Next time I mow I might put some in freezer bags and try it out.

 

[schmoo]

GOOD question. I have been wondering the same thing. I have frozen herbs before and they are still pretty fresh, soggy but green. Has anyone ever tried preserving other greens?

 

[GloriaH]

I've frozen turnip greens and spinach. I think I'll give the grass a try. Whats the worst thing that could happen, they don't eat it?

 

[schmoo]

Exactly. I'm going to use my foodsaver on some greens to try it. I'll freeze some today and give it to them in a week. If they like it, I will do a whole bunch. I'll keep you posted on my results.

 

[GloriaH]

This is off topic, but what part of MI are you from. I was raised in Sterling Heights. East side of the state.

 

[schmoo]

I am about 30 minutes west of Muskegon. Grand Rapids is 30 minutes south. Its going to be 70 degrees today but I know whats coming soon......... yuck!

 

[GloriaH]

That's why I don't live there anymore. I'm going to try some of the greens I have in the freezer. I'll keep you posted as well.

 

[Napalongtail]

You can also get a bale of Alfalfa or alfalfa grass hay and sprinkle some around for your birds. I also buy frozen mixed vegies at the super store and add a cup to their scrammbled eggs.

 

[pattycake]

I was thinking of growing some wheat grass in my greenhouse for the chicks to eat in the winter. Maybe filling a few old window boxes with soil and growing six or so to rotate for them. Has anyone tried this?

 

[SandraChick]

That's exactly what I was going to mention!!!!!

I use to do this before my chickens totatly free ranged (it doesn't snow here, but it RAINS RAINS RAINS in the winter and it gets so dry in the summer the grass is all brown...I did it in the summer!

Any way....here's my recipe!

**Take a planting flat (or any container you can move with dirt in it- think of wet weight).

**Line bottom with several layers of newspaper to hold in the dirt if necessary

**Put a nice layer of wheat seeds on the dirt....DO NOT COVER WITH DIRT. You should have enough seeds that you almost can't see any soil.

**Water carefully so as not to wash away seeds

**Set in chicken run once you have about 1-1.5 inches of growth.

**Once they eat it down....take it away and water. It will grow again.

**I used two-three of them and "cycled" them through

**ANother poster did something similar, but used a box. Then she covered it with welded wire so that the grass could grow through and the chickens could only eat the new top growth. THis kept her from having to rotate flats.

**Chickens also love sprouts. You can sprout almost anything in your kitchen window with a jar and some seeds. It's a big health craze for humans...but chickens think it's heavenly. It's a fun way to give them greens when you don't have space to grow "grass" for them in the winter as it needs very little space.

GOOD LUCK

Sandra