Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[jvls1942]

For all you Wisconsin BYC'ers who also have gardens or have parents/grandparents who garden, do any of you grow or know of someone who grows "Mammoth" or "Mammoth Red" rhubarb? It's an old variety that in the early 1900's could be found all over Milwaukee and the surrounding area, as almost every backyard garden contained at least one plant. Since it is such an old variety, I'm guessing many of those who have it growing in their gardens today may not even call it by that name anymore...they may call it just "rhubarb" or maybe simply refer to it as just "the same rhubarb that my grandad used to grow," etc.. To differentiate it from other rhubarbs, the Mammoth (aka Mammoth Red) grows 4 to 5 feet tall with dark red stalks 4 inches in diameter, with giant leaves that chickens just love to hide under in the summertime.

Anyway, just thought I'd pop in here and see if someone here could help me in my quest for it, or could maybe pass this on to a parent/grandparent/aunt/uncle/elderly neighbor, etc to see they know/remember anything about it (yeah, as you can probably tell, I'm kind of desperate, LOL). Thanks!

I have a nice patch of rhubarb, but it never gets to those proportions,, I have never heard of such large plants..
good luck in your quest,,
TerriO might have heard of such ..

....jiminwisc.......

 

[birdman55]

morning everyone...it sure got cold again...woke up to the down stairs at 55...cant wait for the cold to break...thats for sure

 

[wyoDreamer]

For all you Wisconsin BYC'ers who also have gardens or have parents/grandparents who garden, do any of you grow or know of someone who grows "Mammoth" or "Mammoth Red" rhubarb? It's an old variety that in the early 1900's could be found all over Milwaukee and the surrounding area, as almost every backyard garden contained at least one plant. Since it is such an old variety, I'm guessing many of those who have it growing in their gardens today may not even call it by that name anymore...they may call it just "rhubarb" or maybe simply refer to it as just "the same rhubarb that my grandad used to grow," etc.. To differentiate it from other rhubarbs, the Mammoth (aka Mammoth Red) grows 4 to 5 feet tall with dark red stalks 4 inches in diameter, with giant leaves that chickens just love to hide under in the summertime.

Anyway, just thought I'd pop in here and see if someone here could help me in my quest for it, or could maybe pass this on to a parent/grandparent/aunt/uncle/elderly neighbor, etc to see they know/remember anything about it (yeah, as you can probably tell, I'm kind of desperate, LOL). Thanks!

The house we moved into has a rhubarb plant at the back of the garage. I don't know if it is mammoth or not, but it has huge leaves and the biggest stalk was about 2 inch diameter. I moved in in September, so I really don't know. I wll check it out this summer for you.

 

[jvls1942]

good morning, again,,

all this talk about rhubarb makes me think about mine,, I have to give it a good dose of compost before it gets growing this spring,,

I just went out and fed the pups,, then I let Gus into the house without Frankie so he can eat in peace..

it is c o l d out there,, I am not even going to try to start the truck.. I need to go bowling at noon, but I will wait until Annie gets home and I will take her warmed up car ..

not much else to write about,, too cold to do anything interesting,,

........jiminwisc........

 

[birdman55]

so i got off the phone with the department of agriculture just a bit ago...had alot of questions for them...one thing i found interesting....is that they said when you quarantine your birds for 4-6 weeks about halfway thru you place one of your birds in with them to see if your bird get sick...has anyone heard such a thing...

 

[jvls1942]

so i got off the phone with the department of agriculture just a bit ago...had alot of questions for them...one thing i found interesting....is that they said when you quarantine your birds for 4-6 weeks about halfway thru you place one of your birds in with them to see if your bird get sick...has anyone heard such a thing...

yes I have, but if you do not have a surplus of birds to sacrifice, it doesn't seem to be the thing I would do..

 

[CherMoz]

so i got off the phone with the department of agriculture just a bit ago...had alot of questions for them...one thing i found interesting....is that they said when you quarantine your birds for 4-6 weeks about halfway thru you place one of your birds in with them to see if your bird get sick...has anyone heard such a thing...

Yes. I have heard that before, too.

 

[Terri O]

I think the reason you do that is so that those new birds can get used to "germs" from your present flock. Another way is to add some of the bedding from your flock.

My neighbor has some mighty tall Rhubarb. I am sure she would share...

My kids' porch started on fire in their apartment and the whole 8 units are evacuated. This happened early Saturday morning. THere is no roof left on the structure and everything is covered in insulation soaked with water from dousing the fire. They are meeting with insurance people now...what next?

Gotta go scrub up more puppy poo....TerriO

 

[OzarkCountryGirl]

Thanks for all the rhubarb replies, everyone....talk about feeling the rhubarb love

.
And I'm really sorry to hear about your kids' place getting on fire, TerroO. And in this weather, too, poor darlings. I do hope everything turns out ok for them.

 

[babylady4]

OCG, I have been looking for you all day long. I think your best bet is to contact the American Horticultural Society and see if they can assist you.

http://www.ahs.org/gardening-resources/master-gardeners


I did find a place that said they had the plants, they are actively conserving varieties of rhubarb. You might be able to get seeds or plants......

http://www.round-river.com/sssrhubarb.html


Here is a lady that has giant rhubarb, not certain on variety...

http://www.northshorehwy61.com/bm/features/Home/create-a-landscape-you-can-eat.shtml


I hope this helps you out!

ETA: Mammoth Red - Also known as The Giant, Stott's Mammoth or simply Mammoth.