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Post by Alan on Feb 27, 2007 9:15:28 GMT -5
I've got a one acre production field that I was going to let set this year, but it is at the entrance to the farm, so I'm entertaining the idea of using the 2 lb bag of Giant Golden Mamoth sunflower seed i just found from 2 years ago to plant the field in it. I think it would make a beautiful sight for our customers and I wouldn't mind staring at it myself! I was also entertaining the idea of preparing a few of the culinary delights that Buffalo Birdwoman mentions in this interview: digital.library.upenn.edu/women/buffalo/garden/garden.html |
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Post by mbrown on Mar 28, 2007 14:41:36 GMT -5
It would truly be a magnificent sight to see. I can remember the wild sunflower fields in West Texas from my bird hunting days. Birds of all kinds will flock to the field.
Might be a good cash crop.
Mike
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Mar 28, 2007 21:17:48 GMT -5
I think it's a splendid idea Alan. We've seen fields full of sunflowers on our travels throughout the American midwest.
Up here, the fertile market garden area north of Toronto has lots of sunflower fields in summer as well. I keep saying I'm going to do something along those lines for my chickens, but the closest I've come is large windrows of Mammoth Russian between a couple of varieties of corn.
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Post by Alan on Mar 28, 2007 22:18:15 GMT -5
Our neighbor and friend was kind enough to give me several more pounds of sunflower seed the other day. He has 40 acres or so that is in the wildland protection service and they send him sunflowers every year along with corn, sorghum, ext. to plant for the wildlife, he had extra and made sure I got them so I am definetly gonna plant a big field of 'em for looks and as cut flowers!
-Alan
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Aug 13, 2007 21:43:09 GMT -5
Here's the only Mammoth Russian I grew this year. The other tall variety is Lemon Queen and the shorter sunflowers are just from a bag of Black Oil Sunflower Seed that I use to feed the chickens in winter. I'm thinking about entering the mammoth in a fair Labour Day weekend. Just not sure how to transport it,   |
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Post by downinmyback on Aug 13, 2007 22:53:59 GMT -5
I bet that would be a exciting adventure knowing how seeds like to fall out from ripe heads. You would probably have a trail of birds following your truck.
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Aug 13, 2007 23:07:01 GMT -5
Last time I entered a Tallest sunflower contest with a Mammoth, the plant broke in the agricultural palace. I was disqualified. If it hadn't broken, I would have one with no other sunflower even close in size.
But this particular sunflower came from seed that grew a 19-1/2 inch wide head. The head on this plant is just forming. The plant is tall as you can see; the head has the potential to win. Do I try to enter a Tallest Sunflower or one with the largest head? Decisions, decisions...
One thing I do know, I will have to box it up or wrap it up well..The fair is 40 minutes away by highway..and the plant is already almost as long as my little truck, lol
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Post by flowerpower on Aug 14, 2007 6:27:52 GMT -5
Wow! That is pretty tall. All the sunflowers look great. You may as well enter both for now.
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Post by downinmyback on Aug 23, 2007 23:41:32 GMT -5
Blue how did your sunflower do at the fair.
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Aug 24, 2007 19:32:57 GMT -5
Didn't enter it yet Down. One fair is tomorrow. Only taking poultry.
Other fair is next weekend..The head on that mammoth is growing every day and we've had a goodly amount of rainfall AND heat since Wednesday. Maybe, just mebbe I will be able to enter it!!!
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Post by downinmyback on Aug 28, 2007 0:50:21 GMT -5
Blue you better put up your bird netting or your dreams of a blue ribbon will crash.
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Post by flowerpower on Aug 28, 2007 6:04:20 GMT -5
Blue, how'd the birds do?
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Aug 28, 2007 8:02:24 GMT -5
I got my dates mixed up and I missed the deadline for entering veggies/flowers. I'll just have to make notes and check the real competitor's specs to see what "might have been".  |
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Sept 1, 2007 7:03:57 GMT -5
The tallest there was 13 feet 1-1/4 inches in height. The largest head was 19-3/4 inches across!! Next widest was 16 inches. I have yet to measure mine to see if I could have been a contender?
But veggie entries were down badly from last year. Just a few large pumpkins, and hardly anything else. I assume it was the late frost that has delayed the maturity of many crops. Too bad. Next year I'll get right on it, and see if I can't help fill the veggie palace.
I'll have to measure mine tonight to see if I would have been in the running?
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Post by downinmyback on Sept 6, 2007 23:06:18 GMT -5
Blue how big was the flower head and how many blue ribbons did your chicken win.
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