Peat Friendly Fruit For Garden In Cool Temperate Climate

Daimyo

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Hi guys, in abut 3 years, when I will settle down I will buy few acres of land (or more). I want to be self sufficient in food production and all that ***t (maybe except of coffee, tea... etc.) cow or two, pigs, chickens, vegetables, fruit... So I'm wondering what sort of fruit will be the best to grow so I can dry it during summer/autumn and then eat that stuff during the winter? Oranges not possible. So what other fruit are rich in magnesium and fructose?

We are talking about Poland. USDA hardiness zone 6, growth season 200-220 days.

Any ideas?
 

narouz

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Pau-pau's...?
I don't know Poland...probably too cold.
Grapes?
Persimmons?
Cherries...it would be a while of course.
 
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Daimyo

Daimyo

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Oranges are recommended by Ray because they are high in magnesium and fructose? That's the reason orange juice is recommended?

Pawpaw is ok, grapes hit and miss (depends on a year), persimmons.. maybe, cherries - for sure. Thanks for your recommendations.
 

schultz

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I think I am in the same zone as you but in southern Ontario. I plan to grow fruit and freeze it/store it for the winter. I think PawPaw's would be the most valuable fruit to grow because I have never seen them in stores so they are rare/unique and Ray commonly recommends that family of fruit (he usually mentions cherimoyas and white sapotes). They may be hard to grow however! Persimmons are one that I was looking into, but again, may be hard to grow. Cherries for sure.

The standard fruits in my area are plums, peaches, apples, pears, grapes and berries.

As far as "vegetables" go, I think I am just going to grow a ton of potatoes and use them to feed my chickens and possibly a future pig. They can be stored nicely in a cold cellar. Also, if Ray is correct (which I assume he is) then potatoes have more protein than what is listed in a nutritional database (in the form of keto acids?) and are therefore much more valuable as animal feed then what is commonly thought. In my opinion potatoes have an edge over grains and legumes as animal feed in that they are low in anti-nutrients and have a nutritional profile closer to fruit but with a high protein. 2000g of potatoes is listed as having 42g of protein but according to Ray may actually be as high as 71g of protein. Another bonus from a "Peat" point of view is that potatoes have almost no fat and so feeding chickens and pigs with potatoes would produce very saturated animals!

Aside from the sugar, I think one reason orange juice is recommended is because it is a reliable way of getting fruit (every store has it). Another reason is that it has nutrients that milk is a little low in so it fills in some blanks nicely (folate and thiamine are what I am thinking of). Naringenin is another aspect of OJ that Ray talks about.

Anyway, good luck.
 

managing

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It is usually advised not to feed chickens raw potato. I don't know the reason.
 
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Daimyo

Daimyo

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@managing
The same reason as why people shouldn't eat raw potatoes - because of solanine and because uncooked they are difficult to digest.

@schultz
Thanks for your input about potatoes. Soon I will write a blog post on my website about balancing the nutrients in the soil in such a way, that plants produce more protein. For example on poor soil red wheat can produce grain that has only 11% of protein, but on a great one it can be up to 18% (if weather is right even 19%).
 

schultz

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managing said:
It is usually advised not to feed chickens raw potato. I don't know the reason.

I should have mentioned I boil the potatoes for the chickens. They wouldn't touch raw potatoes. My goats might though.

Daimyo said:
@schultz
Thanks for your input about potatoes. Soon I will write a blog post on my website about balancing the nutrients in the soil in such a way, that plants produce more protein. For example on poor soil red wheat can produce grain that has only 11% of protein, but on a great one it can be up to 18% (if weather is right even 19%).

Amazing, I never realized soil could have such an impact on the protein of crops like that. I'd be very interested if you could change the profile of potatoes in a similar way. I don't know much at all about the subject of soil and gardening but I am eager to learn, so I'll check your blog out. I'm pretty new to "farming" so I am always looking for advice.
 
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I think I am in the same zone as you but in southern Ontario. I plan to grow fruit and freeze it/store it for the winter. I think PawPaw's would be the most valuable fruit to grow because I have never seen them in stores so they are rare/unique and Ray commonly recommends that family of fruit (he usually mentions cherimoyas and white sapotes). They may be hard to grow however! Persimmons are one that I was looking into, but again, may be hard to grow. Cherries for sure.

The standard fruits in my area are plums, peaches, apples, pears, grapes and berries.

As far as "vegetables" go, I think I am just going to grow a ton of potatoes and use them to feed my chickens and possibly a future pig. They can be stored nicely in a cold cellar. Also, if Ray is correct (which I assume he is) then potatoes have more protein than what is listed in a nutritional database (in the form of keto acids?) and are therefore much more valuable as animal feed then what is commonly thought. In my opinion potatoes have an edge over grains and legumes as animal feed in that they are low in anti-nutrients and have a nutritional profile closer to fruit but with a high protein. 2000g of potatoes is listed as having 42g of protein but according to Ray may actually be as high as 71g of protein. Another bonus from a "Peat" point of view is that potatoes have almost no fat and so feeding chickens and pigs with potatoes would produce very saturated animals!

Aside from the sugar, I think one reason orange juice is recommended is because it is a reliable way of getting fruit (every store has it). Another reason is that it has nutrients that milk is a little low in so it fills in some blanks nicely (folate and thiamine are what I am thinking of). Naringenin is another aspect of OJ that Ray talks about.

Anyway, good luck.
sounds good.
But wouldnt feeding chickens, pigs or even cows much starch run them at risk for some kind of bacterial overgrowth?
 
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