TOP 4 Green Pick Legumes for Grazing Birds + Mammals.
Order Seed in Kits at Bottom of Page -> USE LINKS BELOW to EACH SEED TYPE + ADD EXTRA SEED as Needed with FLAT RATE $12 Pack n Post.
GO TO: Green Leaf Annual Grains in KIT
FOLLOW LINK ABOVE to ADD GREEN LEAF ANNUALS (Seeds in Kit) to ADD 1kg of Millet + 1kg Sugar Drip Sorghum + 1kg Short Sorghum + 1kg Cow Pea $32 Delivered No EXTRA Pack n POST when added to another order.
RESTORE FLAVOUR and COLOUR to EGGS and MEAT from BIRDS that will Thrive with Access to these Special Four Long Lived Green Leaf Crops (with annual cereal seed samples).
LUCERNE + DESMANTHUS + LEUCAENA = SEE LINK to “Gardens of Lucerne with Chickens” at Bottom of Page with Planting/Production Rates. Plants with multiple functions = grow as mulch + increase organic soil matter.
These fodder crops are the ones that chickens + ducks + geese + turkeys prefer. Hand cut as green leaf fodder or let your birds graze standing crops. ALL OF THESE grow as RAINFED Crops in 600 mm Annual Rainfall Zones. To obtain maximum production irrigation water applied at 300 mm rainfall equivalent will ensure ease of establishment and peak production in all soil types.
$12 Flat Rate Pack n Post ADD EXTRA SEED/KITS for Same Single Flat Rate applies to all seeds in containers.
Green Leaf Fodder Seed Kit (1) = ORDER at Bottom of Page = Experimental Size with 70 grams Butterfly Pea + 150 grams Lucerne + 150 grams Desmanthus + 200 Leucaena Seeds $20.00 plus Pack n Post Flat Rate Applicable + 10 Seeds Giant White Cucumber
Green Leaf Fodder Seed Kit (2) 1.3 kg Total = ORDER at Bottom of Page = Backyard Size with 500 grams Butterfly Pea + 500 Lucerne + 200 grams Hugh Desmanthus + 50 grams – 500 Leucaena Seeds TOTAL $35 plus Pack n Post Flat Rate Applicable + 150 grams Free Sample Millet/Sugar Drip + (10 Seeds Giant White Cucumber for People and Chooks)
ADD Kits to an ORDER with More Seeds + Trees + Plants and PAY NO EXTRA Pack n POST Flat Rate = Free Delivery
Single Seed Info via Links Above. Our Online Research Section starting with Gardens of Lucerne provides insight as well. Butterfly Pea is a Long Lived Vine + Lucerne will persist for several years.
The amount of “green fodder” that a bird will eat varies according to breed and species. Some of these birds will eat more than their own body weight every week in green leaf if it is available. Quality of leaf matter also determines quantity consumed. Fresh green leaf is more palatable than dry leaf. Turkeys seem to eat both green and dry leaf (from observations) of some grasses.
2 Separate Sized KITS are Filled with Green Leaf Fodder Crop Seed to Match Best Pack n Post Rates from Australia Post. All of these seeds are sold individually or in Ground Worker Seed Kits.
YOU CAN NOW ADD EXTRA BULK LOW COST ANNUAL Cereal Grain Crops – SEE LINKS ABOVE to GREEN LEAF ANNUALS. Pack n Post will NOT Exceed $12.00 on SEEDS ORDERS. Which is Why We Put Together Seed KITS = Optimise Parcel Weight Rates with Australia Post.
PHOTO 1: $35 Kit (2) = 1.3 kg Total weight in 18 Separate Mini Containers for Long Life Storage = 6 Tubs Butterfly Pea + 6 Tubs Lucerne + 2 Tubs Hugh Desmanthus + 2 Mini Tubs Leucaena Seed + 2 Larger Tubs Free Sample Seed Millet/Sugar Drip. With resealable TUBS you can store seed for many years in a dry cool space (fridge if needed). Shelf Life is 5 years plus. EGGS in Photo for Size Comparison. PERFECT for SHARING as GIFTS with Friends + Family.
PHOTO 2: Foreground Crop of Millet may be cut for green leaf fodder or let it continue to grow as a “collapse crop” for mulch. Date of Photo: Feb. 2022
PHOTO 3a: Crop of Butterfly Pea has formed a Canopy. May be managed to outcompete grasses and other non desired groundcovers. Use a knife to cut off at base in March and it will regrow if moisture is available within 6 weeks. Butterfly Pea plants will live for 2-3 years depending on conditions. Date of Photo: March 2023
PHOTO 3: Butterfly Pea growing on a hedge of Old Man Saltbush. Purple Flowers are used to make Butterfly Pea Tea. Green Leaves make a nice veg. broth. Date of Photo: March 2023
PHOTO 3b: Leucaena Stalks after Winter are now reshooting from base. This clump was planted Jan 2023 and grew to 1.2 metres before big frost in May. Small Native Birds are attracted to Leucaena + Native Bees. Date of Photo: August 2023
PHOTO 4: Lucerne Patch planted in March is now close to full size ready for periodic cuts. To maintain vigour lucerne requires cutting off at base 2-3 times per annum according to rainfall/irrigation. During “dry” it can shut down for many months and reshoot when moisture returns. Plants will live for 3-5 years. Date of Photo: August 2022
PHOTO 5″ Desmathus planted in Hedgerows. Chickens will only eat to “head height”. Desmanthus plants live for 2-3 years. It is a prolific seeder. With ideal management + rainfall you can establish Desmanthus in pasture initially with 100 plants per hectare to eventually dominate. Date of Photo: March 2022
PHOTO 6: Leucaena in Flower. Hand harvest green leaf and add to mash. Once established Clumps of Leucaena will persist for decades. Graze or prune once per annum. Use branches as woody mulch + kindling. Date of Photo: April 2022
PHOTO 7: Complete Garden Set UP = SEE/READ MORE in RESEARCH/STORIES SECTION.
SEEDING RATES
Multiple planting methods include: Complete Smother Crop + Furrows.
OUR RESEARCH Section provides descriptive photos of gardens being developed and managed.
Plant all Seeds on 27 degree C daytime temp. after frost is ideal.
Plant Lucerne Year-Round including Winter.
LEUCAENA CLUMPS are planted with 10 to 20 seeds or grow as single tree.
Butterfly Pea 20,000 seeds per kg + about 200,000 seeds per kg for Desmanthus + Lucerne.
