Country file / oil seed rape and Buck wheat .

[user 6127]

Is it wrong, that the most remarkable thing I'm taking from this thread, is that people still watch Countryfile?

 

[Angry_Mob]

They have being doing something similar in Egypt for a number of years now using sewage water to grow large forests where there was once dessert. Very interesting project. Egyptian Desert Transformed Into Forest With Recycled Sewage Water

 

[happyculteur]

Why it’s called. Buckwheat escapes me as it isn’t a cereal .

In French sarrasin is also called "blé noir " because of its blackish seeds. Perhaps a translation , black wheat, was vulgarized into buck wheat ? Its seeds were used for bread making by the *peasants* in certain regions where cereals didn't grow well. It is regaining in popularity as it is free of gluten. In the "black bee valley" in the Cevennes hills, where the local black bee is protected, buckwheat growing is being encouraged as it gives nectar at a period in the summer when little else is available for the bees. Also, its root system helps keep down *weeds* so it is popular with organic farmers. Finally, beef cattle farmers are finding it better for winter hay than cereals. As for the human sh*t, I think in France the smell battles against garlic.......................

 

[Curly green finger's]

How long

Is it wrong, that the most remarkable thing I'm taking from this thread, is that people still watch Countryfile?

How long has it been on the telly.. Its been a tradition in my family.
I think alot of the farming community use to watch it for the weather report.. For a whole week!

 

[philipm]

Having previously worked with Welsh Water for a number of years I know that treated sewage sludge should be pretty safe bug wise but can contain all sorts of other nasties Heavy Metals , oestrogen ,various chemicals we always used to spead it on grassland but even then it wasnt allowed to be grazed by cattle straight away.I dont really like the thought of it entering the food chain but there again its all about big business. Just adds to the other pollutants that are being used.

 

[philipm]

Always used to get lots of tomatoes and strawberries growing on the old drying beds,Only the uninitiated would think of eating them the old boys knew to leave well alone.

 

[Frizzaldo]

Grew some buckwheat this year lots of flowers but only saw a couple of bees on it for a few days, phacelia was covered in bees at same time.
The Japanese make buckwheet (soba) noodles from it.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Is it wrong, that the most remarkable thing I'm taking from this thread, is that people still watch Countryfile?

Swmbo does for some strange reason, I just pop my head round the door for the weather forecast. The only interesting thing I happened to catch on yesterday's one was the part about the drovers - but even bits of that they got wrong!

 

[Apple]

Countryfile... sanitised farming and natural beauty made for townies.

As for Lindseed ( Flax)... 1000's acres planted in the South Hams when I attempted to keep bees there.... fantastic patches of blue amongst the yellow of the rape.... looked like a Swedish flag!

Had plenty of solid unpalatable Mazola flavoured rape seed honey... never saw a single bee on the lindseed.

 

[happyculteur]

No honey from linseed

Yes. The flower is self fertilizing and the time between its opening and withering is about 2 hours. Not worth bothering to attract pollinators.

 

[Apple]

Yes. The flower is self fertilizing and the time between its opening and withering is about 2 hours. Not worth bothering to attract pollinators.

One wonders why such a plant has evolved to produce such a vivid blue flower.... and then self fertilise?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

One wonders why such a plant has evolved to produce such a vivid blue flower.... and then self fertilise?

I know many who have a brain
But seldom use it

 

[Apple]

I know many who have a brain
But seldom use it

I will need to give that comment some thought!

 

[Nige.Coll]

I'll try a get a picture next time I'm up there. There is a pile of the cake from the sewage farm in a field where I keep some bees, there must be 60 ton of it at least.
Gets spread on the fields and plowed in every year.
You wouldn't know what it was by looking at it, if you didn't know.
We've all eaten the produce of those fields at some point, I can guarantee that.

 

[Apple]

I'll try a get a picture next time I'm up there. There is a pile of the cake from the sewage farm in a field where I keep some bees, there must be 60 ton of it at least.
Gets spread on the fields and plowed in every year.
You wouldn't know what it was by looking at it, if you didn't know.
We've all eaten the produce of those fields at some point, I can guarantee that.

The problem with sewage sludge / cake, is one of super concentration of toxic substances in the soil.
And of course eutrophication of lakes streams and rivers from erosion if the farmer is applying the fertiliser incorrectly or at the wrong time of the season.

Once upon a time shitships such as the Shamrock , now restored and moored at the National Trust establishment at Cotehele would bring "night soil" up the Greatgreygreengreasytamarriverallsetaboutwithcovidescaperssecondhomes
to be spread over and fertilise the daffodil and strawberry fields along the steep banks...... evidence of which can still be found.. broken bits of clay pipes jerry pots etc!!!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

evidence of which can still be found.. broken bits of clay pipes jerry pots etc!!!

Strange diet these Westovians had
But then again - look at the pastie!

 

[Michael Palmer]

The field next to my bees was planted this year with a cover crop of buckwheat, phacelia and clover. The bees were all over the phacelia and the clover, but i never saw a bee on the buckwheat.

What time of day did you look for bees working the Buckwheat? You'll never see bees on Buckwheat after midday

 

[Amari]

I've just watched it and have my concerns about the sewage sludge getting into the water courses.

Did you see the bees on the buckwheat?
Good to see that there could be a possibility of two honey crops from the same field, this will please some of the migratory BFs.

Steve G and I had hives on eight acres of buckwheat this year as per my previous thread. Post 4 describes the yield and honey taste
https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/hives-on-field-of-buckwheat.48307/#post-724078

 

[Swn58]

Is it wrong, that the most remarkable thing I'm taking from this thread, is that people still watch Countryfile?

Hahaha I know what you mean. I did happen to see this part of the programme by accident (honest!) and was interested because the farm where I keep bees lost all their OSR last year to black flea beetles.

 

[Apple]

Strange diet these Westovians had
But then again - look at the pastie!

The produce was shipped to London by rail... Beeching closed nearly all those lines, including the inland rail route to London via Tavistock
Now strawberries are mostly imported from Spain by the supermarkets..... flavourless!

You should try a propper Cornish pastie one day... and that not Ginsters!