ACBrewer, I am out near Ely's Ford. I raise rabbits (they go well with beer) and use the manure for all of my gardening. Rabbit manure does not have to be composted/rotted like chicken (got those too), cow, etc. Just throw it in. I have six hop rhizomes that I just planted this year. We are starting from nothing so it is an impressive operation (I think) but still very young. I am trying to limit as many outside inputs as possible. I have a long way to go, but we are getting there. I am happy to show it off.
Glad to hear this can be done in Frederick. That gives me hope. I was reading the Homebrewer's garden, and they said that barley would not tolerate acidic soil. I am sitting on a quartz aquifer so everything is a bit acidic. I think lots of lime is my only option. I don't know if the chicken manure will affect the pH, but it sure makes the grass grow well.
I plan to do as much as possible by hand. I think smaller scale to start would be a wise choice, maybe 1/2 acre. I hope to perfect my scything technique this year. Winter varieties would be great and allow me to rotate with other crops that do better in the heat and humidity during the summer. <snip>
I'll read through the 100% homegrown thread. Thanks for all the replies.
Yup, I'm on the same road--trying to cut out as many "inputs" as I can get away with.
I've got 10 rhizomes of 4 hops varieties (4 Cascade, 2 ea. of Willamette, Sterling, and Magnum), plus building up the grains...
Do you have a scythe? If so, where did you get it? I'm looking to get one this summer...
See the 100% Homegrown thread for variety information; I believe Johnny's Select Seeds has Conlon (spring 2-row malting barley), in 1# and up quantities.
My winter barley is looking to be ready (at a guess) no earlier than the first week of June, more likely closer to the end of June. So, any same-year crop rotation might be pretty tight, unless your secondary (non-barley) crop grows quickly. I've seen recommendations (Logsdon's book, IIRC) to fallow or "green manure" the field for a year between crops...
If your grass does really well, you're probably OK for barley--it is, after all, a grass. My winter stuff was nibbled down to nubs when it was only about 2" tall; I decided to not worry much about it, and see what happens--after all, I mow the yard pretty regularly, hasn't hurt it yet, that I can see... Barley came back, just as happy as ever.
I'll probably be playing with malting come this fall--I have to get my barn-turned-brewpub cleaned up a bit more, first...
Hope this helps. Cheers!
--Misha