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Red Mammoth Fodder Beet

Red Mammoth Fodder Beet

Regular price $2.95 USD
Regular price Sale price $2.95 USD
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                  Red Mammoth Slow Food USA - Ark of Taste
Fodder Beet
Beta vulgaris

95 to 120 days — Fodder beets, also known as field beets, mangold, mangold wurzel, mangel beets, and mangel-wurzel, have all but disappeared from modern agriculture, especially home gardening. They once held an important place in a typical farm plan, as they were a crop that was left to reach maturity, then carefully lifted from the ground, and stored in a cool dry location to be used later as avaluable winter feed for livestock and poultry.

And like many old-time animal feed-crops, fodder beets often found their way to their sower's table, particularly at a younger age when the roots and leaves are quite suitable for this purpose. The roots can be boiled and mashed like potatoes, or diced and stewed in sweet curries. The leaves can be lightly steamed or boiled as vegetable greens.

As described above, 'Red Mammoth' fodder beets store well and reach a very large size. The oval to spindle-shaped roots can reach twenty to twenty-five pounds each. They have a dull red color skin with white flesh and provide an excellent amount of food value per acre. Each packet contains four grams, which is approximately 300 seeds.
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Planting Instructions: In a well-drained location that receives six to eight hours of full sun daily, sow seeds ¼ to ½ inch deep and one inch apart. The rows should be spaced 12 to 24 inches. Make sure that you have loosened the soil to one foot deep and rake smooth.

Firm the soil over the seeds and keep moist, making sure that the young roots do not dry out, until seedlings appear. When plants are 1½ to 3-inches tall, thin to three inches apart. The “thinnings” can be eaten as “baby greens.” Water weekly (or as required) in dry weather. Control weeds. Informational Resources:
  1. "Les Plantes Potagères," Vilmorin-Andrieux & Cie, 1883.
  2. Ark of Taste.
  3. World Wide Words - Mangel-wurzel.