Date: Sun, 1 Jul 2001 09:59:40 EDT Reply-To: Sustainable Agriculture Network Discussion Group Sender: Sustainable Agriculture Network Discussion Group From: Dan Hemenway Subject: Re: Sprouting soybeans for chickens Comments: To: eweigel@cybertrails.com Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Edna: Soybeans and most large-seeded legumes are sprouted in a small amount of soil, usually with a large component of compost. The standard approach is to imbed the seeds one layer deep in the medium in a shallow, impervious tray, such as a cafeteria tray. The sprouts are placed in light, usually in racks so that many trays can receive light at one time. For human consumption, the sprouts are cut off at the base. With poultry, I would slip the entire mat into the poultry coop and let them have whatever parts they want. You then recover the compost in your poultry litter. By experimenting, you would find out how many soybeans your chickens want to clean up in a day and then set up that many trays each day. Most large-seeded legumes such as peas, beans, soybeans, etc., split in half with handling after soaking. If they imbibe water pressed into a medium, then they tend to hold together and grow. I would recommend a germination test with the soybeans that you have on hand. There is no telling when they were grown, unless you grew them yourself. Dan Hemenway Barking Frogs Permaculture Center The protocol for our Annual Permaculture Design Course Online is at http://barkingfrogspc.tripod.com/frames.html or http://www.permaculture.net/~EPTA/Hemenway.htm Our next annual Permaculture Design Course Online begins Oct. 14, 2001. Check the above sites for details. A list by topic of all Yankee Permaculture titles also may be found at http://csf.colorado.edu/perma/ypc_catalog.html ------------------- In a message dated 06/29/01 2:35:13 PM, eweigel@CYBERTRAILS.COM writes: << Frank suggested sprouting soybeans rather than cooking them. I tried a small batch. After soaking over night and leaving them moist but not wet for a few hours, less than a quarter of them show little embrionic roots. Many have fallen apart, but lots still look as if they may still sprout if I'm patient enough. How far do they have to sprout before I can assume they are safe to feed? If most sprout but some fail to sprout, is that a problem? Edna >> Date: Sun, 1 Jul 2001 10:01:21 EDT Reply-To: Sustainable Agriculture Network Discussion Group Sender: Sustainable Agriculture Network Discussion Group From: Dan Hemenway Subject: Re: Sprouting soybeans for chickens Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" In a message dated 06/29/01 3:19:41 PM, arzeena@TVORGANICS.COM writes: << I was always led to believe that soybeans shouldn't be ingested without some sort of processing. Do they not contain tryptophan inhibitors? I hope the sprouting helps negate the effect. Arzeena >> It does. Dan Hemenway Barking Frogs Permaculture Center Date: Mon, 2 Jul 2001 07:46:13 -0500 Reply-To: Sustainable Agriculture Network Discussion Group Sender: Sustainable Agriculture Network Discussion Group From: "Wilson, Dale" Subject: Re: Sprouting soybeans for chickens Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Dan, > Soybeans and most large-seeded legumes are sprouted in a small > amount of soil, usually with a large component of compost. > The standard approach is to imbed the seeds one layer deep in > the medium in a shallow, impervious tray, such as a cafeteria tray. > The sprouts are placed in light, usually in racks so that many > trays can receive light at one time. I think you are overcomplicating this. All you need is a jar and screen lid. The seed contains everything it needs to make good sprouts. http://www.isga-sprouts.org/ http://www.cityfarmer.org/sprout86.html http://www.sprouthouse.com/ http://www.sproutopia.com/no.html http://www.territorial-seed.com/testcat/culture/xth_cu.html http://www.birds2grow.com/art-Sprouting-seed.html Date: Mon, 2 Jul 2001 12:15:19 EDT Reply-To: Sustainable Agriculture Network Discussion Group Sender: Sustainable Agriculture Network Discussion Group From: Dan Hemenway Subject: Re: Sprouting soybeans for chickens Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" In a message dated 07/02/01 9:10:14 AM, Dale.Wilson@PIONEER.COM writes: << I think you are overcomplicating this. All you need is a jar and screen lid. The seed contains everything it needs to make good sprouts. http://www.isga-sprouts.org/ http://www.cityfarmer.org/sprout86.html http://www.sprouthouse.com/ http://www.sproutopia.com/no.html http://www.territorial-seed.com/testcat/culture/xth_cu.html http://www.birds2grow.com/art-Sprouting-seed.html Dale >> Dale: You should have experience before you posit recommendations. As the original poster reported, the seeds fall apart after soaking. If you've ever tried to presoak large legume seeds for planting, you will have experienced this. The sprouting method I described, which is routinely used in the production of sprouts for human consumption, is not difficult or cumbersome, and in all sorts of seed less likely to result in mold or bacterial contamination. The method you describe is fine for alfalfa sprouts, ok for radish seed, etc., but for larger seeds one uses the same technique used to produce wheat grass. Soybeans are over-rated as food of course and are about the most unsustainable of any crop grown in monoculture, organic or otherwise. Dan Hemenway Barking Frogs Permaculture Center The protocol for our Annual Permaculture Design Course Online is at http://barkingfrogspc.tripod.com/frames.html or http://www.permaculture.net/~EPTA/Hemenway.htm Our next annual Permaculture Design Course Online begins Oct. 14, 2001. Check the above sites for details. A list by topic of all Yankee Permaculture titles also may be found at http://csf.colorado.edu/perma/ypc_catalog.html Date: Mon, 2 Jul 2001 12:40:55 -0500 Reply-To: Sustainable Agriculture Network Discussion Group Sender: Sustainable Agriculture Network Discussion Group From: "Wilson, Dale" Subject: Re: Sprouting soybeans for chickens Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Dan, > You should have experience before you posit recommendations. I have been studying seed quality in soybeans since 1979, and I have soaked a lot of soybeans in the course of various studies. > As the original poster reported, the seeds fall apart after > soaking. Most of the soybeans produced in 2000 in the Midwest are crap due to the hot, dry weather in the late summer. Decent soybeans (not mechanically damaged), of reasonable moisture content (10-13%) don't fall apart when soaked. I wouldn't soak them very long though, not so long as 24 hours. > If you've ever tried to presoak large legume seeds for planting, > you will have experienced this. The sprouting method I described, > which is routinely used in the production of sprouts for human > consumption, is not difficult or cumbersome, and in all sorts of > seed less likely to result in mold or bacterial contamination. I agree your method will give nicer sprouts, I just don't think it is worth the trouble. In seed testing we roll the seeds up in moist towels, that too produces nice long hypocotyls. > Soybeans are over-rated as food of course... I agree, at least for sprouts. I think germinated soybeans taste kind of nasty, and they contain anti-nutrients. I think they should be cooked before consumption. Dale