Bracken

Mike Mason said:

Had a wander round the Bampton Fell/Burnbanks area of Friday. In one small
area, Aika Hill, the farmer? had been quite busy harvesting the dead dried
bracken. There were several bales of the stuff on the fell slope.

Anyone any idea what this might be used for. Can't think it's nutritious.

It's many uses do not include feed since it is posonous. It will
probably be used for bedding.

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/organic/organic_24.php
--
Phil Cook, last hill: Geal Charn above Glen Markie

Mike Mason said:

Had a wander round the Bampton Fell/Burnbanks area of Friday. In one small
area, Aika Hill, the farmer? had been quite busy harvesting the dead dried
bracken. There were several bales of the stuff on the fell slope.

Anyone any idea what this might be used for.

Natural England have been doing trials to see if it's OK as a compost.
It's also fine as a fuel for bale burners.

Quoted message said:

Can't think it's nutritious.

I believe it's carcinogenic, at least there were cases in Japan and
Wales during WW2 when humans ate young fronds.

AJH

AJH said:

I believe it's carcinogenic, at least there were cases in Japan and
Wales during WW2 when humans ate young fronds.

It is edible though, if prepared properly.
http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/motm/ptq/ptqh.htm

I wouldn't like to try it though...

Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/

AJH said:

I believe it's carcinogenic, at least there were cases in Japan and
Wales during WW2 when humans ate young fronds.

It is edible though, if prepared properly.
http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/motm/ptq/ptqh.htm

I wouldn't like to try it though...

Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/

In message <[email hidden]>, Mike Mason
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Had a wander round the Bampton Fell/Burnbanks area of Friday. In one small
area, Aika Hill, the farmer? had been quite busy harvesting the dead dried
bracken. There were several bales of the stuff on the fell slope.

Anyone any idea what this might be used for. Can't think it's nutritious.

Mike

bedding for cattle/sheep ???
--
Bill Grey

Bitstring <[email hidden]>, from the wonderful
person Bill Grey <[email hidden]> said

Quoted message said:

In message <[email hidden]>, Mike
Mason <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Had a wander round the Bampton Fell/Burnbanks area of Friday. In one small
area, Aika Hill, the farmer? had been quite busy harvesting the dead dried
bracken. There were several bales of the stuff on the fell slope.

Anyone any idea what this might be used for. Can't think it's nutritious.

Mike

bedding for cattle/sheep ???

Used to be bedding for people, which kept it under control rather well.
Not these days though ..

--
GSV Three Minds in a Can
10,002 Km walked. 1,952 Km PROWs surveyed. 35.5% complete.

Paul Saunders said:

AJH said:

I believe it's carcinogenic, at least there were cases in Japan and
Wales during WW2 when humans ate young fronds.

It is edible though, if prepared properly.
http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/motm/ptq/ptqh.htm

Looks pretty damning to me and does point out the reason it is
carcinogenic amongst its other deleterious effects.

Quoted message said:

I wouldn't like to try it though...

Nor me and forestry workers were issued with dust masks when working
amidst it, so breathing the spores looks bad as well.

AJH

Phil Cook said:

probably be used for bedding.

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/organic/organic_24.php

Are the animals told not to eat it?

Perhaps it is easier to burn this way than just setting light to the stuff
and trying to control the fire.

"Mike Mason" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Had a wander round the Bampton Fell/Burnbanks area of Friday. In one small
area, Aika Hill, the farmer? had been quite busy harvesting the dead dried
bracken. There were several bales of the stuff on the fell slope.

Anyone any idea what this might be used for. Can't think it's nutritious.

Mike

Mike Mason said:

Had a wander round the Bampton Fell/Burnbanks area of Friday. In one small
area, Aika Hill, the farmer? had been quite busy harvesting the dead dried
bracken. There were several bales of the stuff on the fell slope.

Anyone any idea what this might be used for. Can't think it's nutritious.

IIRC it's high in potassium and good for composting to put on veg. plots.

Jim Ford

In message <[email hidden]>, Jim Ford
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Mike Mason said:

Had a wander round the Bampton Fell/Burnbanks area of Friday. In one
small area, Aika Hill, the farmer? had been quite busy harvesting the
dead dried bracken. There were several bales of the stuff on the fell
slope.
Anyone any idea what this might be used for. Can't think it's
nutritious.

IIRC it's high in potassium and good for composting to put on veg. plots.

Jim Ford

Interesting comment. When I was a lad my father would gather sack-fulls
of dead ferns then put them in the emptied beds of his green house
before replacing the soil. The beds would over winter like this until it
was time to plant his tomato plants the following year.
--
Bill Grey

AJH said:

Quoted message said:

It is edible though, if prepared properly.
http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/motm/ptq/ptqh.htm

Looks pretty damning to me and does point out the reason it is
carcinogenic amongst its other deleterious effects.

Yep, strange that various cultures eat it.

Quoted message said:

Nor me and forestry workers were issued with dust masks when working
amidst it, so breathing the spores looks bad as well.

Must try to remember that next time I'm walking through bracken.

Whoops! I walked through some today and thought nothing of it. Is there a
particular time of year when the spores are most active?

Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/

Paul Saunders said:

Is there a
particular time of year when the spores are most active?

I don't know about most active but would guess most spores were
dropped August to early September. I cannot see walking through it
occasionally compares with being in amongst it and cutting it by hand,
daily, as we did in the 70s.

AJH

AJH said:

Quoted message said:

Is there a
particular time of year when the spores are most active?

I don't know about most active but would guess most spores were
dropped August to early September. I cannot see walking through it
occasionally compares with being in amongst it and cutting it by hand,
daily, as we did in the 70s.

Fair point. I walked through more of it yesterday and there didn't seem to
be any spores left.

Paul
--
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