Grow HUGE Red Mangle Beets!

Dateline: 5 June 2006

Photo from Agrarian Nation

David Taylor, down in Georgia, mailed me an order for Whizbang chicken plucker parts and he thoughtfully enclosed some long red mangle beet seeds, which are something I've never grown. I have heard of mangle beets but never knew anything about them.

Dave wrote that “These beets grow up to 15—20 pounds. They are great chicken feed/supplement and great for winter chicken feed if you skewer a few on some nails. The birds will just peck them till gone.”

Wow! The thought of growing enormous beets that I can store and feed my chickens absolutely thrills me! I will be planting the seeds tomorrow.

If you’d like to grow some of these mangle beets too, you can get the seeds from R.H. Shumways

Here’s what Shumway's web site has to say about the beets:

"Equal in nutrition to grain and produced at half the cost! Relished by livestock, particularly milk cows. Roots frequently grow 2 ft. long, about half growing above the surface, weighing up to 15 lbs. each. Skin is bright, rich red. White flesh with pale rose hue."

Thanks David Taylor, and thanks R.H Shumway.