Secale Cereale var. multicaule
Sometime around 2004, I was searching for permaculture videos on YouTube and saw this preview of a film about Sepp Holzer and his family farm, named the Krameterhoff. It looks like a Garden of Eden paradise up in the mountains of Austria. I ordered his book 'The Rebel Farmer' online. On the cover is a picture of Sepp Holzer holding a handful of stalks of an ancient "Russian" rye that he obtained in 1957, after seeing it advertised in an Austrian hunting magazine as an excellent grazing plant for wildlife. He has been growing out ever since, selecting seed from "the best plants growing on the worst soil". He describes the rye on page 184, and there are a couple photos of the full grown rye on 186. He especially likes it as a pioneer plant on new plots of land, and for erosion control on newly established earthworks and terraces, since it grows well on poor soil. He also seeds it into pastures for his livestock to graze. It is regarded as "semi-perennial" in that it can be set back before it sends up a seed stalk, by grazing, or mowing, for up to several years. Setting this rye plant back by mowing, or grazing, stimulates a tillering, or bunching effect, and the stand grows back denser. Once it is allowed to set seed, however, it is done. It is not a true perennial.
Sepp Holzer describes his rye further in his following book ' Sepp Holzer's' Permaculture'.
His son Josef Holzer can be seen in this wonderful video with English subtitles, giving a tour of the Krameterhof and how they use their rye at 12:10.
Sometime about 2009 I found a source for Sepp Holzer's rye, and started to grow it out. See my blog post on Siberian Rye for my backstory.
His son Josef Holzer can be seen in this wonderful video with English subtitles, giving a tour of the Krameterhof and how they use their rye at 12:10.
Sometime about 2009 I found a source for Sepp Holzer's rye, and started to grow it out. See my blog post on Siberian Rye for my backstory.
Planting Instructions for Sepp Holzer Rye
Your 100g of seed will arrive in a small cotton bag. Store the bag of seeds in a glass jar, in a cool place, until planting time. 100g = 6000 seeds.
Fall Planting:
For optimal seed production, plant in well-prepared garden beds, in late August through early October. Harvest in July when stalks are completely brown. This rye will be 6 feet tall at maturity.
Plant spacing:
- In garden beds, plant individual seeds 7 inches apart, in rows 7 inches apart. See my blog post https://onescytherevolution.com/blog/the-gulland-forge-broadfork for how I prepare my garden seed beds.
- For larger plots, broadcast the seed by hand onto well-prepared soil. Try for a coverage of approximately 6-10 seeds per square foot. Then rake to cover the seed.
Planting depth: 0.5 - 1.5 inches. For garden plots, I like a 3/4 inch planting depth and then water it as needed.
Biennial Planting:
For experimenting with this rye as a biennial crop, plant in spring through summer solstice. Graze, or mow with a scythe for green feed or hay, in summer, and/or early fall. Let it overwinter, and then harvest for grain the following July. Once this rye has matured and produced grain, it's life-cycle is finished.
CAUTION: Rye is a wind-pollinated grain. To save the seed for the future and keep it genetically true, do not plant anywhere near other forms of cereal rye crops. Cross-pollination can result if you do.
Fall Planting:
For optimal seed production, plant in well-prepared garden beds, in late August through early October. Harvest in July when stalks are completely brown. This rye will be 6 feet tall at maturity.
Plant spacing:
- In garden beds, plant individual seeds 7 inches apart, in rows 7 inches apart. See my blog post https://onescytherevolution.com/blog/the-gulland-forge-broadfork for how I prepare my garden seed beds.
- For larger plots, broadcast the seed by hand onto well-prepared soil. Try for a coverage of approximately 6-10 seeds per square foot. Then rake to cover the seed.
Planting depth: 0.5 - 1.5 inches. For garden plots, I like a 3/4 inch planting depth and then water it as needed.
Biennial Planting:
For experimenting with this rye as a biennial crop, plant in spring through summer solstice. Graze, or mow with a scythe for green feed or hay, in summer, and/or early fall. Let it overwinter, and then harvest for grain the following July. Once this rye has matured and produced grain, it's life-cycle is finished.
CAUTION: Rye is a wind-pollinated grain. To save the seed for the future and keep it genetically true, do not plant anywhere near other forms of cereal rye crops. Cross-pollination can result if you do.
Sepp Holzer rye seed
100 grams of Sepp Holzer's "Siberian rye" seed. Secale cerale var. multicaule. Also known as Waldstaundenroggen in Germany. This is the rye that Sepp Holzer writes about in his books, “The Rebel Farmer”and “Sepp Holzer’s Permaculture”. My seed comes from his stock. In his books he says that in 1957, he saw an ad in an Austrian hunting magazine for an ancient Siberian rye that was a great grazing plant for wild game. It was very expensive, so he only ordered 1 kilogram and grew it out for seed. He was very happy with it, and has been selecting and breeding it ever since. It makes a great pioneer plant for newly disturbed areas. Grazing animals love it. Once established, it can be grazed or mown for several years, before allowing it to head out and set seed. Setting in back by grazing or mowing, makes it tiller and regrow bigger, and increases the final yield. The straw is 2 to 2.5 meters high and is strong. It is useful for animal bedding, crafts, and for straw mattresses. The grain makes wonderful bread. Once it sets seed, its lifecycle is finished and you can plant a different crop. 100g = approx. 6000 seeds. For more info see webpage.
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39.50