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Original poster

I learned something fascinating

239 replies

Soubriquet · 18/12/2020 10:32

A field nearby has lots of cauliflowers on them ready to be harvested

The other day, we spotted lots of sheep on the field

Thought that the caulis were ruined due to the weather, or the sheep had escaped.

However, we managed to speak to the farmer and no!

The sheep eat the greens around the cauliflower, but leave the actual flower alone.

What was once a green field, now actually has lots of white where the exposed cauliflower are.

I was amazed really

OP posts:
Thread gallery
19
LagneyandCasey · 18/12/2020 10:34

I love stuff like that Grin

AlexaShutUp · 18/12/2020 10:34

This is such a random thread!Grin

But I enjoyed it!

Spongebobsquarefringe · 18/12/2020 10:35

Wow! I’m going to my DD this she loves random little facts

Eckhart · 18/12/2020 10:36

But how do the cauliflowers survive the conditions without their jackets on? They have leaves for a reason. I feel quite alarmed for them.

Original poster
Soubriquet · 18/12/2020 10:37

It is random. But it’s near me so it’s ok Grin

OP posts:
Eckhart · 18/12/2020 10:37

And don't they get trampled?! I'm calling the NSPCC.

AlexaShutUp · 18/12/2020 10:37

I feel quite alarmed for them.

Grin
BewareTheBeardedFatMan · 18/12/2020 10:37

Presumably they only let the sheep lose when they're a out to harvest them.

Original poster
Soubriquet · 18/12/2020 10:37

@Eckhart

But how do the cauliflowers survive the conditions without their jackets on? They have leaves for a reason. I feel quite alarmed for them.
Oh no! They might get frostbite....

Hopefully the sheep will cuddle up to them and keep them warm

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DianaT1969 · 18/12/2020 10:38

Interesting. I often saw cows in fields eating oranges cut in half in the south of Spain on the Portuguese border. They left the peel. I wondered if that's why there were varieties of orange coloured cheese there. Does anyone know if it affects the flavour or colour of milk?

BewareTheBeardedFatMan · 18/12/2020 10:38

*about

So the poor caulis are doomed either way Grin

BestestBrownies · 18/12/2020 10:38

Bet they don’t get washed before being sold.

Mmmmmm.... sheep slobber.

Original poster
Soubriquet · 18/12/2020 10:39

I’d be more worried what comes out of the other end of the sheep rather than the slobber...

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AtlasPine · 18/12/2020 10:41

I am rather worried that I have never washed my caulis adequately now. Confused

LagneyandCasey · 18/12/2020 10:43

I've never washed a cauliflower. Being plunged into boiling water washes it enough.

justanotherneighinparadise · 18/12/2020 10:44

@Soubriquet

A field nearby has lots of cauliflowers on them ready to be harvested

The other day, we spotted lots of sheep on the field

Thought that the caulis were ruined due to the weather, or the sheep had escaped.

However, we managed to speak to the farmer and no!

The sheep eat the greens around the cauliflower, but leave the actual flower alone.

What was once a green field, now actually has lots of white where the exposed cauliflower are.

I was amazed really

Never heard this before!
QuestionableMouse · 18/12/2020 10:47

Sheep are quite delicate movers so are unlikely to damage the cauliflowers.

@DianaT1969 for it to change their milk in way, orange would have to be a significant part of their diet and then it would only change the flavour and not the colour of the milk.

Seeline · 18/12/2020 10:47

Sheep are brilliant!

They can be used for 'cutting the grass' in fields of solar panels. There is really room for machinery, and they run the risk of damaging the panels as well, so they send in the sheep!

Original poster
Soubriquet · 18/12/2020 10:48

I’m impressed as well that the sheep aren’t getting into trouble.

There’s no fencing up around the field so if they wanted to, they could easily wander into the road. But no, they are more than happy eating their cauliflowers..

I am surprised they haven’t gone across the road to say hello to the llamas that are in the next field though.

Seriously...there are 4 llamas in a field

OP posts:
AtlasPine · 18/12/2020 10:51

@LagneyandCasey

I've never washed a cauliflower. Being plunged into boiling water washes it enough.
I often eat it raw Envy
Tangledtresses · 18/12/2020 10:51

Ahh that's brilliant
I did wonder why our local sheep seemed to have escaped and eating a crop of something in another field!
They cleared that field in 2 days...

AtlasPine · 18/12/2020 10:51

I like the idea of all of the plant being useful though!

Eckhart · 18/12/2020 10:53

I read a news article once where sheep were getting into the gardens in a village, despite cattle grids. Locals set up cameras to see how they were getting in during the night. They had 2 methods:

  1. roll
  2. One sheep lies down on the cattle grid, and everybody else runs over the top of it.

They are NOT stupid. NEVER trust a sheep.

Original poster
Soubriquet · 18/12/2020 10:53

@AtlasPine

I like the idea of all of the plant being useful though!
Same here. Plus the sheep get fed AND they fertilise the field at the same time

Proper symbiosis

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WellyBootsAreYouFrom · 18/12/2020 10:53

I love this, thank you for sharing!