Selfsufficientish.com

Hi All!

Wasn't sure where to put this... not nuts... but seeds.

I am really interested in growing sunflowers in order to harvest the seed and make cold pressed sunflower oil. Has anyone done this before? Or does anyone have any thoughts/advice

Heartfelt thanks!

Trinity

Is this growing sunflower seeds for food unheard of so far in the UK?

I'm looking to only consume that which can be grown in my local area...

Will keep looking

As far as I know you'd would need a LOT of sunflowers to make it worth while. But you can get a lot of flowers in a feild and they sure are pretty.

I thought that it may take quite a huge quantity... I do know people with land who'd be happy to put it to this type of use. I guess it will be a case of trial and error.

Thanks for the input

I just don't think that anybody has found it worthwhile to grow sunflowers commercially in the UK so far - due to climate restrictions! That may, of course, change, what with climate change and new varieties...

Somerset is quite mild in comparison to the rest of the UK - in fact the whole west country is.
Interestingly enough you don't need to rotate this crop.
It will quite happily grow in the same field year after year - that's a good bonus.

I've seen sunflowers grown commercially in the UK. They were on part of a pick-your-own setup, and if you did, it cost you £3 per bloom. Nice if you can get it!!

Blimming hell! Well, with that kind of return, it might be worth it... But would that variety be any good for oil production?

not sure about this but dont sunflowers die down autumn-ish? they would be perfect for growing your autumn legumes up - beans and peas for miles!

Yes, I think they'd do well in a mixed crop! I used Jerusalem artichokes for that (sugar snap peas) last year.

hi Trinity,

I would love to hear what you find out! The production of Oil in a selfsufficient way is a challenge! We are looking at Olives for this.

Cheers

Peter

PeterNZ wrote:hi Trinity,

I would love to hear what you find out! The production of Oil in a selfsufficient way is a challenge! We are looking at Olives for this.

Cheers

Peter

Hey Peter, my father knows Gary Colebrook who has done a lot of work in this area.

Something to get you started: http://www.treecrops.org.nz/resrch/olive/report3.html

frozenthunderbolt wrote:

PeterNZ wrote:hi Trinity,

I would love to hear what you find out! The production of Oil in a selfsufficient way is a challenge! We are looking at Olives for this.

Cheers

Peter

Hey Peter, my father knows Gary Colebrook who has done a lot of work in this area.

Something to get you started: http://www.treecrops.org.nz/resrch/olive/report3.html

Wonderful! Thank you! Very useful information. The only thing we have to do now is: move to our new place. I hate this waiting game!

Cheers

Peter

Glad to be of service. Let us know how it goes and where you end up!

When the latest disaster somewhere is reported on the news they always say that the Red Cross is flying in flour and cooking oil. I used to think that this was highly unimaginative of the humanitarian organizations; in similar circumstances I always thought I'd prefer chocolate, or at the very least 'real' food. Having been self sufficientish for going on five years now, I understand that flour and cooking oil are the two things you can't easily produce/scavenge for yourself and that the Red Cross really does know what it's doing. I'd love to be truly self sufficient, but am resigned to the fact that oil will always be the final stumbling block. If any of you do manage to produce your own I'd love to hear about it.