In their natural wild pastures, animals have a whole range of plants to forage. Over millions of years, at their mothers sides they have learned and evolved highly developed instincts for the foods they need whatever their situation. Animals are often nomadic, regularly visiting certain areas at specific times of the year, drawn by habit, instinct and the need for food of the season in a particular location.
In her groundbreaking book "Wild Health" Cindy Engel published much research on the subject of how animals self-medicate at times of ill health and how they also cleanse themselves of parasites and worms.
Whenever we remove animals from their wild forage food supply, we need to look at how we can continue to meet their natural food needs. Fencing and single species grasses are not sufficient to supply all of the nutrition of forage animals such as Horses, Cattle, Donkeys, Goats and Sheep. Dogs, Cats and other small animals also require a diversity of fresh seasonal forage food to remain well.
The season of winter and start of Spring is a wonderful time to browse plant nurseries, seed catalogues & to ask family and friends to bulk buy or swap seeds & plants to help you establish fresh forage for all your own use and for your animals. Autumn is the best time to plant hedgerows, shrubs & trees.
Growing can be very simple, a few different herbs can be easily grown in old feed buckets, troughs or around the stable in hanging baskets. Many can also be directly planted in the ground in grazing fields, or placed in buckets around the edges or for small animals, planted into a small accessible patch in the garden or by the back door. Cats especially enjoy a lush area of herbal plants growing together, they like to roll in the leaves which releases aromatic oils and scents into their fur and often lie snoozing in a herbal plant bed occasionally waking to enjoy nibbling a leaf or two. Depending on your situation, the animals you have and your time and budget it is easy to give them at least some fresh forage.
Some plants can take hold pretty fast and can spread out of control, read up on what you intend to plant, find out if it is better planted into a bucket/pot or put into the soil freely able to spread. Mints are always better contained whereas Chamomiles can spread slowly in a meadow or garden.
Start with the basics and be sure to check the variety of plant carefully with it's Latin name; this will ensure the plant has the correct properties you want. Buying from specialist nurseries and seed companies will tap you into more knowledge and a basic guide to Native plants of your region or country will give you plenty of ideas.
Check out plants bursting with helpful nutrients and natural healthful properties such as English Chamomile, Red Thyme, White Thyme, Peppermint, Spearmint, Cat-mint, Lavenders, Golden Marjoram, Oregano, Wild Garlic, Wild Roses for their berries, Hawthorn for berries and leaves, Nettles for a useful supply of Iron in their Spring growth tops; animals love to graze nettles, a handful is great for us too in a Spring soup.
Herbs in pots need watering and herbs grown straight onto land will need some weeding and water as they establish.
Growing such plants for your animals to help themselves to is one of the BEST things you can do for their long term health.
You are gifting them their birthright, to self medicate and feed from their natural world.
Next blog, choosing quality plants and the most helpful ones for your animals and how to attract pollinating insects and butterflies.
