The Mystery Crop

[angieh]

Well, I am very much inclined to think that Eileen was right - it is a variety of sorghum, but it is only about 3 ft (or a metre or so) high. Can't actually find any alternative, so I'll say it's sorghum and therefore no longer a "mystery" crop! Certainly we have not noticed it being grown in this area of Hampshire/West Sussex before, although OH did find a website detailing it being grown near Lewes in East Sussex - but it was a much taller crop.

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc44/angieh_bucket/Flowers%20and%20plants/P1030674.jpg
http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc44/angieh_bucket/Flowers%20and%20plants/P1030673.jpg
http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc44/angieh_bucket/Flowers%20and%20plants/P1030675.jpg

There is also rather a lot of it - being grown on both sides of the A27 in this area.

[dandysmom]

Well, that was a lucky guess on my part. You may wonder what a City girl knows about sorghum: nothing ! But I once had stock in Pioneer Hybrid (before they were bought out by Dupont) and their annual stockholder report was very colorful with many pics of the crops their seeds produced; somehow sorghum stuck in my mind.

Edited: Googled and there is a dwarf variety.

[calismum]

OH said it is becoming more common as it is used for a lot of Gluten free breads and is widely used in Asian/Indian cookery. Also used in animal feeds.

He can be a wee mine of information - I'd never heard of it.

[angieh]

Please thank your OH CM - I have been trying to find out how it might be used. Seems it can be a bio-fuel, but is very expensive. Looks a nice clean crop.

[farthing]

Sorghum is a cereal used a lot in Africa for human consumption. I'm sure it is one of the most used cereals in the world, and very important to Africa.
No idea why it is being grown here though.