Snails anyone!

[sallu00]

HI Guys,

I am very excited with Snail (Helix aspersa) backyard farming. Snail is a delicacy in Europe and in Australia slowly people are getting used to them, I mean eating. My friend (Jeff) got me interested in this. As with any thing, this is a science and needs to be learnt the proper way and the best person in Australia in Sonya Begg.

Landline interview:-
http://www.abc.net.au/landline/conte...6/s1774369.htm

http://www.abc.net.au/rural/telegrap...s/s1155560.htm

Sonya's website (download some free books)
http://www.snailfarming.net/publications.php

Yum Yum:-
http://www.snailfarms.com/gallery.html

Anyone already started Snail farming yet? I am getting some tanks made by www.tankworks.com.au will keep you updated.

How this fits in Aquaponics? well Snail eats---> Aquaponics plants---->Fish & Poultry eats Snails----> Humans eats Fish, Snail, Poultry and Plants.

Salman.

[Murray]

You are welcome to eat all the snails you like Salman, but not for me thanks....I can't imagine anything worse!!!!
I am happy to eat the fish and the veggies.....

[GaryD]

Hi Salman,

Snails are a perfect addition to any integrated backyard food production system and.....as you quite rightly point out....they provide food for a variety of creatures including people.

I propose to include snails in my system eventually so I'll be particularly interested to see how you get on.

Gary

[newfish]

hey there, does anyone know if snails could become a supplemental part of the diet for fish or chickens? what is the nutritional makeup of snails? are slugs similar in composition? they are all over my garden.

-mikE

[anniefish]

Hi,
Chooks love them, I always give any creepy crawlies to them and they have a banquet. Have a mouse problem at the moment, regularly see them running around with one in their beak. Puts me right off eggs and poultry for dinner! Vegetarian eggs anyone?
Cheers Ann

[SandyB]

That made me laugh Ann. My cat caught a mouse outside the other day and as I watched, one of the chooks went straight up and bullied it off her. Bossy creature she is

[inzane]

mmmmm, snails with garlic and herb butter on fresh bread...heaven! I'm going to be starting a snail farm soon! Not sure wether to stick to what I know, ie french style escargots or try and be really brave and go with the giant african landsnails. They are very popular in francophone west africa, but they are BIG, like snail steak. It would take a bit to get use to the idea of a sunday snail carvery, but the benefits if you can are ace!

I have some giant golden applesnails that bred in my tanks that I was planning on trying, but I had to treat the tanks and now not sure if they are food safe. Apparently water snails are popular in malaysia, so one website told me. They have teeth though so would be crunchy, lol.

[Hamish]

Those giant snails are freaky! One of those snails would feed my perch for a month! We dont get them in Australia. Pic attached.
By the way - what do snails taste like?

[GaryD]

Hi,

I believe that the only snails that are able to be farmed in Australia are the Helix Aspersa......the garden snail.

Fortunately, the large African varieties are banned.

......what do snails taste like?

Snails have a faintly earthy taste....and a rubbery texture (not unlike overcooked calamari). They take on the taste of various flavourings particularly garlic.

Gary

[inzane]

I have only ever eaten snails in france, where they are cooked in their shells which have been PACKED with butter and ENORMOUS amounts of garlic, so they tasted like chewy garlic butter...ace! And as gary says there was a faintly earthy taste!

I want to eat a giant snail...but its gonna have to be on a BRAVE day...lol