Vegetables: Parsley vs cilantro, baby carrot vs mini carrot and the menu

[fridzalone]

I was reading to this thread and suddenly i remember that I have something to ask.

My question maybe looks dumb, but i really need the answer.
1. How do you know the difference between cilantro and parsley? When I went to the supermarket, I always want to bought cilantro but sometimes ended up with wrong veggie (which is parsley). The supermarket where I buy my supplies always put all veggies together and I don't really recognize all the veggies (especially those two).
2. Is mini carrot similar to baby carrot? Because I couldn't find baby carrot in here, and what I found is mini carrot.
3. I found not all of the veggies on the lists are sold in my place, so I give my piggies this menu and want to check if the menu are okay for my piggies :
- Green leaf lettuce (daily)
- Zucchini (daily)
- Green pepper (daily, if I can find them)
- Mini carrot (sometimes, around twice-3 times a week)
- Baby corn (twice a week)
- Snaps (twice-3 times a week)
- Another veggies : parsley, baby lettuce head, mustard greens, celery, cucumber, etc (I rotate these veggies)
- Papaya or another fruits (once or twice a week)

Usually I bought 3 kinds of green leafy veggies : green leaf lettuce and 2 another veggies (so I can rotate them). Are the menu okay?

By the way, would you please help me make the menu for my piggies based on the veggies that I can find in here?

Here's the list of veggies that sold in my place:
- Green leaf lettuce
- Parsley
- Baby lettuce head (the market also have lettuce head, but it's pricey so I won't buy them)
- Cauliflower
- Cilantro (not alway available)
- Broccoli (also a bit pricey)
- Asian/chinese cabbage
- Pak choi
- Spinach
- Basil
- Ipomoea aquatica Forsk (i don't know what you call it in english)
- Mint
- Collard Greens

And here's other veggies list that available in my place :
- Carrot
- Zucchini
- Peppers (greens are always available, while yellow and red sometimes available)
- Tomato
- Cherry tomatoes
- Cucumber
- Beans
- Snaps
- Mini carrot
- Baby corn
- Corn

Thanks a lot for your help

[bpatters]

This is cilantro.
This is parsley.

Unless you're paying a premium for carrots at a boutique grocery store, or are buying very small carrots with the tops still attached, you're probably not getting baby carrots. The small carrots that come in bags that are advertised as mini carrots or baby carrots are usually large carrots that have been milled through a machine to make them look like fresh baby carrots. But as far as I know, a carrot is a carrot is a carrot, so it shouldn't matter to your GPs. Ly can correct me if I'm wrong.

Someone with more experience with GPs that I have will have to comment on the menu -- I've only had mine two days!

[akstrohm]

Do a google search for cilantro and parsley and look at the pictures. Also, they smell different. If you can't find cilantro, feed other leafy greens.

You don't need to feed baby carrots. You can also just take a larger carrot and cut it into small pieces and feed only 1-2" per pig per day. Or if your mini carrots are that size, those are fine.

I would cut back a bit on the corn. And by snaps do you mean sugar snap peas?

Overall your diet looks good. You can add in tomatoes (one cherry tomato per pig per day or part of a regular tomato a few times a week), cucumber (a few times a week), and green beans (a few times a week). Broccoli and basil can be fed in small amounts too.

[fridzalone]

The one that usually available in the market are flat leaf parsley, which is looks similar to cilantro.

The mini carrot length usually around 4 inch to 6 inch and the diameter is around 0.5 - 0.7 inch. Pretty similar to the carrot outside the bag in this link:mini carrots - Amidst a tangled web

By the way, someone written in that link that baby carrots are normal carrots that chopped and washed. Is that true? (read the 2nd comment)

[fridzalone]

Originally Posted by akstrohm

And by snaps do you mean sugar snap peas?

Overall your diet looks good. You can add in tomatoes (one cherry tomato per pig per day or part of a regular tomato a few times a week), cucumber (a few times a week), and green beans (a few times a week). Broccoli and basil can be fed in small amounts too.

Here's the snaps (i didn't really know if the snap is the right english word or not)
buncis - Gambar Google

My piggies hate cherry tomatoes. So how many kinds of veggies that I can give to my piggies daily? Are 3-4 kinds everyday enough or should i give them more?

[akstrohm]

You can cut the mini carrots in thirds and feed one piece per day (or less). And yes, it is true that the baby carrots are processed from bigger carrots. The mini carrots you have are just bred to be that size.

3-4 kinds of veggies plus leafy greens each day is fine.

[fridzalone]

Originally Posted by akstrohm

.

3-4 kinds of veggies plus leafy greens each day is fine.

I mean 3-4 kinds of veggies (that include the leafy greens).
Example : green leaf lettuce, zucchini, parsley, and carrot.
Should I give them more?

[akstrohm]

I would try to feed 2 leafy greens and 3-4 other veggies. If you prepare everything for the week in advance this should be very easy to do.

[Dichotomy83]

As for distinguishing between parsley and cilantro...parsley is a more rigid or stiff plant than cilantro, usually. It also tends to be a lighter/brighter green. Cilantro is VERY aromatic. Thats my biggest difference.

[Ly&Pigs]

Cilantro has a very unique smell. It's more pungent than parsley.

Buncis are green beans as buncis translates to bean. The photos also look like green beans. Keep in mind that green beans are the only type of beans pigs are allowed to have.

Ipomoea aquatica Forsk is swamp morning glory or water spinach. Morning glory is on the poisonous plants list. They may be edible for humans but many things we can eat are toxic to pigs so I would not feed this as it's in the morning glory family.

You need 3-4 daily staples and at least 3-5 rotating veggies.

For daily staples:
At least 2 varieties of lettuces
cilantro
bell pepper
zucchini (feed if your pigs will eat it)

Rotating:
Everything on your list with these exceptions (don't feed the following)- baby corn (not good for pigs), spinach (too high in A and oxalic acid) and Ipomoea aquatica Forsk. Just use the charts to determine how often to feed. Keep in mind that some things listed under 2-4 times a week are better fed only 2 times per week. Especially if they are high in either calcium, Vitamin A or oxalic acid.

Cut those mini carrots down. I'd say about 1/4 of one of those per pig.

[fridzalone]

Originally Posted by Ly&Pigs

You need 3-4 daily staples and at least 3-5 rotating veggies.

For daily staples:
At least 2 varieties of lettuces
cilantro
bell pepper
zucchini (feed if your pigs will eat it)

Is it fine if I only give them the lettuces? Because cilantro is not always available. And how many leaves should I give them (for each of the veggies, especially for the leafy veggies) if I follow this 3-4 daily staples and 3-5 rotating veggies? I usually gave them a bunch or more of green leaf lettuce everyday, 1/2 bell pepper, 2 inch zucchini, and an rotating veggies (example : 1 mini carrot) for 3 piggies daily.

By the way, are the spinach, parsley, pak choi, bok choi, basil, collard greens, etc included in the the other rotating veggies ? I mean based by your chart, these are included in the leafy veggies. Does it mean leafy veggies can substitute the other veggies on your chart (maybe except for zucchini and peppers)?

[akstrohm]

Parsley, pak choi, basil, etc. are leafy greens. You need leafy greens and other veggies.

If you can't find cilantro one week, then just feed other leafy greens. You could try growing cilantro yourself too, but it can be difficult in a hot climate.

[fridzalone]

Originally Posted by akstrohm

Parsley, pak choi, basil, etc. are leafy greens. You need leafy greens and other veggies.

If you can't find cilantro one week, then just feed other leafy greens. You could try growing cilantro yourself too, but it can be difficult in a hot climate.

If I can't find cilantro, does it make my menu like this :
-2 varieties of lettuce
-one rotating leafy greens
-Zucchini and/or peppers
-Plus 3-4 rotating other veggies

[Ly&Pigs]

Lettuces are pretty much the only leafy greens that can be fed everyday. You can rotate the other leafy greens around and give them in addition to the lettuce.

Example:
Monday- Green leaf lettuce, bell pepper, zucchini, collard greens, cucumber
Tuesday- Green leaf lettuce, baby lettuce, bell pepper, zucchini, pak choi, snaps
Wednesday- Green leaf lettuce, bell pepper, zucchini, basil, piece of mini carrot
Thursday- Green leaf lettuce, baby lettuce, bell pepper, zucchini, parsley, cucumber

[fridzalone]

Originally Posted by Ly&Pigs

Lettuces are pretty much the only leafy greens that can be fed everyday. You can rotate the other leafy greens around and give them in addition to the lettuce.

Example:
Monday- Green leaf lettuce, bell pepper, zucchini, collard greens, cucumber
Tuesday- Green leaf lettuce, baby lettuce, bell pepper, zucchini, pak choi, snaps
Wednesday- Green leaf lettuce, bell pepper, zucchini, basil, piece of mini carrot
Thursday- Green leaf lettuce, baby lettuce, bell pepper, zucchini, parsley, cucumber

Thanks a lot, Ly...
I think I will use this menu

By the way, how many leaves I can give them daily for each of those veggies?

[Ly&Pigs]

Lettuces- 2 leaves per pig each of each kind
Collard greens- if they are really huge leaves, about 1/3 of a leaf each, if smaller 1/2 and if really small a whole leaf each .
Mustard greens- Large leaf- 1/2, 1 whole small leaf each
Basil- several leaves each
Parsley- 2-3 leaves and stem (sprig) each
Cucumber- 1-2 1/4" thick slices each (can be cut in half to make for easier eating)
Bell Pepper- 1/8 of a pepper per pig
Zucchini- like cucumber
Mini carrot- 1/4 of the whole one each.

I just threw the above together. If you'd like me to customize a diet plan for an entire week based on the veggies available to you, let me know and then give me a day or so to put it together.

[fridzalone]

Originally Posted by Ly&Pigs

If you'd like me to customize a diet plan for an entire week based on the veggies available to you, let me know and then give me a day or so to put it together.

Really? Ly, thank you so much for the help
Of course, I really want you to customize the diet plan for an entire week. That's really nice of you.