A Seed Saver's Garden

[heirloomgal]

well now you have. i do not always peel off the white part or the membranes even on grapefruits, i don't mind bitter tastes, yes, it is harsh, but i just eat it anyways figuring it is extra fiber and as far as i know (i must have read it someplace) there is more vitamin C in that pith than in the juicy pulp (but i'm sure it varies by fruit).




i do like candied citrus peels of all kinds.

I remember my mum telling me that as a child she was encouraged to eat as much orange pith as possible whenever she ate an orange, it was the belief at the time that this was where the greatest concentrations of nutrients was. So you may be onto something with that. This is what I found about the topic, and surprisingly there is quite a bit out there about eating orange pith!

Is Eating The Orange Pith Healthy? - Andrew Weil, M.D

Although it’s certainly not where all the nutrients are, the pith can be good for you. Find out more about the nutrients it contains here.

www.drweil.com

 

[heirloomgal]

Finally tackled the dried camphor stems. Being the first time I've ever grown it, some learning was needed. I started out crushing the seed heads by hand. Too slow. Then I started using my palms to grind bigger amounts of seedheads. That method was too crude. Got a metal strainer and rubbed, gently, the seed head matter against the mesh. That got everything pretty fine and the seeds finally separated out, but separating the fine powder from the seeds now was just as time consuming! I learned from lettuce seeds that you can blow out a lot more seeds with chaff than you think you are, even when gently blowing. So I poured bowl to bowl and blew carefully as they fell, instead of blowing into the bowl. HUGE difference. Total harvest was about 1.5 to 2 tbsp, which I'm thrilled with. That must be thousands of seeds. And the smell in the house was heavenly.

Got to the dried corn cobs too. Was it you @Pulsegleaner who mentioned that seed viability is better if left on the cobs? I got that idea somewhere, and I left last year's corn on the cobs, but there was too much this year. So I stripped cobs. YOUCH. My goodness that was not pleasant. There must be genetic variability in the seeds' tendency to hold, and these were more affixed than the average. DH used some thick leather gloves to help me, and we got 3/4 done. DD helped too, and we all got red, sore, pained hands. We left the last, most difficult 1/4, to recover and regroup. It's like they were cemeneted on there. My dad came over today and I presented the problem of the corn to him. It must pay to spend so much time living on the border with MX because he had the problem solved in 30 seconds. Hahaha, had to laugh at myself on how the solution was right there and we didn't see it.

Rogues from the Rootbeer popcorn gene pool found a good home! So yummy!

 

[Pulsegleaner]

Finally tackled the dried camphor stems. Being the first time I've ever grown it, some learning was needed. I started out crushing the seed heads by hand. Too slow. Then I started using my palms to grind bigger amounts of seedheads. That method was too crude. Got a metal strainer and rubbed, gently, the seed head matter against the mesh. That got everything pretty fine and the seeds finally separated out, but separating the fine powder from the seeds now was just as time consuming! I learned from lettuce seeds that you can blow out a lot more seeds with chaff than you think you are, even when gently blowing. So I poured bowl to bowl and blew carefully as they fell, instead of blowing into the bowl. HUGE difference. Total harvest was about 1.5 to 2 tbsp, which I'm thrilled with. That must be thousands of seeds. And the smell in the house was heavenly.

Just out of curiosity, what kind of camphor are you referring to? Presumably, your weren't growing Cinnamomum camphora up there.

Got to the dried corn cobs too. Was it you @Pulsegleaner who mentioned that seed viability is better if left on the cobs?

It was something I read in some gardening book I once had. It didn't say it increased the viability so much as extend it for storage.) I've pretty much never done that, since it's pretty rare I want ALL the seeds on an ear and it takes up too much room (the ones I had in my drawer were for reference.)

I got that idea somewhere, and I left last year's corn on the cobs, but there was too much this year. So I stripped cobs. YOUCH. My goodness that was not pleasant. There must be genetic variability in the seeds' tendency to hold, and these were more affixed than the average. DH used some thick leather gloves to help me, and we got 3/4 done. DD helped too, and we all got red, sore, pained hands. We left the last, most difficult 1/4, to recover and regroup. It's like they were cemeneted on there.

Ah, yes "corn-shellers thumb" It WILL shred your skin raw (particularly if the corn kernels are the kinds with sharp little spikes at the tips)

My dad came over today and I presented the problem of the corn to him. It must pay to spend so much time living on the border with MX because he had the problem solved in 30 seconds. Hahaha, had to laugh at myself on how the solution was right there and we didn't see it.

One thing I have found helps is to break off the shucks and start from the BUTT of the ear rather than the tip. That way, your are pulling AGAINST the angle of the seeds rather than with it, and they break off a lot more readily. For fairly flat kernelled corns, find a long more or less straight row, pull it down like dominoes, and then break off the more crooked ones from the side using the gap you made.

 

[Zeedman]

I've found it easier to shell corn off the cob using a spoon. That especially makes breaking off the first kernels a lot easier. Provided the kernels are in rows, work downward in that row (or two) for the length of the ear. It's easy to remove adjacent rows after that, by prying them into the open space using the spoon.

 

[heirloomgal]

@Zeedman A spoon! I never thought of that, I had a butterknife at one point, and the result of using it was corn started to fly!

@Pulsegleaner Ha! I wish I had posted about the corn problem pre-sore hands! That was exactly it, we were all working from the wrong end of the corn! We were wringing them (hard), trying to break them in half, pulling and pushing at the kernels from the bottom of the cob - for some very strange reason not one of us thought to work from the other end?! As soon as I picked off the first top row I could push against the kernel angle and zoop they all sort of shattered right off the cob. I did not realize the kernels were even angled! I usually just do popcorn by hand and it's easy, this is the first variety that gave me some trouble inititally. Funny you used the word dominoes because that was exactly what I was thinking about once I started working the cob in the right direction. The sound the kernels make falling consecutively I guess.

So, I moved on to the Ocimum americanum (I call it verbena *basil*) lime stems and they were a bit tougher to remove from the stem than the camphor, which wasn't exactly easy either. I used the same principle from the corn and - whoop! That was the magic right there - when you pull down from the top of the stem the seedheads come off like butter, when you try to pull up the stem it's a fight. Only thing is, it's a bit more prickly going downwards. I just love learning these little tricks!!

The camphor is not the tree variety, it's Ocimum kilimandscharicum. Richter's actually does carry the seeds for the camphor tree but given how utterly camphoric the 'basil' is I don't see much reason to try anything else. However, I just got the Richter's Catalogue in the mail Friday and it's time to ponder new herbal & exotic possibilities. On the block for consideration are Ocimum viride, Ocimum tenuiflorum, neem marigolds, Tagetes filifolia and Sideritis syriaca. All rather expensive as seeds go (the seeds for just the filifolia is $8!), so I need to really look *deep into my conscience* and ask myself if they're worth the expense.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

@Zeedman

@Pulsegleaner Ha! I wish I had posted about the corn problem pre-sore hands! That was exactly it, we were all working from the wrong end of the corn! We were wringing them (hard), trying to break them in half, pulling and pushing at the kernels from the bottom of the cob - for some very strange reason not one of us thought to work from the other end?! As soon as I picked off the first top row I could push against the kernel angle and zoop they all sort of shattered right off the cob. I did not realize the kernels were even angled! I usually just do popcorn by hand and it's easy, this is the first variety that gave me some trouble inititally. Funny you used the word dominoes because that was exactly what I was thinking about once I started working the cob in the right direction. The sound the kernels make falling consecutively I guess.

So, I moved on to the Ocimum americanum (I call it verbena *basil*) lime stems and they were a bit tougher to remove from the stem than the camphor, which wasn't exactly easy either. I used the same principle from the corn and - whoop! That was the magic right there - when you pull down from the top of the stem the seedheads come off like butter, when you try to pull up the stem it's a fight. Only thing is, it's a bit more prickly going downwards. I just love learning these little tricks!!

The camphor is not the tree variety, it's Ocimum kilimandscharicum.

Oh, THAT. Yeah, that is called Camphor Basil

Richter's actually does carry the seeds for the camphor tree but given how utterly camphoric the 'basil' is I don't see much reason to try anything else.

Well, camphor tree would be sort of pointless unless you have a big inside, it is a tropical tree after all. Plus, the seed is recalcitrant, so you'd pretty much have to get it into the ground as soon as you got it.)

However, I just got the Richter's Catalogue in the mail Friday and it's time to ponder new herbal & exotic possibilities. On the block for consideration are Ocimum viride, Ocimum tenuiflorum, neem marigolds, Tagetes filifolia and Sideritis syriaca. All rather expensive as seeds go (the seeds for just the filifolia is $8!), so I need to really look *deep into my conscience* and ask myself if they're worth the expense.

No, do NOT get viride (or, as I knew it, gratissimum). The thing grows to a gigantic heigh, but the smell (despite the name, it isn't particularly clove-y) means it's almost IMPOSSIBLE to actually consume. And white it IS a perrenial, and will keep making flowers and seeds year after year if you take it in for the winter, the flip side is it attracts whitefly like a magnet, and no treatment will shake them. You'll have a webbed mess all winter that will kill all of the old leaves, and it will stay that way until it goes back outside in the spring.

I personally LOVE consuming ironwort, as you know, but I should warn you it's xeric, so you may be too wet for it.

If you have room for something climbing (and a bit of extra cash), you might be able to pull off the Caucasian caper in the Seed Zoo. I suppose it depends on how much one loves capers (and how much time one is willing to spend pickling them, be it in bud or caperberry form).

 

[Zeedman]

On the block for consideration are Ocimum viride, Ocimum tenuiflorum, neem marigolds, Tagetes filifolia and Sideritis syriaca. All rather expensive as seeds go (the seeds for just the filifolia is $8!), so I need to really look *deep into my conscience* and ask myself if they're worth the expense.

In the course of your ruminations, consider that your conscience may not forgive you if you pass on the opportunity. I believe that all gardeners are born with a conscience that sees life through a green filter.

 

[Zeedman]

@Zeedman A spoon! I never thought of that, I had a butterknife at one point, and the result of using it was corn started to fly!

It sometimes flies with the spoon too. But since I'm holding the middle of the spoon & pointing the curve downward, most of the kernels bounce off my fingers & fall into the bowl. After the first row, successive rows 'unzip' easily by running the spoon down the row between the kernels.

 

[heirloomgal]

It sometimes flies with the spoon too. But since I'm holding the middle of the spoon & pointing the curve downward, most of the kernels bounce off my fingers & fall into the bowl. After the first row, successive rows 'unzip' easily by running the spoon down the row between the kernels.

I am definitely going to try this @Zeedman. Sounds like a great technique.

 

[heirloomgal]

No, do NOT get viride (or, as I knew it, gratissimum). The thing grows to a gigantic heigh, but the smell (despite the name, it isn't particularly clove-y) means it's almost IMPOSSIBLE to actually consume.

This is good to know @Pulsegleaner, you actually grew this species! Interestingly, Richters lists viride and gratissimum separately, calling one East Indian Basil aka Vana Tulsi and the other West Indian Basil aka Adefetue. However, it's probably just a double listing. I notice they have Huacatay listed twice too. I love the selection there, but from an informational point of view they don't run a tight ship. Sometimes the pictures are not even a match to the listing. My Amsterdam celery packet from them years ago said to stratify in the fridge for 3/4 of a year? And calling them is 50/50 chance of result.

So you didn't feel the plant had any redeeming qualities? My plan was to grow it as an annual, since I don't usually overwinter plants. (While my overwintering peppers are doing good, my overwintereing geraniums are dying!! Argh!) I was hoping for some odiferous power force; I love to grow plants that are full of smelly goodness. Even if I wind up with the crushed leaves as a little scent source. MInd you, I loathe traditional thyme in food. Thymol as a medicinal smell I might like, cause hey, I love camphor basil. But I would want the plant to be able to make seed.

eta: My Richter's list continues to increase (thanks @Zeedman!) - Balkan mint Clinopodium thymifolium, Palmarosa Cymbopogon martinii, Cardinal basil and maybe Epazote. Been wanting to try that for years but never had any germinate for me. The capers - I did have some! They never germinated either! But that might be a good thing since I don't care for them much outside of diy tartar sauce.