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Post by ilex on Mar 17, 2014 18:25:39 GMT -5
I started talking about this project here. I feel this is the right place to post comments and photos: In short, I am in zone 9, with mild "humid" winters (if they follow the rules, which don't do often). The important part is that carrots grow all winter, and do better fall to spring. Soil is clay with 8.4 pH, so hard as a rock were it has not been cultivated. I want vigorous carrots that grow well under my conditions and my way of growing them. They can be of any color other than white (QAL common here), and they can't be long. I want late bolters, as I'm known to sometimes sow late. Last year I started with a mass cross of all OP varieties I could find, this year I'm adding more new varieties and colors to the population. My idea was to get lots of volunteers, but fall rain didn't appear, so I keep waiting. One interesting thing I notice, is that I don't get deep orange carrots.
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Post by ilex on Mar 17, 2014 18:50:22 GMT -5
Purples, 2 local from Spain and Black Turkish in the middle: Black Turkish makes very big leaves, and very small skiny roots with woody core. I'm not impressed with the flavour either. The 2 Spanish purples grow and taste much better for me. The lavender one has some roots with fairly good shape. It's mostly used for pickling, and for fresh use when not very big. This one is very clever, when it can't go down, it goes up, common in this variety: These deep purple carrots came from the Far East in the 10th century. They are very rare, I only know one location were they are sold comercially. All the others are kept for personal use. They are usually planted late summer, early fall. I've located 3 more deep purples from Spain (2 with yellow/orange core), they will get included in next late summer planting.
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Post by 12540dumont on Mar 18, 2014 0:02:44 GMT -5
Ilex, the Turkish carrots here are much the same. Very woody, but they have volunteered in my garden for 3 seasons since I did the carrot trial. For this reason, I think they have some important genetics. I'll get that package put together of the many carrot seeds. Can you do me a favor and PM you address? I had it here on an envelope and used it to mail something to someone else.
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Post by ferdzy on Mar 18, 2014 20:22:54 GMT -5
I noticed in Turkey nobody used the purple carrots to eat - they were made into a kind of fermented "health" drink. I never did find a place that was serving it, though, so I never got to try it.
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Post by templeton on Mar 18, 2014 20:41:32 GMT -5
Ilex, I can send you some of my crossed up coloured carrot seed too, if you like. Mass cross of Baby, French round, lavender coloured F1s from my last season. Might be a few white genes in there too. pm me your address if interested. T
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Post by 12540dumont on Mar 20, 2014 18:31:11 GMT -5
Hey Fredzy, look what I found. It's a lacto fermented carrot recipe! ŞALGAM SUYU
INGREDIENTS:
2 kg bulgur flour (this is the finest dust that is left after bulgur is milled and graded. You can grind regular bulgur to make it) 13 lt water 200 gr sourdough starter 2 kg red carrots (Turkish Black Carrots) 200 gr kosher salt 300 gr turnips 2 lt şalgam (you will have to buy some for your first batch)
Mix all the bulgur flour with the starter and 50 gr salt. Add enough water to make a dough, let ferment. This takes 3-5 days at room temperature. During the fermentation the dough will rise, and eventually cracks will begin to appear in the surface. This is the time to stop the fermentation. Put the dough into another container, add four parts water to the 1 part of dough, and stir 5-10 minutes. At the end, the pieces that don't dissolve will settle to the bottom. Pour off the liquid above and pour into another container. Do this three times, but the second and third time, add one part per thousand salt. I.e. during the second and third settling you will add 10 parts per thousand of salt. Then the liquid is poured off once more, leaving any sediment. To this liquid, add the sliced carrots and turnips, and the previously-made şalgam, and leave to ferment for 7 days at 25 C. Strain the red liquid into another container, leaving the vegetables and sediment behind. Store in the refrigerator.
Not: • If you can't find sourdough starter, you can allow bulgur to sit in water overnight - 2 kg bulgure and 3 lt water.
• In cold weather, for a different flavor, place the carrot in water and bring to a boil once before adding to the rest of the liquid. • If possible, it is recommended to make şalgam in a wooden barrel.
Now, the trick here would be finding a Turkish shop, I've got Indian, Mexican, Russian, Japanese, Korean and Chinese.
Although I'm not going to make this, I'm going to make the carrot/ginger ferment.
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Post by ferdzy on Mar 20, 2014 21:08:52 GMT -5
Ha, ha! I'm missing a number of ingredients there, Holly. In particular, no şalgam, no wooden barrel, no sourdough starter, and no nerve. I think I would prefer to go back to Turkey and find someone who serves it!
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Post by 12540dumont on Mar 20, 2014 21:21:40 GMT -5
I have a suitcase...I can be ready in an hour. (no wait, oh yeah, I have a farm with animals and responsibilities, I guess I'm staying home. Phooey, bring seeds when you come!) Leo says if you do the Camino, forget the farm, he wants to go.
I can send you sour dough starter, but the Salgam, I haven't found it yet.
Everyone wants you to start it in a barrel. From my experience with fermented foods, NOTHING BEATS a nice Italian Jar..Fido Bale top! Easy to clean and sterilize and easy to switch between sauerkraut, kimchi & squunk water (aka Kefir).
I always love to see people playing with Biennials.
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Post by ilex on Mar 21, 2014 16:57:32 GMT -5
Today it was cloudy and I was tired, so decided to make it selection day. All sown early October. Yellows (jaune du Doubs): The variety was about 50% whites (culled):
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Post by ilex on Mar 21, 2014 17:10:42 GMT -5
D'Eysines, didn't do very well, most didn't want to size up: Culled:
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Post by ilex on Mar 21, 2014 17:30:35 GMT -5
Black Turkish: Woody, thin and so so taste. I had doubts and decided to include a few to add new genes. Planted most on the outside of the seed bed. 2 looked crossed: Spanish: This one did very well, looks like some want to bolt, but very vigorous, good taste and fairly good shape: This one is very long, but goes above ground when soil is hard, very tender and good taste. Much better than black Turkish: Note the 3 on the left, 2 were quite short, and 1 has a purplish core.
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Post by ilex on Mar 21, 2014 17:41:29 GMT -5
These are from last year mass cross: Selected: Family before selection:
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Post by ilex on Jan 13, 2015 17:35:41 GMT -5
Can't wait for selection day: Poking with my finger. Looks promising.
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Post by ottawagardener on Jan 15, 2015 19:04:24 GMT -5
This is a very fun project to me. I'm on the hunt for pink carrot flowers so if you find something please shout. Beautiful colours.
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Post by darrenabbey on Jan 16, 2015 1:21:03 GMT -5
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