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Post by 12540dumont on Mar 16, 2020 15:16:11 GMT -5
I always have 3 criteria for beloved seeds: 1. Taste 2. Easy to Grow 3. Reliability
If it doesn't taste good, why bother? These 3 flour corns are just yummy. Remember Flint to boil, dent/flour to bake. I'm more of a baking person. That doesn't mean I don't eat polenta, I do and love it. I just think that flour corn is superior for baking, and it's easier to grind. Easy to grow. I'm busy. It's a big farm with lots to do and not much help. I don't have time to wean things along. These 3 corns, I planted from seed, fertilized twice, hoed the weeds twice and watered once a week. I got enough corn to share for 9 families, seeds for the freezer, seeds for friends, and plenty to eat.
Reliable. I've planted these every other year without a hiccup. They've survived drought, wild pigs, errant children, gophers, and stupid interns.
Farm help is any oxymoron. Like Steev says, they show up if they "feel like it", work if they're not too busy checking their phone or if it doesn't get too hot, too cold, too much like hard work. I'm a fussy employer. I expect people to show up wearing shoes.
These corns are very tall. That said, they are plants to be reckoned with at the end of the season. To that end, I pick and chop the same day. They make a monster compost pile. And they are much easier to chop when green.
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Post by 12540dumont on Mar 16, 2020 14:54:36 GMT -5
I haven't grown squash in 3 years. The squash bugs have killed everything. So this year, I'm going to play with squash again. You know it's a sad state of affairs when zucchini won't grow. I was sorting seeds and came across some of Joseph's Mo' squash. It was delicious last time I had some. From 23 kinds of squash to 0 is very hard. I want pie!
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Post by 12540dumont on Mar 16, 2020 14:48:12 GMT -5
Hey, anyone got seeds of this? Mulberry holds it's own on the farm without care or water. I'd love to plant some of this to make yarn with. Please don't tell me it's invasive. The only thing that's invasive here on the farm is gophers and bureaucrats. If you have seeds, and would like to trade or sell, please pm me. And while you all are reading this, I wish you all good health Holly
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Post by 12540dumont on Mar 16, 2020 14:04:58 GMT -5
Try Leaming's Yellow or Reid's Yellow. That said, Hickory King, Texas Gourdseed, or Cherokee White will always be my MOST beloved flour corns.
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Post by 12540dumont on Jan 16, 2020 15:07:31 GMT -5
Has anyone heard from our OZians? I am still have concerned about those fires!
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Post by 12540dumont on Jan 16, 2020 14:52:51 GMT -5
This is such a depressing thread. I'm going to the kitchen to make a German Chocolate cake with my own sauerkraut.
Then I'm going to sit down and eat a slice with a cuppa tea. If I feel ambitious after that, I'm going to squeeze all the Rangpur Limes and put them in the freezer, in ice-cubes to use later.
That brings the question of dinner to mind. I had the worst tomato year I ever had last year. Late rain, early heat, heat again...sheesh the blossoms dropped off so regularly that it was ridiculous. So do I use the tomatoes for lamb pasanda or should I make them in my quince pepper jelly? (Yeah Steev's quinces finally came through).
There is abundance out there. Grab it with both hands and make something. I can't fix most of the world problems, so instead I have to fix what I can, (like dinner). So, I'll make my own clothes, my own food stuffs, grow what will grow when it will grow---barring PG&E and the Water District, Federal, State and County Ordinances, and try to be happy. I understand finally why Nero fiddled while Rome burned.
Happy New Year you all. (Dar I'm back to Lieven's and Vesuvius this year...my no fail ever tomatoes). Joseph, only your squash did well last year. On the farm I'm going to more perennials and less tilling, as well as replanting rows more often. Only 2 more years left of my farming career. Then I just become an ordinary gardener. This year's new crop? CBD. One more thing I can do for myself.
Well, there's cakes to bake, aprons to embroider, shawls to knit, cats to herd...be well you all, and someone please start a cheerful thread.
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Post by 12540dumont on Jan 16, 2020 13:51:59 GMT -5
So, Dar how'd that all go? Your tomatoes are the best.
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Post by 12540dumont on Mar 26, 2019 1:10:16 GMT -5
New House, New Truck? Who are you and what have you done with Steev?....Or is this Plan T? Miss you dude. When do we get to see pictures? RU coming for your bricks? xxoh
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Post by 12540dumont on May 29, 2018 12:49:59 GMT -5
Last year, all of my naked seeds were not and the squash was bitter as all get out. So, I guess I should have done that back cross.
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Post by 12540dumont on Nov 2, 2017 13:20:22 GMT -5
Open Source is really cool! There's even some Lofthouse goodies there! Templeton, I think you should put the Mill Creek Onion there!
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Post by 12540dumont on Nov 2, 2017 12:55:02 GMT -5
Thank you Joseph!
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Post by 12540dumont on Nov 2, 2017 11:55:52 GMT -5
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GRIN?
Nov 2, 2017 11:48:43 GMT -5
Post by 12540dumont on Nov 2, 2017 11:48:43 GMT -5
And as a reminder. You have to keep track of everything they send you. They WILL ask for a report in some future year and if you don't have it....well they're not likely to help you in the future.
Joseph and I as a team had good luck with Garlic. It wasn't just luck. First I sat down and read everything I could on getting true garlic seed. Then I contacted GRIN. Barbara contacted me and suggested ascensions for the trial. I had no luck at all, my weather is just no cold enough in the winter. So, I sent the rest of the bulbils to Joseph. Joseph did a great job. He took photos. I wrote to Barbara and sent photos of the successes.
When Molly was in charge of beans, she regularly helped me choose beans for my trials. Molly's retired now. But from her help, I was able to chose and grow an incredible array of beans that I now use. I sent her monthly pictures of my grow outs, kept track of weights of beans and beans with diseases,etc.
They are not just sending you seed. They are looking for you to use them to change what you are growing, to get more seeds out into the world, to diversify what exists in the seed pool. So KEEP records or don't play.
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Post by 12540dumont on Oct 16, 2017 11:12:14 GMT -5
I've tried 6 purples....yuck..taste like diesel. Juane de Doubs (a yellow) was "okay", but nowhere near as good as St. Valery, Ox Heart, Chantenay, Berlicum, or Nantes di Chioggia. I even like the Paris Market for extra early carrots. I stick mine in the fridge for a week or two and then stuff them back in the ground. The slight chilling mixed with the September and October heat often gives me seed the same year.
Good luck, there's a lot of great oranges out there Kuroda and Royal Chantenay from Eden Seeds were great. I'd really like to mix these two with St. Valery and Ox Heart...
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Post by 12540dumont on Oct 16, 2017 11:01:23 GMT -5
Worked yesterday and today breathing ash from the current wildfires; nearly coughing up a lung. The on-going drop-off of my client-list continues; fuck 'em; I can't keep up with everything, so I'll keep up with those that hang in. I can see having a work-week of only two/three days of only committed, high-value clients; mostly those whose yards I've kept up for 25/35 years. Damn, I'm starting to sound like some sort of "valued retainer"; oh, well; just call me "Jeeves". Jeeves, it's awful smokey here. I've had a nasty sore throat from breathing the stuff. Finally gave up and did some much needed housework. Now, this morning it's a bit clearer. Boy that was a wind though! It's so darn dry everywhere here, I could see that fire just about anywhere! I too fired 5 clients last year. Sure, go on vacation for a month and forget to tell me. Email me 3 weeks in and ask if I could hold their vegetables. (Hold them? Hold them? Yeah, I had them in my hand when I was picking them. And then they sat in the fridge, and then I fed them to the chickens). I also can't abide anyone who calls me and says, "our family doesn't eat corn, peppers, tomatillos, or eggplant but we'd like extra melon instead each week". Oh boy, don't get me started.....you can see where this is going. Where in the heck am I supposed to get extra melons and what am I supposed to do with all those extra veges? Let me just go out there and wave my magic spade....
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