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Post by richardw on Apr 30, 2013 20:00:17 GMT -5
This mornings job was to prepare the two Oca beds to see what difference it would make if one was covered with plastic and the other left uncovered,they need to be kept alive for another month to achieve the max crop potential  First job was to cut them back  Then the plastic water pipes poked in  Then plastic sheeting is layed down around the beds so that the covers are not sitting on the ground and are kept cleaner  Lastly the plastic cover goes over one and a vineyard net goes over the other,this is to support the woollen blankets that will have to put put over for when there is a night time frost  |
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Post by 12540dumont on Apr 30, 2013 21:45:28 GMT -5
Really cool Richard. I always end up snagging the darn frost blankets. I love your idea about laying something down to keep them clean.
Yes, another use for feed bags!
I'd love to hear what you thought was best.
And lovely photos with the steps involved.
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Post by richardw on May 1, 2013 0:48:49 GMT -5
No they are not feed bags Holly,its silage plastic,been a amoung lots of dairy farms there's any amount of the stuff been given away,once it gets a hole in it its no good to be used again.... gees its bloody wastefull www.donaghys.com/coverssilagefilmpit.html |
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Post by steev on May 1, 2013 1:34:01 GMT -5
Whatever; it looks more work than the food would justify; good for you, being so curious. What's happened with the seed controversy?
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Post by richardw on May 1, 2013 4:20:29 GMT -5
Whatever; it looks more work than the food would justify; good for you, being so curious. All up there's about 6 hours work from planting, weeding which includes the hour and half today, from one of the same sized beds last growing season i harvested about 20 kgs 44 pounds,so if it goes well by the end of May i hopefully should have 30-40 kgs from the two beds,i think amount of food value weighted up against time spent is worth it. last years crop  What's happened with the seed controversy? Myself and 10 other growers are setting up a seed growers Co Op,were planing on having our first meeting to nut out a workable structure in the next two months,once we have had that meeting i'll let ya know the details |
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Post by raymondo on May 1, 2013 6:23:00 GMT -5
I harvested mine after the first frost arrived unannounced (how wude!) and killed the tops. As always, a pitiful harvest, though three were large enough to justify adding to a stew. If I ever get enough oca to eat again, I won't boil them! They dissolved to nothing in the mouth and tasted of nothing too.
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Post by bunkie on May 1, 2013 10:03:14 GMT -5
Looks like a great haul richard! Well worth the work, I'd say.
Did you notice any difference between the plastic and netting?
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Post by billw on May 1, 2013 10:42:43 GMT -5
Well timed. I'm thinking of doing the same this year, so I will benefit from your experience.
I think that I may use plastic either way, just to keep some of the rain off, so that I don't have to harvest in foot deep mud.
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Post by richardw on May 1, 2013 14:02:29 GMT -5
They dissolved to nothing in the mouth and tasted of nothing too. I highly recommend spreading them out in the sun,i tried that for the first time last year and boy what a difference,would have doubled the amount of taste,after all thats what the Inca's used to do to them. |
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Post by richardw on May 1, 2013 14:24:26 GMT -5
Looks like a great haul richard! Well worth the work, I'd say. Did you notice any difference between the plastic and netting? Ive grown them for two years using plastic which not only creates a warmer environment for the Oca plants but stops frosts from knocking them the tops off as well.What this experiment is about is whether the increased warmth of the plastic covered bed increases the yield or is it that the fact that they've been kept alive longer does this,also it pays to as Bill pointed out keep the soil on the dry side this late in the season,so the plastic will keep the rain off one,the other bad ive got covers that i'll pull over when rain is due,this is one advantage by having the beds raised So bunkie we'll know in about a months time the difference between the plastic and netting ;D ;D |
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Post by richardw on May 1, 2013 14:37:30 GMT -5
Well timed. I'm thinking of doing the same this year, so I will benefit from your experience. I think that I may use plastic either way, just to keep some of the rain off, so that I don't have to harvest in foot deep mud. You and me been of similar latitude we're benefited by the ideal sunlight hours to grow Oca,its just keeping that rain off thats important,its not the mud factor for me its more about keeping the foliage dry other wise it starts to rot off shorting the growing season |
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Post by steev on May 2, 2013 21:48:25 GMT -5
I'm following this with great curiosity; so much to learn; so little time!
Moreover, I'm interested in the success you have, taking control of your seed production.
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Post by richardw on Jun 1, 2013 15:15:31 GMT -5
I dug up both beds yesterday and i have to say what a disappointment,the size of the tubers was a lot smaller this year last past years and this was in both beds though the plastic covered bed did produce the best crop. I put it down to having a hotter summer than normal ,maybe??,this may explain why you Ozie fella's dont manage to grow large tubers. But it did show that the plastic cover did produce a better crop.  |
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Post by oxbowfarm on Jun 1, 2013 20:46:10 GMT -5
Hey Richard, I just got some Oca this year, I've been reading up on it in "Lost Crops of the Incas". It says that Oca is a reasonably popular vegetable in NZ? Do you guys have named varieties and stuff?
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Post by billw on Jun 1, 2013 22:02:36 GMT -5
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