This space was created to discuss and exchange ideas about promoting good nutrition, food security and related matters – Blogmaster
710 responses to “Carmeta’s Corner”
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@ David May 9, 2020 6:46 PM
If you are referring to the yard fowls running around the place. good for you, they also taste better.
@ GP May 9, 2020 6:43 PM
I do so mainly because I remember where I have come from: about two generations ago, we were all destitute (piss-poor). The majority of Barbadians are scientific illiterates (all you need to do is tune in to the call-in programs or view the” mouthing” of some on BU, to reach this conclusion. I also do it because my Institute has a program called “Public Information Program”, where its members are expected to educate the public about food and other scientific matters. For all the noise that Barbadians keep, most do not seem to be able to engage in critical analysis of things, maybe it is genetic.
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@ Robert
We need to go back to the administration that banned people from keeping domestic animals. That is where the rot started. We like buying our eggs and meat from supermarkets, not knowing their origin. Buying chicken from Brazil and Holland is high risk.
By the way, have you heard of Judy Mikovits? -
@Dr. Lucas
No, this is small farmers raising animals.
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@ Hal May 10, 2020 4:22 AM
Judy Mikovits is in the same boat as the British medical doctor who disseminated incorrect data about the vaccines given to infants. He was struck off the medical register and his article withdrawn from publication. It is irresponsible people like these two, that have caused a resurgence of infections like measles which can kill. People today are pampered: exposure to what life was like before the advent of widespread vaccines would benefit them.
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@ Robert
I am not a medical scientist, nor scientist at all (Mr Earlam wasted his time on me. I could not handle his Leeds accent) but I heard her on video and she sounds convincing. What she had to say about the Bayh-Dole Act is very strong, especially allowing scientists employed by the state to carry out research and then patent the discoveries in their own names. We talked about a similar thing not so long ago.
Have you read her book. As soon as the lockdown is lifted I shall go out and get a copy. I don’t do Amazon. -
@ Hal May 10, 2020 8:04 AM
Scientist who work for government normally use to get part of the patent, the rest was government. After all they are using government equipment and space, Even in private industry, the scientist gets a cut of the patent. If it has changed with government, maybe due to the fact of trying to retain them. Remember, those fellows in industry get a hell of a lot of money. government salaries are low.
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@ Hal May 10, 2020 8:04 AM
I was not referring to you when I talked about non-scientist on the Bu. The ones i am referring to know that I mean them.
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@ David May 10, 2020 5:19 AM
You seemed to have lost the common touch. There is not one thing wrong with eating the yard fowl. All fowls are descended from the red jungle fowl of Asia(Thailand).All fowls if left alone will scavenge for food (insects and so on like the yard fowl). The broiler if let loose will also scavenge for food. Any how the yard fowl is more flavorsome. The meat is redder due to the fact that the fowls move around more than those kept on the deep litter or battery cage systems. The meat pigment is called myoglobin. The older the animal the higher is the myoglobin content and the redder the meat. Male animals have a higher myoglobin content than female animals. The myoglobin content can be used to differentiate between porcine, ovine and bovine animals. note all appendages in animals that are used a lot have a higher myoglobin content. Broilers wing meat is not very red due to the fact the birds do not get a chance to exercise and fly about the place. If the broilers flew around a lot the wing meat would be very red.
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@Dr. Lucas
You misunderstood the blogmaster’s reply.
You responded early that there was no problem with eating chickens running around the backyard, blogmaster responded he bought his chicken from a backyard/small farmer. It was to clarify.
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@Hal A
We need to go back to the administration that banned people from keeping domestic animals.
+++++++++++++++++
Please enlighten us as to which administration banned people from keeping domestic animals -
Good stuff here! I saved the most useful blog for last. Thanks for the pearls, Dr. Lucas. This swine appreciates them and will use them. Got okras in my freezer going soft right now. Got some more to freeze too. Unfortunately I did not grow them. I am trying to muster the courage to try cooking cou cou and okra slush again. Last time was a disaster. Unfortunately I refused to learn to cook it in my youth when my father said no Bajan man would marry me unless I could. I disproved that a few years later. Now my old relatives have died and I would not let my impatient mother teach me ANYTHING, I have no-one to cook it for me and I have not had any for a while. 😢😢😢😢.
Two back yard chickens cooked in my fridge. Five more in my friend’s freezer. Can’t raise animals for killing because they are likely to become like pets in my mind but I can eat the eggs so I will think of keeping layers.
Oink, oink!
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@GP May 9, 2020 6:43 PM “DR LUCAS. WHY DO YOU WASTE YOUR PRECIOUS TIME CASTING YOUR PEARLS BEFORE THE SWINE? I KNOW IT IS HARD TO TRY NOT TO TEACH AND SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE. BUT IT CAN BE DONE………AT LEAST MOST OF THE TIME. MOST OF OUR PEOPLE DONT DESERVE IT. THEY ARE NOT WORTH IT!”
Even though I was raised in a barnyard with the pigs, cows, sheep, fowls, turkeys, cats and dogs, I am not, repeat NOT A SWINE, so I thank Dr. Lucas very much for the good advice he so kindly offers.
I picked 31 okras today, that is 111 since i started picking on May 5. Plenty of flowers on the trees each morning, but alas I have discovered that monkeys will eat okras if they are hungry enough and if there are no nice juicy mangoes around. But they have only taken 3 so far, so for the time being I can live with that.
Dear Dr. Lucas: Donna asked on another thread when she should thin her carrots. I will defer that question to you, because even though I am supposed to thin my carrots i have not done so in the past. I typically plant 2 x 100 foot beds, 4 rows per bed, so 800 feet in all. They serve my family and my immediate extended family [4 households] very, very well
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@ Donna,
I cook cou cou in a Microwave oven. Takes 4 minutes for 1 serving. Been doing it for years.
Never tried it on stove with a cou cou stick.
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Plenty of cou-cou recipes on the internet too. I haven’t tried any, but Donna might try one or two to see which works best for her.
last year we had a biggish “immediate extended family”gathering from home and abroad. I’d never cooked cou-cou for 25 people before but someone suggested that instead of a cou-cou stick I use a hand held mixer. It worked like a charm. Then I immediately decanted the cooked cou-cou into a crock pot, drove to a relative’s house about 4 miles away, plugged in the crockpot and everybody had hot cou-cou for the rest of the afternoon.
I think that it is ok to experiment with traditions.
If I am cooking cou-cou for one or two people I often use a wooden spoon, works just as well as a cou-cou stick.
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@robert lucas May 9, 2020 6:35 PM @ Silly Woman. You are always talking about eating pork chops. You can get them at Goddard’s for $4.53/lb.
I am anticipating those pork chops. Lol! But I don’t have a car, and I don’t want to get on public transportation these days, but i have beseeched a car owning relative or two, so I expect some chops to come my way sooner or later.
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Jesus said in Matthew 7:6
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
IF JESUS SAYS SO IS SO
I OFTEN FAIL……BUT I TRY TO SPEAK LIKE HE SPOKE AND APPLY THE THINGS HE TAUGHT
AND I DO SO WITHOUT APOLOGY AND I DO IT WELLI HAVE FOUND THAT WHAT JESUS TAUGHT IS TRUE
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But the thing is Dt. GP: We are neither swine nor dogs, so Jesus in Matthew 7:6 can not possibly be in reference to us.
We are eager to learn from Dr. Lucas and to apply what we have learned
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@ Silly Woman May 11, 2020 1:52 PM
I told Donna to do so about the three -four leaf stage.
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i have not told you not to be eager to learn from Dr. Lucas and to apply what YOU CAN learn I HAVE STATED MY FEELINGS FROM WHICH I WILL NOT APOLOGIZE OR RECANT
I HAVE FOUND THAT WHAT JESUS TAUGHT IS VERY TRUE
WHEN YOU Cast your pearls before swine, they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.I CAN NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE IF YOU DONT UNDERSTAND Matthew 7:6
I KNOW THAT I DO -
Your feelings are your feelings. i never asked you to apologise for nor to recant your FEELINGS.
I am not much for people’s apologies anyhow, since they are so often false.
I do perfectly understand Matthew 7:6
And even though I was raised in a literally barn yard, with the cows, sheep, pigs, fowls, dogs and cats, i am not a swine nor a dog.
i am a child of God.
And again I thank Dr. Lucas.
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@robert lucas May 11, 2020 4:17 PM
Thanks. Dr. L.
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@Robert Lucas,
notwithstanding all the challenges we have with agriculture in Bim, one of the major problems is monkeys?
what can we do about it?
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@ Greene May 12, 2020 8:41 AM
You can try the normal things like shooting and so on. Apart from the conventional methods, one may do like the Australians have done. They have employed viral agents hostile to rabbits to control them. I came the fact that Australia had been using viral agents in a “New Scientist” magazine some years ago. The virus employed was calicivirus, which causes rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD), for biological control of wild rabbits. if one decides to use this route ,precautions have to be in place to prevent the virus from escaping( it escaped in Australia). The virus was very effective in the hot regions of Australia. In the colder regions it became attenuated and was less effective. There is a need to find out what viruses the green monkey is susceptible to and use them( one has to ensure that the virus used does not affect humans. This can be done by stripping the virus of genes that can do so.
An alternative method is the use of birth control measures, Use of the appropriate hormones would definitely solve the problem. The problem is how to get the monkey to consume the hormonal bait. If one can get that solve one is in business. One way of doing so, is the genetic modification of plants that are preferred by monkeys to produce high hormonal levels. One would need to insert a sterility gene to inhibit the transfer of viable pollen and seeds into the environment. This method would definitely work. The plant would appear normal looking. Of course there would be a lot of persons hollering and getting on about these methods -
@ robert lucas May 12, 2020 3:58 PM
Your ‘final solution’ to the monkey problem in Bim might end up killing off two primates with one kind of hormonal bait.
Monkeys’ favourite fruits happen to be the same humans’ delights. Mangoes, bananas and other fruits high in sugars are the main targets for the monkeys’ daily raids.
Who says that the hormonal bait will not end up behaving like the contraceptive pill in the water?
How about an alternative method of culling them? What about using them as a source of protein since that was the reason they were brought from West Africa along with the slaves.
Then you would see how fast the critters would be put on the endangered species list; just like the Bajan bullfrog or pelican.Or would you consider that a modern-day form of cannibalism since they share over 90% of genes with humans?
BTW, the tourists do find the monkeys exotically appealing. Ask any taxi driver what reaction they get from the visitors when they see the green monkeys.
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@ Miller May 12, 2020 5:10 PM
You are making this thing sound difficult. You can plant a guard row (a row where one expect thieves and so on to harvest the crop illegally) surrounding the field with the modified plants or in places where the animals frequent.) . Also place signs warning about the dangers of consuming the crops (people will still steal them. but doing so at their own peril).As an alternate protein source can be converted into dog and cat rations. You would need a dedicated band of hunters to do so. People should avoid consuming monkey meat. Can be a jump of microbes to humans.
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@ robert lucas May 12, 2020 6:41 PM
Agree with you about the risks posed to humans by the eating of their primate cousins.
Why not consider their export potential to West Africa or even to the Far East where their ‘brains’ are considered a delicacy.
It would be interesting to find out if the monkeys are themselves vulnerable to the current corona virus.
But you should note monkeys seem to have a sixth sense, so to speak, when it comes to bait that is injurious to their health.
Try it and you see how far the monkeys will stay away from your lovely genetically modified fruit trees.
You ought to remember that monkeys do have friends and lovers in high environmental places.
You don’t want Barbados to be blacklisted as a tourist destination known for cruelty to its endangered primates, do you?
EU grant funding might just dry up just as the monkeys disappear.
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A reminder Barbadians do not live in a fish bowl.
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@Robert Lucas,
as we seek to increase our agricultural outputs in a seeming response to possible food shortages emanating from COVID, and in general, what do you think are some of the major issues affecting agriculture in Bim and what can we do to combat if not mitigate them?
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@ Greene May 15, 2020 7:47 AM
Crop theft. Government and farmers will have to solve this one.
Water: Need to do some type of water harvesting. Easiest way is the utilization of water from the sewage system for irrigation. To placate citizens’ concern over safety of the water, ozone treatment should be used. Also need to select cultivars that are adapted to more arid conditions.
Improve post-harvest techniques. About fifty percent of all food crops harvested end up being dumped due to bad post-harvesting handling. Need to introduce good agricultural practices (GAP). GAP include removal of field heat, storage compatibility of produce. refrigeration load of the storage equipment. Control of rodents . Also include methods of transport.
Increase the technical training of farmers.
Increase processing capabilities. Need to standardized processed products so that quality remains constant.
Need funds for research and development.
Put people who know what is required in decision making positions. Get rid of political sycophants.
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@RL,
Thanks for the response.
v good points.
water and crop theft seem to be the most crucial ones. it seems to that treating and re purposing sewage for irrigation would be expensive if not cost prohibitive. would a better plan not be desalination and using that water? or would the residual salt content be an issue.
i totally agree with securing better cultivars especially drought tolerant one. we can look to Israel as they have done some stellar work in that area.
as a small island why would refrigeration and transport be such a pressing issue?
the rest of your points are well taken.
what about a farmers co-operate if there isnt one already?
and seriously teaching agriculture in school or a course at the polytechnic, if there isnt one already?
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Started harvesting my okras on May 5th. I’ve been harvesting every other day from my 21 bearing plantings. 2 plantings are not thriving. So far I’ve harvested 203 fruit (okra is a fruit, right?)
28, 31, 18, 31, 26, 24, 24, and 21.
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You have a good memory, Dr. Lucas. I did remember your telling me when I should thin my carrots. I just could not remember what you told me. They have been thinned and are still thriving. So are the chives, sweet peppers and lettuce. I have recently transplanted some celery and hot pepper seedlings.
I shall add tomatoes, pumpkin and thyme in the next few weeks.
Composting going well. Still using rain water for irrigation. Had a really good rainy day last week. Caught plenty in buckets.
Hants and Cuhdear Bajan,
My last cou cou adventure has put me off but I will try again this week. I’ll try the microwave method.
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Don’t give up Donna.
How long did it take your chives, sweet peppers and celery to germinate?
I sowed those three on May 5th and none have germinated yet, so I am beginning to wonder.
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@ Donna May 24, 2020 9:46 PM
A few hints on composting :
The main elements that mediate the composting process are the nitrogen and carbon ratio. If you are using very woody material, the carbon content is very high and the nitrogenous level very low. In such a case, the rate of microbial decomposition is very slow and the raw material remains in the woody or original state for a very long time. In such a case, there is need to increase the nitrogenous content of the woody material: this can be done by applying either solutions sulfate of ammonia or urea to the material. Now, if you are using material high nitrogen and low in carbon, there is also very little microbial decomposition taking place. In this case the energy derived from the woody material is in short supply and therefore microbial decomposition is slow. You can use two teaspoon of urea per gallon of water for this purpose. urea has about 40-42 % nitrogen.Making of compost:
You can start with a layer of soil, followed by a layer of the compost material. A layer of soil is added to the compost layer again followed by soil. You should build the compost to a height that you can manage. Apply water to the compost (the sulfate of ammonia or urea can be added) to the water which is used to increase the moisture level of the compost heap. Water from time to time to prevent drying out (bacteria are the initial microbes which colonized the compost heap) and require water for growth and proliferation. After about three weeks or so using a shovel or any appropriate tool, give the compost heap a good mixing ( like when one is mixing cement). Water and repeat the mixing at regular intervals. When the compost is ready, it is very fluffy in texture.
You will need to check for butterfly eggs, Do so early in the morning and late evening. Normally, the eggs which are yellow and very small are found on the under surface of the leaves. Sometimes the eggs are found on the surface of the leaves. Destroy the eggs by squeezing them between the thumb and forefinger.
@ Cuhdear Bajan May 24, 2020 9:51 PM
I have dealt with this for Donna . The seeds you are using are very small and should be planted on the surface of the soil. Cover with some dry grass and water. Chives seeds take longer than the other teo you are dealing with.donna will tell you what to do.
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Thanks robert: My mistake. It was really peppers, celery and bok choi. Today I’ve noticed that the bok choi has germinated. I particularly wanted something green and leafy, and years ago I grew that very successfully. So much so that I had more than my immediate family could use.
I am still hopeful that the peppers and celery will germinate soon.
The okras planted in March are still doing well. I’ve harvested 242 pods so far.
Still praying for rain.
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@ Donna May 24, 2020 9:46 PM
One method of cou cou making.
The method below is not the classical method but it works quite well. My mother used the classical method which is for the purist. My next door neighbor when I said I had problems with cou cou suggested this method. It is easy and comes out perfect. I was never overly fond of cou cou but being in the food section I decided I should learn about making it.
Measure out the corn meal ( I use corn flour: the particle size is much smaller than corn meal and from price consideration, 1 1/2 lbs cost between $2.15-2.25). It is therefore cheaper and one gets more product for one’s money.
Method:
Measure out the amount of meal you are going to use: say two cups and add to an empty container. Add some water and mix well using the cou cou stick. You want to ensure that there are no lumps. Add enough water in slight excess to ensure the mixture is lump free. The mixture should when poured flow freely. Mean while you have your okras in water boiling. Do not add excess water ( I do not bother with all the foolishness about dicing the okras like my mum used to do; I just cut them cross way and add to the water). When the okras are cooked ( start to foam and rise up the pot, test some pieces to make sure they are soft and cooked). Stir the corn flour mixture (it will have settled down with the flour to the bottom) to ensure that it thoroughly mixed. Slowly pour the corn flour mixture into the okra-water mixture and stir with the cou cou stick rapidly clockwise one way and the anti-clock wise. Alternate the direction of stirring. Lower the flame. You may find that there is some corn flour adhering to the container. No problem. Add some water and give it a good swirl and add it to cou cou..When it starts to congeal and bubble you will know that it is practically ready. Even if it is not fully cooked you can remove it from the flame and it will continue cooking. I find that it is best to dip a stainless steel ladle into water and scoop out the hot cou cou. The cou cou does not adhere to the wet ladle.
After a couple of times trying you will find the process very simple. -
@DR. Lucas:
We old folks usually get a small bowl, which we dip in extra okra water, scoop out some cou-cou and ball it then slide it onto the plate. We also punch a hole in the top to hold extra gravy. The cou-cou has to be floating in a lake of gravy.
Now to gardening. I have most of my plants in, but I noticed that my bok choy which is four inches tall has begun to flower. We had two hot days last week and I am concerned that I did not water enough. I soaked some peanuts to plant and want to know how to keep the squirrels and chipmounts from digging them up. Do I have to support my blackeyed peas?
What do I do to deter squash beetles? last year I lost several fruit as they bored into the vine and killed off the plants.
I could not find leeks at the garden centers this year. How long do they take to grow from seed? I bought brussel sprouts, but a friend cant find any and he was asking me if they can grow from seed. We keep them in until first frost, then we harvest.Thanks.
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@Dr. Lucas
Up here they sell something called compost accellerator. I compost kitchen waste, leaves and shredded paper. I have lots of red wrigglers in my compostors, So I don’t need additives. I was told it was best to let green leaves and grass clippings wither in the sun before adding to the compost. Up here they no longer sell pesticides to non commercial enterprises and the apple fly maggot has been ruining all my fruit. Last year I hung lures (red) coated with tanglefoot and caught some, but this attract humming birds too. This year I have a humming bird feeder hanging in the apple tree, hopefully this will work.
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@Silly Woman
You making my mouth water talking about your okras.
I planted two kinds this year. Indian lady fingers from Bangladesh which grow upwards of 8 inches and clemson spineless. All the lady fingers are up and some of the clemson. Celery should do well in Barbados if you have cool nights. At Househill the students in agriculture used to grow lots of celery and it did fantastic. But up around Blackmans is usually cool. I grew last year in the allotment and they flourished. Fed about four houses and two kids who come with their mother. I cut the outside stalks and let it continue to grow. I have 6 plants this year and they are doing well so far. I planted increased peas, black eyed peas, cranberry beans, romano beans, sweet peas, three kinds of Peruvian potatoes, four kinds of sweet potatoes, including those little orange fleshed ones from Barbados. (My sister smuggled in 2 small ones last Fall.) I have four kinds of pumpkins, kale, red peppers, fennel, cabbage, broccoli, sprouts, shallots, 100 garlics, onions, parsley, thyme and chives. -
Cuhdear Bajan,
Sorry for not responding before. I keep missing the posts to this blog. I’ll have to check in daily.
Now, let’s see – my chives were grown from cuttings so I can’t help you there. The celery was grown from seedlings so I can’t help you there either. The peppers took a few weeks before they peeked out. I was beginning to give up on them. Give them time.
Dr. Lucas,
Thanks for the composting tips. I’ll be sure to use them.
All,
I took Hants’ tip and used the microwave and a recipe I found on the internet. It was so easy I nearly kjcked myself for all the wasted time.
If I miss the next few days it is because my head is spinning from the events of the past seven days. Too many shocks to my system. COVID craziness, murder so savage and nonchalant and now the USA afire probably followed by more COVID. All this on top of the shock of a madman in the most powerful office in the world. From November 2016 to present has been surreal.
I need some time to settle and refocus. I need to take my eyes off the news and watch some comedy but I’m afraid I might miss something important.
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@ Dame Bajans May 31, 2020 7:22 PM
” but I noticed that my bok choy which is four inches tall has begun to flower. We had two hot days last ”The Bok Choy has under gone bolting. You would have noticed a long stalk from which flowers are initiated. The key factor is shock, which can be caused by transplanting, temperature and water. It’s a sign your plant is ‘panicking’ and feels the need to propagate (make seed) as quickly as possible. Maybe you transplanted at a fairly late stage and the plant under went physiological shock. If you are transplanting, always do so late in the evening and apply plenty of water. Water on the following morning. Some of the roots would have been damaged and need time to re-grow. Remember, water and minerals are taken into the plant by root hairs. See if you can purchase varieties that are slow to bolt. Also Bok Choy on require 6-8 hours of sunlight daily. You should plant where there is some shade available. Ensure that the soil has enough water to prevent it from drying out. Too much or too little water will result in bolting.
With the black eye peas, use a stake to support them. The leaves get more sunlight and photosynthesis is more efficient (since there is less shading of lower leaves by the ones above).
“how to keep the squirrels and chipmounts from digging”
We have a problem with monkeys similar to what you are experiencing. You can try trapping them.
squash beetles : I really do not believe in using pesticides if the amount of trees are few . The cost is too high and isn’t worth it. You can use a net to cover the fruits after pollination and fertilization to keep the beetles at bay.As for leeks between eighty- one-fifty days depending on the variety used . need a lot of patience with leeks. grew them once a long time ago . Had a lot of trouble with them ,but that was before i started doing agriculture. never attempted growing them again. I wanted to cook a leek soup . i had read a lot about leek soup in books.
Brussel sprouts can be grown from seeds, Like Bok choy can bolt.
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@ Dame Bajans May 31, 2020 7:22 PM
The compost accelerator may contain microbes which break down plant material. The mix you are using would contain the microbes at very high numbers and result in jump starting the decomposition of the plant material. May also contain some type of nitrogen containing compound.
Mu Grand mother and my mum did cou cou like how you described with the hole in the center. To get it round some salt butter was placed in a bowl. The cou cuo added and the bowl twirled around. Served with red herring and lots of onions.
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@ @ Dame Bajans May 31, 2020 7:22 PM
When dealing with squash which is a cucurbit like pumpkins, one must be careful in applying irrigation. Too much water results in a condition known as blossom end rot. The end of the fruit(squash is a fruit botanically) becomes necrotic (sunken ,dehydrated and wrinkle looking having a dark brown hue). Eventually, the entire squash shrivel up and dies. -
@Miller May 13, 2020 8:00 AM “Agree with you about the risks posed to humans by the eating of their primate cousins.
Why not consider their export potential to West Africa or even to the Far East where their ‘brains’ are considered a delicacy.”So if monkey brains are eaten in West Africa or the Far East and a microbe jumps from monkeys to humans guess how long it would take to reach the whole world. Maybe like HIV a year or two? Maybe like COVID19 one hundred days?
Do we want to do that?
Really?
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The small [cherry] tomatoes have started to regrow from seed dropped from the previous crop. Flowers appeared about a week ago.
The okras planted at home are still doing well. I’ve harvested 403 pods so far. We have been getting a little rain now, mostly at night, but sometimes during the day as well. Maybe the rainy season has really begun? At the other plot we plant to plant about 800 feet of okras, hopefully before the end of this month.
We cleared the family plot last week. Pulled out the drip hoses etc. The ploughman has promised to come as soon as he can. We pulled out the last of last year’s cassava, and have saved the cassava sticks to plant as soon as the field is ploughed. I have grown tired of cassava pone, and I still have frozen grated cassava left, so I’ve made cassava flour with this last batch of cassava. I expect to get about 1 1/2 gallons of dried cassava flour. I like cassava dumplings and cassava bakes. I call cassava flour my survival food, because once dried it lasts almost indefinitely without refrigeration. Makes good cou-cou too if corn meal is in short supply. Cassava is truly a wonderful crop. In the early stage it is tasty boiled and served with any meat or fish, at a more mature stage it makes a yummy cassava pone, or cassava “hats”/cassava flat bread. and even when almost mature [almost woody] still makes a great cassava flour.A very drought tolerant crop too. There are not many short crops that could have survived our current drought without irrigation, but about 2/3 of our January to mid-March plantings have survived.
Some of my bok choi has germinated, plus a friend gave me about a dozen seedlings last week which I’ve have planted out.
The spinach vine usually drops seeds, although I’ve have that the large pigeons or doves [the large dark grey birds people call Guyanese pigeons] loves to feast on the spinach seeds, but a few seeds survived and germinated and have reached the six leaf stage, so i am hopeful.
No luck yet with the celery or pepper seeds planted May 5th, although I’ve grown both hot and sweet peppers very successfully before. I think that I will just buy some seedlings from a nearby garden shop.
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@ Cuhdear Bajan June 14, 2020 1:34 PM
“No luck yet with the celery or pepper seeds planted May 5th,”
I am going to give you the same advice I gave Donna.
#1: the seeds may not be viable. Could be due to the fact that they are old or are in a dormancy period. you can easily verify the particular case by carrying out a gemination test. You can use the lid of a peanut butter container for this purpose. Line the lid(inverted position) with some tissue paper. Disperse about ten to twenty seeds onto the surface of the tissue paper. Add some water (enough to ensure the paper is saturated). Cover the lid with clinging plastic film and stow in a suitable place. Check for germination after a couple of days. If all seeds germinate you have no problems with viability. if only one seed geminated from ten seeds planted out( 10% viable) .you have a problem with viability and ought to change the source from which you obtain seeds. In the case of dormancy you can try placing seeds into freezer section for a couple of hours and then carry out the above germination percentage test. This particular method depends on the use of cold temperatures to shock the seed out of its period of dormancy.#2: You would have observed that the seeds are small(especially the celery). In a case like this it is best to plant the seeds on to the surface of the garden bed. The seeds are covered with dry grass. Water the covering of dry grass. This prevents the seeds from being washed further down into the soil. In the latter case( let us say, the seeds have been washed six inches deep into the seed bed; at this depth, germination takes place but due to the depth, all of the food reserves in the seeds are used up before the seedlings can reach the surface and they therefore die.
33. You could also have a problem with ants or damping off caused by fungii. you can try mixing a pesticide with a fungicide and use the mix as a seed dressing. You will need to find out if the fungicide and pesticides are compatible. You can check the stores. I can tell you one thing if you are in Barbados, most of customer service people won’t have a clue about compatibility.Finally, always store you seeds when not using them on the refrigerator. wrap the seed container in tissue which is then over wrapped with foil. . to extend the viable life.
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Cuhdear Bajan,
My chives are ready. Lettuce looking about ready. I made a mistake with watering after the carrots grew as big as a baby’s finger. Might only salvage a couple. All but one celery seedling is looking healthy. Sweet peppers looking promising. Hot peppers growing but looking more yellow than green.
Will plant thyme this week, tomatoes and bunching onions.
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@robert lucas June 14, 2020 2:26 PM
Thanks for the advice. I did not know at all about testing seeds for viability, nor about shocking seeds out of dormancy. Glad to learn about refrigerating stored seeds as well.
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I think that I planted the small celery seeds far too deeply. This was my first time with celery. I will know better next time.
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I used robert’s advice on how to test seeds for viability. Tested some carrot seeds. They are viable. I planted them today. Will plant some sweet potatoes tomorrow [at what white hill calls the plantation] tomorrow, weather permitting.
Thanks again Robert.
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