Regional Seed Savers Day Roundup

Last Month we gathered at Violet Town for our first Regional Seed Savers Meeting. those that could make it were entertained by Jude and Michel Fanton from Seed Savers Network, and then we moved on to Murrnong after lunch for practical seed saving workshops in Dave Arnold’s vegie garden.

It was so nice to see so many people coming together and sharing ideas and learning new ones, I think it is integral to the survival of LSN's to gather resources and ideas from our region, and although we may differ in our structures our strength is that as a group we can then go back and pass on information and planting materials to our local groups.

I'm going to use one of the feedback responses i received to sum up our day because it sums it up so well.

Hi Carley,

We were both so inspired by the day. The setting for both sessions was perfect.
I was so impressed with the school/community garden – it is amazing what can be done in a small area and how much children can benefit from hands on experience at an early age. That is something that will stay with them all their lives. I wonder how many of those children have gone home and convinced their parents to start a vegetable garden as well. I believe Bunnings here in Shepparton is about to help provide information and assistance to schools in the area to get a similar thing happening here.

The film was also inspirational. To see so many indigenous people in their various countries, and how they grow their vegetables, and cope with the rape and pillage of their native lands by money hungry multi nationals destroying their crops to plant more lucrative ones, was certainly an eye-opener.

There is no doubt our world is in a very sorry state, and hearing today’s news about the tonnes of toxic vegetables being exported from China, some of which are destined for our supermarkets, means that the time for growing our own healthy vegetables is now not only sensible but imperative.

Catering for the morning and afternoon teas was superb, the food was fantastic and there was certainly plenty of it, and a wonderful variety to suit all palates, the team of workers are to be congratulated.

What a wonderful opportunity it was to participate in the four sessions during the afternoon. Our host was so knowledgeable and only too happy to share his experiences with us enthusiastically. He is doing an incredible job on that property. I found each of the segments really interesting and all the way home we discussed ways in which we could incorporate what we learnt into improving our own garden.

It was wonderful to have the trading stall there and I was fortunate to pick up some garlic, cos lettuce and spinach seedlings as well as a couple of types of sunchokes. We were able to contribute a lemon scented geranium, 3 peach trees and a fig tree to the stall, which I was pleased to see have all found new homes. I hope one of the peach trees is going to be planted in the school garden. I have bottled over 60 jars of peaches from the parent plant this year.

The variety of packets of seeds was amazing, I purchased quite a lot and even garnered a few from the seed saving segment as well, and you will be pleased to know that every day since then we have renovated another segment of our garden. ..............Thanks again for a great Sunday. Val (Val Hutchinson)

Some other feed back

" haven’t stopped talking about it to all my work mates ..... I am a true convert and will never buy packaged seed again."

" had planted some Yates seeds as they were donated but now I feel so inspired to use seed savers supplies for so many reasons"

"Especially loved your and terry's practical demosntration of saving seeds and walks around gardens.."
http://www.youtube.com/seedsavers#p/u/15/el0QZ27HARI (see it here)

"The variety of packets of seeds was amazing, I purchased quite a lot and even garnered a few from the seed saving segment as well, and you will be pleased to know that every day since then we have renovated another segment of our garden"

Dear Carley and Terry
We had a lovely time last Sunday! Thank you for organising it so well. I think it was really successful all round and the participants seemed very happy....
Thank you again for the wonderful welcome and consummate organising!
Best wishes, Jude and Michel

BROAD BEAN

Published on Seed Savers Network (http://www.seedsavers.net)

Broad beans are a hardy bush. They are also called Horse beans, and in northern Africa, where a smaller version is common, Tick beans.

Plant Names Botanical Family: LEGUMINOSAE
Common Name: BROAD BEAN
Genus: Vicia
Species: fava

Origins: Broad beans have been cultivated since prehistoric times in Europe. They were unearthed in the ancient city of Troy and found in Egyptian tombs and with Bronze Age artefact's in Switzerland. Their exact origin has therefore been hard to determine. It is recorded that the Romans used them as voting tokens and that they reached China by the first century AD. Before the explorers brought the common bean back from the Americas, the only bean that Europeans and Middle Easterners knew was the broad bean. Folk (or primitive) varieties grow in the Sahel, the southern part of the Sahara Desert, in poor agricultural lands.

Plant Description: Broad beans are a hardy bush. They are also called Horse beans, and in
northern Africa, where a smaller version is common, Tick beans.

Variety Notes: The Gene flow journal (1989) mentions that cultivars collected in Sicily, Portugal, and Cyprus show a great diversity of type and landrace. Wide variation was evident in respect of the size and shape of the grains as well as the earliness of the crop.

• For colder areas, there are the long-podded types with up to eight beans in a pod. They are hardy and are ready for planting from early through to late autumn. Examples are Early Long Pod, Polar and Acquadulce.


• Longfellow produces up to ten beans in a pod. Red Epicure is grown for its chestnut flavour and colour and is hardy and heavy cropping.


• The Windsor or Broad-Pod beans will not survive winter in frosty areas but will die back and shoot from the roots in spring. Their pods have up to five beans in them and they have a pronounced flavour.


• The dry seeds of Green Windsor are green and hold their colour when cooked.


• Scarlet Cambridge has a deep burgundy-coloured bean.


• The Sutton is a much-branching bush with white-seeded pods that mature early.


• Dwarf broad beans are useful for windy areas: Cole's Early Dwarf is one of the many good English types and bears all its pods touching the ground.

Cultivation: Broad beans respond well to the addition of compost and moderate soil moisture. May to July is the best time for planting in most areas. Prune the tops when the bushes are half-grown to encourage branching and try these as a salad green or spinach. The beans are best planted in double rows or blocks because then they support each other. In New Zealand, many experienced gardeners often surround their double rows of long pod types with stakes, fix a rigid rail on top and tie strings around. It makes harvesting them easier, considering each plant might have five stalks which often fall over each other. Broad beans can be cut back to the ground after a sub-tropical winter and can be expected to shoot again.

Seed saving notes: Broad beans are partly self-pollinated and partly cross-pollinated. Several hundred metres is a fair isolation distance to ensure purity if you happen to be growing more than one variety. The first pods to form are best for seeds. They are to be found at the base and are larger than subsequent pods. Allow the pods to dry on the bush and choose those from the most vigorous individual plants. Such refined steps cannot be taken on a large scale where a whole field is combine-harvested and threshed.
Shell out the beans and dry on a rack until a bite on the seed will produce only a little mark. Thresh and store in a loose knit bag. The bean seeds will not need any winnowing.
Seed storage:
Seed can last for up to ten years but only if kept in conditions with low humidity and constant

and to cooking Broad Beans...

one of my favorites is a salad recipe that goes just as well on bruchetta or thick sourdough, or hollow out a batard and fill with salad to take on a picnic/lunch

Ingredients (serves 4)
375g (2 1/2 cups) shelled fresh broad beans

100g thinly sliced mild pancetta, coarsely chopped
80g baby rocket leaves
1 red onion, halved, thinly sliced
16 fresh basil leaves, torn
2 tbs red wine vinegar
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 garlic clove, crushed
Pinch of salt
60g reduced-fat feta, crumbled

Method
Cook the broad beans in a medium saucepan of salted boiling water for 8 minutes or until tender. Drain. Refresh under cold running water. Remove skins and place in a large serving bowl.
Heat a small non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until crisp. Remove from heat.
Add the pancetta, rocket, onion and basil to the broad beans and gently toss until combined.
Whisk together the vinegar, oil, mustard and garlic in a jug. Taste and season with salt. Drizzle over broad bean mixture and gently toss to coat.
Sprinkle feta over broad bean salad and serve immediately.
Notes
You will need 1kg of unshelled fresh broad beans for this recipe.

May Monthly Natter

Today we travelled to Beechworth to visit Charlie & Faye Robinsons property. Here Charlie and Faye are creating an expansive food sustainable system, with strong design and aesthetics. A lot of work has gone into the design and infrastructure of the 5 ha property, which will be one of its strongest points in the future. Shaded walkways, apple and citrus walks, raised no dig garden beds and beautiful crafted brickwork were highlights of the day along with Faye and Charlie’s hospitality.

Their vegetable patch which could sustain the entire neighbourhood was built up waist level using a double course of bricks. This not only raises it up to an easy height but also creates a thick insulation.

A concrete water tank had been converted into a storage pantry where cans of fruit, sauces and preserves stay a constant temperature.

Charlie has even built an underground cellar which will store more perishable and fresh food items, using the cooling properties of the surrounding earth.

We sampled a delicious Moon and Stars Watermelon, which of course we saved some seeds from. Finally we travelled home through the very scenic Millawa , Beechworth regions, Big thanks to Violet Town Group who organised trip.

Our next meeting will be at Mike Schulz’s in Toolamba on 30th May, 1pm start.
Mike ran a research project on saltbush a few years ago and has maintained an interest, and has many different varieties to see. Bring a plate to share and own mug. Directions: From Mooroopna take the Murchison road. Cross the railway line north of Toolamba. Mikes drive is immediately on the left. Look out for the goat and stone wall.

Also Derek has 4 Carob trees emerging from the ss workshop - so happy to give 3 of these to a good home.

We have compiled our current list of seeds which I will distribute later this week, please look over and try a few different varieties, also look for something that you know well and grow it on for us to return some seeds.

We need to increase the quantity of seed and also distribute the seeds we have to everyone. At the moment we surviving off seeds saved from just a couple of people, and the seeds are not being used, they are sitting in the bank growing old, and this won’t sustain us for very long. I urge you to try saving just one variety, choose something off the list and give it a go I myself started with some easy things and letting a couple of these go to seed by themselves is really quite easy. When it comes time to selecting, collecting or cleaning seeds and you need some guidance I’m always available for a advice or even a visit.

Easy Seeds
Basil
Beans
Broad Beans
Coriander
Dill
Garlic Chives
Lettuce
Marigold
Nasturtium
Pea
Tomato
Capsicum (don’t grow Chilli in the same year you wish to save)
Chilli (don’t grow Capsicums in the same year you wish to save)

With all these seeds if you are worried they might cross with something just grow the one variety. For example grow only one type of lettuce in that season or only let one variety go on to flower.

Finally this is going to be a wet season, make the most of it incorporate lots of compost into your soil grow green manures and mustard (good for soil nemotodes).
Celery - it loves a liquid feed, and remember it’s impossible to over water
Kale can withstand the most intense cold. In fact the best kale of all is picked after a frost Broad Beans should now be sown and growing on. They are another plant that can stand winter cold. Give them a little sulphate of potash. It will toughen up the leaves, induce early flowering and that will give a better crop. Spinach needs perfect drainage so if you’re planting these out build up little ridges and plant the seeds/seedlings on top of that.

Happy Growing Carley