Re: [Biofuel] Sunflower Woes
Keith Addison wrote: :-) You are most welcome. I'm going to build the huller and the press! Robert, we loved your amazing sunflower! It's a tribute to building soil. I learned most of that reading in this forum, and the Small Farms resources on JtF. No Miracle Grow. No pesticide. That flower grew in compost and soil that was little more than clay muck and rocks only four years ago, and only supported horsetail and dandilions. We didn't even plant the seed--that flower was a volunteer from last year . . . Neighbors would come by with their children to look at our garden. Other people around us are starting to plant things too. Sunflowers are peaking over people's fences. Attitudes are changing, Keith. Growing a garden is downright subversive! LOL! If your lad had climbed up to the top of it I reckon he'd have found a giant sleeping in a castle up there in the clouds. When I pulled that sunflower out last week, its stem was as thick as the skinny end of a baseball bat, as hard as pine, and jammed my 3 horsepower shredder! (I have several of them like that.) Most of it is in the compost pile now, getting ready to build soil for next year. I've got fruit on my trees and grapes on my vines for the first time this year. Our maize was the sweetest EVER, despite its late start and the fact that the sunflowers grew faster and taller. We've had delicious beets, excellent carrots, and the purple beans are producing like mad. It's been so hot and dry that our tomatoes are blight free, and my eldest son (not in the photo) has been eating them like apples. (I guess he'll never have prostrate problems if he keeps that up!) We've got red and black currants, strawberries, blackberries and apples that are almost ready for harvest. This is pretty amazing, considering that the Pacific Northwest has had the driest summer on record. Our lawn died months ago. But while everyone around us drenched their flower beds, lawns and gardens in water, we NEVER watered more than once per week. On days when the temperature climbed into the 30's, I could dig down through my soil and find moisture a handbreadth from the surface. Building soil works. We have fewer weeds and more production than we've ever had. (Though the zucchini didn't grow well this year, and our pumpkins are looking close to pathetic.) My trees are still fighting pests, but they're FIGHTING, and producing fruit. I haven't so much as sprayed the aphids off with water, but between stronger trees, wasps and ladybeetles, the pest infestations are declining. Thanks for sending the pic - I'll upload it and post a ref. for the list. People in town recognized me and my son from the photo in the paper. Some of my clients are telling people: "Yeah, we KNOW them, and we see their garden every year." Now, if I could just get my grass to grow . . . robert luis rabello "The Edge of Justice" Adventure for Your Mind http://www.newadventure.ca Ranger Supercharger Project Page http://www.members.shaw.ca/rabello/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Sunflower Woes
Feed em to your chooksthey love emKen Provost [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On Sep 10, 2006, at 9:31 AM, robert and benita rabello wrote: Hello everyone! I have a FOREST of sunflowers in my garden this year. I don't knowwhat to do with them, and my saintly mother-in-law is getting upset atme for letting them "rot" on the ground. Any ideas for what I could do about this?Get yourself a seed press and make sunflower oil -- great on salads,and makes good biodiesel!Better yet, ship them all to ME and I'LL make sunflower oil :-)-K___Biofuel mailing listBiofuel@sustainablelists.orghttp://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.orgBiofuel at Journey to Forever:http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.htmlSearch the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ On Yahoo!7 360: Give your page a sassy look with a cool new theme___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
[Biofuel] Sunflower Woes
Hello everyone! I have a FOREST of sunflowers in my garden this year. (The tallest one measured over four meters in height when I finally cut it down.) But now I have dozens of seed heads laying next to my compost pile. I don't know what to do with them, and my saintly mother-in-law is getting upset at me for letting them "rot" on the ground. Is there an inexpensive, simple solution to getting the seeds out of their hulls? (I like sunflower seeds, especially in salads.) If I leave the seed heads out, I'm thinking that they might represent a food source for birds, but the only birds that hang around here in the winter are crows, ravens and seagulls--species I've never seen using sunflower seeds as a food source. (And I'm not sure I want a bunch of crows hanging around my house either!) Any ideas for what I could do about this? robert luis rabello "The Edge of Justice" Adventure for Your Mind http://www.newadventure.ca Ranger Supercharger Project Page http://www.members.shaw.ca/rabello/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Sunflower Woes
On Sep 10, 2006, at 9:31 AM, robert and benita rabello wrote: Hello everyone! I have a FOREST of sunflowers in my garden this year. I don't knowwhat to do with them, and my saintly mother-in-law is getting upset atme for letting them "rot" on the ground. Any ideas for what I could do about this?Get yourself a seed press and make sunflower oil -- great on salads,and makes good biodiesel!Better yet, ship them all to ME and I'LL make sunflower oil :-)-K___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Sunflower Woes
Ken Provost wrote: Get yourself a seed press and make sunflower oil -- great on salads, and makes good biodiesel! I like my salads naked, and I don't own a diesel. But, where can I find a seed press? Better yet, ship them all to ME and I'LL make sunflower oil :-) Wouldn't there be a food miles issue with that? : -) Of course, you could come and visit, enjoy our hospitality, then take as many as you want with you when you leave . . . robert luis rabello The Edge of Justice Adventure for Your Mind http://www.newadventure.ca Ranger Supercharger Project Page http://www.members.shaw.ca/rabello/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Sunflower Woes
On Sep 10, 2006, at 10:41 AM, robert and benita rabello wrote: I like my salads naked, and I don't own a diesel. But, where can I find a seed press? Journey to Forever has a good selection (all too expensive!) under supplies and suppliers Of course, you could come and visit, enjoy our hospitality, then take as many as you want with you when you leave . . . Sounds like fun! Next time I'm in Canada.. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Sunflower Woes
On Sep 10, 2006, at 10:41 AM, robert and benita rabello wrote: I like my salads naked, and I don't own a diesel. But, where can I find a seed press? Journey to Forever has a good selection (all too expensive!) under supplies and suppliers DIY, cheap as junk: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/oilpress.html The Sunflower Seed Huller and Oil Press Best Keith Of course, you could come and visit, enjoy our hospitality, then take as many as you want with you when you leave . . . Sounds like fun! Next time I'm in Canada.. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Sunflower Woes
Keith Addison wrote: DIY, cheap as junk: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/oilpress.html The Sunflower Seed Huller and Oil Press I've been to the JTF site dozens of times. Why have I never seen that??? You're a wealth of info, Keith, and I'm printing as I write. Thank you! robert luis rabello The Edge of Justice Adventure for Your Mind http://www.newadventure.ca Ranger Supercharger Project Page http://www.members.shaw.ca/rabello/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Sunflower Woes
Keith Addison wrote: DIY, cheap as junk: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/oilpress.html The Sunflower Seed Huller and Oil Press I've been to the JTF site dozens of times. Why have I never seen that??? You're a wealth of info, Keith, and I'm printing as I write. Thank you! :-) You are most welcome. Robert, we loved your amazing sunflower! LOL! If your lad had climbed up to the top of it I reckon he'd have found a giant sleeping in a castle up there in the clouds. Thanks for sending the pic - I'll upload it and post a ref. for the list. All best Keith robert luis rabello The Edge of Justice Adventure for Your Mind http://www.newadventure.ca Ranger Supercharger Project Page http://www.members.shaw.ca/rabello/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
