Sweet potatoes are propagated by suspending a tuber in a glass of water or burying one part-way in sand or other porous media; letting shoots grow from the tuber; then rooting the shoots. Illustration from Sweetpotato Culture and Diseases, Agriculture Handbook No. 388, USDA Agricultural Research Service, 1971. By Roberta Bailey Sweet potatoes can be
Tomatillos are prized for their sharp, clean taste and, once cooked, for their thick sauciness. They are used in salads, desserts, soups, sauces, and stews. Illustration from The Principles of Vegetable Gardening, by L.H. Bailey, MacMillan, London, 1901. By Roberta Bailey Each year I seem to get excited about a different fruit or vegetable. Last
Sorrel can grow large and ragged over the summer, and goes to seed. Cut it back in August to produce succulent, young growth again the fall. Protect the plants with a cold frame or other cover and you’ll be able to harvest these tangy leaves well into the fall. English photo. By Jean Ann
Sharon Tisher of MOFGA’s board of directors and Russ Libby, MOFGA’s executive director, tasted apple samples that John Bunker provided at a MOFGA retreat last fall. Their ratings were combined with those of others to help Bunker identify some of the tastiest apples that grow in Maine. English photos. By John Bunker As coordinator of
Toki Oshima drawing By Ralph Turner, P.E. The benefits of biodiesel have generated considerable interest in Maine, especially in the environmental and agricultural communities. Biodiesel is chemically converted from vegetable and animal fats to be similar to diesel, but with lower regulated emissions and better health effects in most respects. Maine recently adopted a definition
By Eric Sideman, Ph.D. In the fall I attended the 100th anniversary, annual meeting of the American Society for Horticultural Sciences in Providence, Rhode Island. The ASHS has a good mix of members representing university researchers, Extension educators and industry who study all aspects of crop production. The reports covered very basic plant science to
The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy conducted a census of turkeys in the winter of 2002-2003. The results are encouraging – and concerning. Populations of standard varieties of turkeys are increasing, but the number of hatcheries actually breeding standard turkeys is declining. While standard turkeys are being brought back from the brink of extinction, they are
Blue Cohosh. Illustration from USDA Miscellaneous Publication No. 77, Washington, D.C, July, 1930. The Herb Hunters Guide – American Medicinal Plants of Commercial Importance, by A.F. Sievers, Senior Biochemist, Office of Drug and Related Plants, Bureau of Plant Industry. By Deb Soule Blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides), a member of the Berberidaceae family, is a long-lived
Butterbeans, a cultivar of edible green vegetable soybeans, have a sweet, buttery flavor. Photo courtesy of Johnny’s Selected Seeds, Albion, Maine. By Roberta Bailey Nearly 20 years ago, I wrote an article for The MOF&G entitled, “What is tofu?” At the time tofu was not available in convenient, pre-packed cartons on any grocery store shelf,
By Roberta Bailey This summer I trialed 10 varieties of green soybeans for a local seed company. I planted and labeled each variety carefully, then took notes at various stages of development. The crowning event was the edamame (green soybean) taste-off. I steamed each variety separately, then shelled them into individual bowls. All of them
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