Around the world in 80 plant video from Hurdal

Presenting the entire 3 hour Around the World in 80 plants talk (in English for the first time), which was live streamed yesterday from Kjøkkenhagen in Hurdal Ecovillage, Norway across the world wide web . Links to the 3 parts, so far only on Facebook here:

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiMSyt7qqGE

Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIlkhwQ-t48

Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBxBwHzygpw

Some 100 vegetable fanatics had found their way to Hurdal for this “sell out” event. A fantastic international crowd of knowledgeable folks of all ages! Thanks specially to Berit Børte who arranged and promoted the event and to Ane Mari Aakernes for filming!! I’ll be back!!
Thanks also to the board of the newly established Norwegian Seed Savers organisation who had a successful steering committee meeting without me in parallel with my talk…you’ll see them at the end of Part 3!

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The vegetable crowd!

 

Jicama-ahipa à la Henry quinoa

One of the culinary highlights of the year is the annual Jicama (hee-ka-ma) meal….if you’ve never eaten yam beans or Jicama (Pachyrhizus erosus), you haven’t lived!
I grow this subtropical vegetable in my office, which only gets sunlight for maximum 1 hour a day which isn’t optimal conditions (they are usually grown in open fields), but being a climber originates in forests, so it tolerates shade. I grew it’s brother on-climbing Ahipa (Pachyrhizus ahipa) beside it, but that species didn’t produce much (perhaps it’s more sensitive to light?). I also didn’t think the taste was as good.  Both species died down at the end of the year and I harvested the tubers in early January!
Jicama tubers are best eaten raw and are crispy and a little sweet. Being one of the lost crops of the Incas, much more popular in the Americas than in Europe, I served them sliced with a cooked quinoa mix – mixed home grown Quinoa and black-grained Henry quinoa from Good King Henry (Chenopodium bonus-henricus), flavoured with chilis and lemony sanshō seeds (Zanthoxylum piperitum or Japanese pepper).
NB! Both species, Ahipa and Jicama are normally started from seed which I haven’t succeeded in growing myself!
Day Two: I didn’t eat it all yesterday, I needed a bit more, so I cooked up a third species quinoa, Fat Hen quinoa (Meldestokk quinoa), from the seed of one plant of Fat Hen or Lamb’s Quarters (Chenopodium album). It was added to yesterday’s to give a Three species quinoa and jicama salad (two pictures added)

The svedjerug story

https://vimeo.com/124598269
Follow the link above for a good video in English where Johan Swärd, winner of the Norwegian Plant Heritage prize,  tells the story of Svedjerug (literally Slash and Burn Rye), an old variety which was rescued when a few seeds  were found between the floorboards on an old farm in Finnskogen, Norway before being grown out at the Hamar Domkirkeodden Urtehagen (Herb garden at the Hamar Cathedral ruins; see a picture of one of the plants growing there in 1988: https://no.wikisource.org/wiki/Svedjebruk#/media/File:Ryesod.JPG).  Johan got his seeds from there and has done great work in popularising it (I can now even buy flour and grain in one of the better supermarkets in Trondheim):
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It’s a very tall rye (over 2m) traditionally sown in summer and harvested the year after as part of the slash and burn agriculture (spruce forest) introduced by the Forest Finns (Skogfinner) to parts of Norway and Sweden. Johan tells how as many as 100 straws can in optimal conditions be produced from a single seed and up to 100 grains in each ear, an amazing total of 10,000 grains from a single plant! He also explains why it is important not only to store old varieties like Svedjerug in gene banks like Svalbard, but also to continue to grow them and select them for changing conditions.
Seed of Svedjerug has been offered in our Norwegian Seed Savers Yearbook (norwegianseedsavers.no), coming out in February, another good reason to support our work!

Below are two pictures taken during a workshop Johan gave at the Permaculture Festival in Hurdal in 2013!

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Svedjerug grows this high!!


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Mini tour of Canada

Thanks to my long-term “virtual” friend, vegetable and fertilizer innovator extraodinaire Michel Lachaume, I have been invited by well-known Québécois farmer and author Jean-Martin Fortier to hold a seminar at the farm he manages in Hemmingford, Quebec: permaculture-inspired  la Ferme des Quatres-temps for leading chefs in the area! This will probably be on 11th April!

You can read more about Jean-Martin here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Martin_Fortier

I’m going to take advantage of this amazing opportunity to do a little mini-tour of Canada, do a bit of teaching, learning and experience early spring edibles in another part of the world in nature and gardens! Here’s my rough tentative itinerary
Arrive Vancouver 28th March
29th March – 4th April: Salt Spring Island – Victoria –  Vancouver
(5th – 6th April) Halifax, NS (uncertain)
7th – 12th (Montreal – Quebec – Ottawa area) with 11th at the farm!
13th Toronto (Botanical garden?)
13th Evening flight back to Norway!

An ornithological sensation: Red-breasted flycatcher in Malvik!

The most unexpected bird to appear in my garden was an adult male red-breasted flycatcher (dvergfluesnapper) on 25th May 1995, found unfortunately dead on the door step :(
This is still the only sighting inland in the old Sør-Trøndelag county and the only spring sighting in Trøndelag!
I must admit that I thought it was a robin (rødstrupe)…it was my wife Eileen that said “that’s no robin” :)

THE NEW EDIMENTALS SEED TRADE LIST FOR 2016-2017

21st January 2017
Welcome to my new seed trade list for 2016-17.
14, 15 and 16 in brackets indicates the harvesting year for the seed. Concerning seed quantity: as I don’t have many plants of each species, seed quantity is limited in most cases. Therefore, for some species you may only get a few seeds. Many species are harvested in my garden. Others are surplus from trade and purchase.
OUT: Means out of stock.
NB! Cultivars do not always come true. I offer them anyway, but no guarantees to what you will get!
If you don’t have anything I’m interested in trading for, the only possibility is to support Norwegian Seed Savers ( http://www.norwegianseedsavers.no)  as I offer much of this seed exclusively through our Yearbook which will be out in February!
Botanical Name (year of harvest)
NB! Traditional vegetables are at the end of the list with (mostly) common English names first.
Acanthopanax henryi (14)
Achyranthes aspera (14)
Aconitum lycoctonum (15)
Adenophora uehatae (15)
Agastache foeniculum (15, 14,13)
Agastache rugosa “Golden Jubilee” (15)
Alcea nudiflora (16)
Allium albidum (16)
Allium altissimum (16) Uncertain ID
Allium amphibolum (16)
Allium angulosum (16)
Allium angulosum Ex-Kazakhstan (16)
Allium atroviolaceum (15)
Allium beesianum (14)
Allium brevistylum (16,14)
Allium caeruleum (16, 14)
Allium caesium Ex-Kyrgyzstan (16)
Allium carinatum ssp. pulchellum (14)
Allium carolinianum (16)
Allium cernuum mix (15, 14)
Allium cernuum mix large plants (16)
Allium cernuum “Dark Scape” (16, 15, 14)
Allium cernuum ‘Dwarf White” (15, 14)
Allium cernuum “OR KA A” (Wild oregon) (13)
Allium cernuum ‘Pink Giant’ (16, 15, 14)
Allium crenulatum (14)
Allium darwasicum (16)
Allium daghestanicum (16)
Allium decipiens (14)
Allium dictyoprasum (16)
Allium drummondii (16)
Allium douglasii (16, 14)
Allium ericetorum Ex-Carpathian Mountains (14)
Allium fistulosum Ex-“Aprelsky” (15, 14)
Allium fistulosum Ex-“Elfried Søvoll” (15, 14) (Norwegian heirloom onion)
Allium fistulosum Ex-“Gribovskiy 21” (15,14)
Allium fistulosum Ex-“Ludmilla’ Datcha” (15, 14)
Allium fistulosum Ex-“Mongolia” (15)
Allium fistulosum Ex-“Nedre Gjetsiden” (15, 14) (Norwegian turf roof heirloom onion)
Allium fistulosum Ex-“Nerøygarden” (15) (Norwegian turf roof heirloom onion)
Allium fistulosum Ex-“Sve” (15, 14) (Norwegian turf roof heirloom onion)
Allium flavum “Blue Leaf” (15)
Allium flavum flavum minus (14)
Allium hymenorrhizum (16)
Allium insubricum (16, 14)
Allium jesdianum ssp angustitepalum (16)
Allium karataviense Ex-“Ivory Queen” (16)
Allium leucanthum (16)
Allium maximowiczii var shibutsuense (14)
Allium moly (15)
Allium nutans (16) ALL1245 (IPK)
Allium nutans “Caroline” (14)
Allium nutans “Isabelle” (16)
Allium nutans “Lena” (16)
Allium nutans “Seedlings” (16)
Allium obliquum (14)
Allium pallasii (16)
Allium petraeum Ex-Kyrgyzstan (16)
Allium przewalskianum Ex-Kyrgyzstan (16) 4 accessions from China!
Allium pskemense (16) 2 accessions from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan
Allium “Purple King” (15)
Allium ramosum (15)
Allium rotundum (Allium scorodoprasum ssp jajlae) (16) 2 accessions
Allium rubens Ex-Kazakhstan (16)
Allium sarawschanicum (16)
Allium schoenoprasoides Ex-Kazakhstan (16)
Allium schoenoprasum v. alpinum “Album”(14)
Allium schoenoprasum v. alvarense(16)
Allium schoenoprasum “Black Pedicels” (16, 15, 14)
Allium schoenoprasum “Black Isle Blush” (15, 14)
Allium schoenoprasum “Flower Goddess” (15) (Chinese seed)
Allium schoenoprasum “Forescate” (16)
Allium schoenoprasum “Grande” (14)
Allium schoenoprasum “Grolau” (14)
Allium schoenoprasum “Hylau Sprint” (16)
Allium schoenoprasum “Major” (15)
Allium schoenoprasum “Middleman” (16)
Allium schoenoprasum var. yezomonticola (16)
Allium senescens “SSHB” (16)
Allium senescens x nutans hybrids (Ex-Mark McDonough) (16)
Allium senescens x nutans “Broad leaf” (Ex-Mark McDonough) (16)
Allium splendens (16)
Allium stipitatum (16,15)
Allium tuberosum(16)
Allium tuberosum(16) from Finland
Allium victorialis ‘Alpbed’ (15)
Allium victorialis ‘Cantabria’ (15)
Allium victorialis ‘Ex-Granvin, SW Norway’ (16,15)
Allium victorialis ‘Lofoten’ (16)
Allium victorialis (received as A. ochotense from Tromsø)(15)
Allium wallichii (16) 3 accessions
Althaea cannabina (14)
Amaranthus tricolor “Long Leaf Purple” (14)
Anemone rivularis (15)
Angelica brevicaulis (Kazakhstan) (16)
Aquilegia caerulea (15)
Aquilegia vulgaris variegata (16)
Aralia californica (15, 14)
Aralia cordata (16, 15, 14)
Aralia elata (16)
Artemisia genipi (15)
Asphodeline lutea (14)
Astragalus glycyphyllus (14)
Athyrium felix-femina (16) (spores)
Atriplex halimus (15)
Atriplex hortensis lutea (14)
Atriplex hortensis rubra (16, 15)
Atriplex portulacoides (15)
Barbarea vulgaris (15)
Barbarea vulgaris variegata (15, 14)
Begonia shepherdii (14)
Beta maritima (14)
Beta vulgaris “Dracaena Leaves” (14)
Bidens tripartita (14)
Bistorta officinalis ssp pacifica (16)
Boehmeria sieboldiana (14)
Broussonetia kazinoki (15)
Bryonia alba (14)
Bunias orientalis (15)
Cacalia delphinifolia (14)
Calendula “Flashback Mix” (14)
Camassia leichtlinii “Pink” (15)
Campanula alliarifolia (14)
Campanula cervicaria (15)
Campanula glomerata “Alba”(15)
Campanula latifolia “Purple Throat” (16)
Campanula persicifolia “White Double” (15)
Campanula trachelium “White/purple eye) (14)
Canna edulis (James Wong) (14)
Caragana arborescens (16)
Cardaria draba (15,14)
Carduus crispus (15)
Carex “Majken” (15)
Carica papaya (16) from Amazonas
Carum carvi (16) wild
Carum carvi “Pink flowered” (16)
Caucalis platycarpos (16)
Cedronella canariensis (14)
Centaurea macrocephala (15)
Centaurea “Ball mix” (13)
Chaenomeles cathayensis (15)
Chenopodium foliosum (15, 14)
Chenopodium bonus-henricus (14) 4 accessions
Chenopodium ambrosioides (15, 14)
Cirsium canum (14)
Cirsium tuberosum (15)
Clintonia borealis (15)
Clintonia udensis “Black” (16)
Codonopsis bulleyana (15)
Codonopsis clematidea (15)
Codonopsis grey-wilsonii (16)
Codonopsis lanceolata (15) Chinese seed
Codonopsis pilosula (15)
Codonopsis rotundifolia “Grandiflora” (15)
Codonopsis tangshen (15)
Codonopsis viridiflora (15)
Coelopleurum rupestre (16)
Crambe abyssinica(12)
Crambe cordifolia (16)
Crataegus aff. coccinea (14)
Dahlia australis (14)
Dahlia coccinea palmeri (14)
Debregeasia edulis “Elite” (15)
Dianthus barbatus “Sooty” (15)
Dianthus oschotenicus (15)
Diphyllea grayi (16)
Dipsacus japonicus (16)
Disporum smithii (16)
Dracocephalum integrifolium (16)
Echium vulgare (14)
Elsholtzia ciliata (16)
Epilobium angustifolium album (14)
Epilobium latifolium (16)
Epilobium latifolium Caerphilly Castle” (14)
Erechtites hieraciifolius(14)
Eupatorium cannabinum (14)
Fagopyrum acutatum (14)
Fagopyrum tataricum (15)
Fritillaria pallidiflora (14)
Gentiana tibetica (14)
Geranium thunbergii (16)
Globularia cordifolia (15)
Girardinia septentrionalis (14)
Hablitzia tamnoides (Mixed) (16,15, 14)
Hablitzia tamnoides Ex-Tampere, Finland (16,15, 14)
Hablitzia tamnoides Ex- Sweden (16,15, 14)
Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus (15)
Heuchera cylindrica (14)
Hordeum jubatum (14)
Hosta sieboldiana ”Elegans” (14,13)
Houttuynia cordata (14)
Hyssopus tianschanicus (16)
Impatiens tinctoria (14)
Knautia macedonica (15)
Laser trilobum (16)
Lavatera arborea variegata (15)
Lavatera thuringiaca (15)
Lepidium campestre (15)
Lepidium latifolium (15)
Leucanthemum maximum “Alaska” (15)
Leucanthemum x superbum “Marconi” (16)
Leucanthemum vulgare (CHRY113 from IPK) (13)
Levisticum officinale (16)
Ligularia fischeri (16, 15, 14)
Ligularia heterophylla (15)
Lilium callosum (14)
Lilium martagon (16)
Lilium martagon cattaniae (16)
Lilium pardalinum? (14)
Lupinus pilosus (14)
Lychnis coronaria (15)
Lycopus exaltatus (15, 14)
Malva alcea (15)
Malva moschata (15)
Malva sylvestris mauritanica (14)
Malva verticillata (16)
Marrubium vulgare (16)
Meconopsis (unknown Blue Himalaya Poppy) (14)
Medicago sativa (15)
Melissa officinalis (14)
Mentha asiatica Ex-Kyrgyzstan (16)
Mertensia paniculata (15, 14)
Molopospermum peloponnesiacum (16)
Monarda punctata (14)
Myosoton aquaticum (14)
Omphalogramma delavayi (15)
Onopordon acanthium (15)
Oplopanax horridus (16, 15, 14)
Origanum vulgare hirtum (14)
Oxyria digyna (16)
Pachyphragma macrophyllum (15)
Papaver nudicaule (14)
Papaver somniferum “Mix” (16)
Papaver somniferum “Russian Mix”” (16)
Parasenecio maximowiczianum (16) Few
Pelataria alliacea (16)
Phlomis tuberosa (16)
Phyteuma confusa (14)
Phyteuma nigra (16)
Phyteuma spicatum caeruleum (14)
Phyteuma ovatum (14)
Phytolacca americana (16)
Phytolacca americana “Sunny Side Up” (14)
Pinus armandii (15)
Plantago antarctica (16)
Plantago camschatica (14)
Plantago coronopus “Erba Stella” (13)
Plantago maritima (15)
Plantago rugelii (14)
Pleurospermum spp (15) (China)
Polygonatum multiflorum var ramossissima (16)
Polygonatum pubescens (16)
Polygonum orientale “Variegata” (14)
Prenanthes alba (14)
Prenanthes purpurea (14)
Primula japonica (16)
Primula veris “Red Strain” (16)
Pulsatilla vulgaris (14)
Pycnanthemum muticum (15)
Pycnanthemum pilosum (15)
Rheum australe (15)
Rheum “Cally Giant” (15)
Rheum ribes (15)
Ribes americanum (16)
Ribes illecebrosus (15)
Ribes petraeum biebersteinii (16)
Rollinia mucosa (16) Amazonas
Rosa sericea (16)
Rubus idaeus “Gulbringebær”(15)
Rubus idaeus “White Russian”(16)
Rubus occidentalis (wild) (16)
Rubus occidentalis “Black Hawk” (16)
Rubus occidentalis “Jewel” (15)
Rubus phoenicolasius (16)
Rumex crispa (16)
Rumex nepalensis (16)
Rumex patientia (14)
Rumex sanguineus (15, 14)
Rumex scutatus (16)
Sanguisorba canadensis (15)
Sanguisorba minor (14)
Sanguisorba stipulata (14)
Scorpiurus (14)
Silene dioica “Purple Prince” (15)
Silene latifolia (14)
Silene vulgaris rosea (14)
Silphium perfoliatum (14)
Silybum marianum (14)
Sinacalia tangutica (16)
Sium sisarum (16) (Skirret)
Sonchus oleraceus (15)
Stachys officinalis (14)
Stachys palustris (15)
Stachys recta (15)
Streptopus amplexifolius (15)
Streptopus roseus (16)
Tagetes (16)
Taraxacum ceratophorum (16)
Taraxacum officinale “Improved” (16, 15)
Taraxacum officinale “Lyonell” (16)
Taraxacum officinale “Moss-leaved” (16)
Taraxacum officinale ‘Pissenlit Coeur Plein Ameliore’ (16, 15)
Taraxacum officinale “Vert de Montmagny Ameliore” (16)
Taraxacum pseudoroseum (16, 15, 14)
Taraxacum rubifolium (16, 15,14)
Taraxacum spp. (16) (Izu peninsula, Japan)
Taraxacum spp. “Vennafjellet” (15)
Tradescantia ohiensis (16)
Tricyrtis spp. (15)
Tulipa montana (15)
Urera baccifera (15)
Urtica dioica “Danae Johnston” (15)
Urtica ferox (15)
Urtica laetevirens (14)
Urtica pilulifera (14)
Veratrum californicum (16)
Viola brevistipula var ciliata (16)
Viola crassa (16)
Viola kamtschadalorum (16)
Viola x wittrockii “Schweitzer Riesen” (15)
Withania somnifera (16)
Wyethia amplexicaulis (15)
Zanthoxylum spp. (16)

Vegetables

Asparagus (old variety from Tjøme) (14)
Asparagus (Japanese variety) (15)
Asparagus Pea (16)
Basella rubra (16, 15, 14,13)
Bean ”Turkish Beans from Geitmyra” (14)
Broccoli Ex-“9 star perennial” (142) (open pollinated)
Broccoli “Purple Peacock” (14)
Broccoli Raab (Cima de rapa) “Sessantina” (16) (Flowering turnip tops)
Burdock (15) (5 different Japanese varieties) (15)
Cabbage “Chou de Jalhay” (15) Few
Cabbage “Julikongen” (14)
Cauliflower “Purple” (14)
Chicory “Barba di Cappuccino” (15)
Chicory “Bianca” (15)
Chicory “Castelfranco variegata” (15)
Chicory “Catalogna gigante di Chioggia” (15)
Chicory “Di Chiavari” (15)
Chicory “De taglio bionda a foglie larghe” (16)
Chicory “Orchidea Rossa” (13)
Chicory “Rossa di Verona Sel. Arca” (15)
Chicory “Selvatico da Campo” (15)
Chicory “Variegata di lusia (precoce)” (15)
Chili “Martin’s Carrot” (13)
Chili “Thai sun” (13)
Chinese Cabbage “Green Rocket F1” (15)
Chinese Cabbage “Heading” (14) (Japanese seed)
Chinese Lxeris (15)
Collards “Winter Queen” (14)
Coriander “Calypso” (15)
Coriander “Confetti” (16)
Cucumber “Parad” (Russian var.) (14)
Cucumber “Zasolochni” (Russian var.) (14)
Endive “Green Curled” (13)
Green onion “Piazcheh” (16) (Iranian, prob. Allium fistulosum)
Kale “Couve Galega” (14) (2 accessions)
Kale “Maori” (15)
Kale «Red Russian» (13)
Kale ‘Sukuma Wiki’ (15) From Kenya (Perennial?)
Kale “Thousand Head” (14)
Kale “Daubenton / Late purple Sprouting brocolli” (16) (F2)
Kale “Wild Perennial / Washington Beach” (13)
Kale “OP perennial grex, strongly perennial” (13)
Kale “Daubenton Grex variegated” (15)
Kale “Alan Kapuler collard x OP Perennial grex” (13)
Kale “Purple Tree collards x Daubenton OP grex” (13)
Kale “Daubenton x ?” (13) Light coloured leaves very bushy heavy flowering
Kale “Spis bladene x OP perennial grex” (13)
Kale “Daubenton x Laciniato ?” (13)
Kale “Purple Tree Collard x Laciniato” (13)
Kale “Steely Green x Walking Stick” (13)
Kale “Red Cavalier” (13)
Kohlrabi “Azur Star” (13)
Leek “Musselburgh” (14)
Leek “Blue Green Autumn” (16)
Leek “King Richard” (15)
Leek “Musselburgh” (14)
Luffa (16)
Oriental Greens ‘Anatsonga’ (15) (Madagascar)
Oriental Greens “Jingpintadiwu” (Brassica campestris ssp chinensis) (12)
Oriental Greens ‘Choy Sum Purple’ (15)
Oriental Greens ‘Choy Sum Purple Flowering’ (15)
Oriental Greens ‘Early Mibuna’ (14)
Oriental Greens ‘Frilly’ (13)
Oriental Greens ‘Giant Red” (13)
Oriental Greens ‘Green Wave” (13)
Oriental Greens ‘Kekkya Takana” (13)
Oriental Greens ‘Misome’ (14)
Oriental Greens ‘Mispoona’ (14)
Oriental Greens “Pak Choy Color and Crunch” (12)
Oriental Greens “Ramirebaka” (15) (Brassica chinensis) (Madagascar)
Oriental Greens “Red Mizuna” (14)
Oriental Greens “Red Streaked” (14)
Oriental Greens “Swollen Stem Tsai Tsai Round” (12)
Oriental Greens “Wtatsai” (15)
Parsley “Italian Giant” (14)
Parsley “Moss Curled” (14)
Parsley “Russian Curly” (14)
Parsnip (16)
Pea “Salmon Flowered” (16)
Perilla (16)
Physalis “Aunt Molly” (14)
Potato onion (14) (True seed)
Purslane (16)
Quinoa “Stephe” (16)
Radish (leaf variety) (16) (Japanese seed)
Radish “Daikon Sasha” (15) (Russian)
Radish “Duro” (15) (Russian)
Radish “China Rose” (14)
Radish “French Breakfast” (14)
Radish “Minowase” (15)
Radish “Munchen Bier” (13)
Radish “Rat’s Tail” (15)
Radish “Rosa” (15)
Radish “Runder Schwarzer Winter” (16)
Radish “Scarlet Globe” (13)
Radish “Zlata” (14)
Shungiku (Chrysanthemum Greens) “Garland Round leaved” (13)
Shungiku (Chrysanthemum Greens) (15)
Sorrel (7 Russian varieties) (14)
Spring onion (15) (9 Japanese varieties)
Spring onion “Ramrod” (14)
Spring onion “White Lisbon” (14)
Swiss Chard “Joy Larkcom’s Midnight” (14)
Tomato ”Goldene Konigin” (16)
Tomato “Ilse’s Orange Latvian”(15)
Tomato “Moonglow”(15)
Tomato “Siberian” (15)
Turnip Greens “Rapa Senza Testa” (13)
Turnip Greens “Wild Broccoli Raab” (15)
Turnip tops (15)
Watercress (15)
Water spinach (15) (Ipomoea aquatica)