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Post by heavyhitterokra on Nov 3, 2023 18:33:03 GMT -6
I guess I pull off a seed crop every year by over-planting. I had 12 rows of okra this year, double-planted; on average the rows were 150 feet long. If it had been a good year, who knows what that could have made, but it was a very bad year, so I barely got by.
Hank came by today to help Shell Okra. We worked for 6 hours straight. We've got 27.1 pounds of seeds shelled out so far, (one sandbag full and some change).
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Post by kenneth on Nov 4, 2023 14:48:17 GMT -6
This year I tried something different when I cut my stalks down. My neighbor bought a battery powered pole saw and I had been using it for about six weeks. I decided to to cut the okra stalks with it. This is the easy way to do it. You do not have to bend over, it is fast and you press the switch to start it. The only problem is you will find limbs and bushes to cut and this creates more work.
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Post by FrostyTurnip on Nov 4, 2023 19:06:02 GMT -6
This year I tried something different when I cut my stalks down. My neighbor bought a battery powered pole saw and I had been using it for about six weeks. I decided to to cut the okra stalks with it. This is the easy way to do it. You do not have to bend over, it is fast and you press the switch to start it. The only problem is you will find limbs and bushes to cut and this creates more work. Good idea! I could use my battery powered chain saw on the thick okra stalks next year. Heavy Hitter can rival small tree saplings in their girth.
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Post by hedgeapple on Nov 5, 2023 7:49:29 GMT -6
For the first time I decided to break out a small chainsaw for my okra stalks this year. It was that or use a hatchet or hand saw because none of my loppers were going to get around these giants.
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Nov 6, 2023 11:50:34 GMT -6
You guys have got me to thinking about that chainsaw trimmer to cut down okra stalks. That sounds like it ought to work pretty well. I've got one of those electric trimmers that I hardly ever use. That would be a good thing to try. I've got power to the garden. My rows are about 150' feet long though, and cover a half-acre of ground. I couldn't reach them all with the power cords I have on hand, but I'll bet it would definitely be worth while to stretch them all out to reach what I can.
I've lost count of what day we're on with the okra seed shelling project, but we've shelled out 45.1 pounds of seed so far.
I'm cooking a pot roast and potatoes for a late lunch today, so we won't starve after we get going on the okra again. I've got a big pot of hot coffee on and just now pulled two loaves of banana bread out of the oven. So we ought to be set to go another round.
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Nov 6, 2023 18:01:31 GMT -6
We shelled out another 18.1 pounds of seed today, bringing our total up to 63.2 pounds. We lived high on the hog today, eating pot roast, potatoes, and banana bread, with plenty of black coffee and plenty of mulberry leaf tea.
It was a good day. It was bright and sunny all day long and got up to 82°. We sat in the shade, wearing short sleeve shirts and were happy for the last few leaves still clinging to the pear tree.
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Nov 7, 2023 18:59:40 GMT -6
Today was another absolutely beautiful day! We've had so many beautiful days in a row that I've lost count. It was 84° degrees here by 2:30 this afternoon. We shelled out another 16 pounds of Heavy Hitter Okra seed today, (the smoking of two racks of ribs set us behind schedule by a couple of pounds, but we ate well).
We're up to 79 pounds of seed so far and still going.
We've sold seeds to Baker Creek every year since 2019, totaling 430 pounds.
Counting the 79 pounds that we have on hand, that makes 509 pounds of seed that we've shelled out over the past 5 years. We celebrated our 500th pound today by taking a short break to down some smoked pork ribs and to finish off the last of another 10 cup pot of coffee.
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Nov 8, 2023 18:39:46 GMT -6
It was 84° again today, absolutely gorgeous weather all day long! Thank you, God!
We've shelled out 97 pounds of okra seed so far. Eighteen pounds of that was shelled out today. I baked a pumpkin pie and made chicken casserole for lunch this time, so I didn't spend quite as much time preparing meals as I did yesterday when I smoked two racks of ribs.
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Nov 9, 2023 18:28:15 GMT -6
It was a little bit nippy out there today, plus it was raining off and on, so we moved our seed shelling operation indoors. We shelled out 19 more pounds of seed okra today. Our total is now up to 116 pounds. We'll be finished tomorrow, we only have one box left. All I baked today was a batch of chocolate chip cookies. We lived off of leftovers and hot coffee today.
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Post by FrostyTurnip on Nov 10, 2023 1:18:08 GMT -6
It was definitely hoodie weather, today. Lil Miss and I love hoodie weather. We sneak around the block in stealth mode with our weapons tools in hand scouting for a band of robbers squirrels burying their stolen merchandise nuts- hoping we the dog can catch them in the act and pounce on them. Save the day!
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Nov 10, 2023 16:49:59 GMT -6
It was a lot warmer today, so we moved our shelling operation back outside in the sun. Even though it was 47° when I started, it warmed up pretty fast as the day wore on. I think it got up to about 66° by noon or so. The sun sure felt good on our backs, plus the brighter light made it a lot easier to see what we were doing.
We quit early today, but we still got 14 pounds of seed processed. We're up to 130 pounds now, but we're just about out of okra pods. I'll spend tomorrow winnowing and bagging seeds. I'll probably ship them sometime next week.
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MRH
New Member
Posts: 20
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Post by MRH on Nov 11, 2023 8:19:39 GMT -6
Hey there... I've only read around 12 pages or so, from the last forward 4 pages or so and couldn't figure out what all the fuss was about, so I went to the front and read 8 pages so far... Can you tell me if after 9 years, is this okra still true too original form....?..... I wish I'd read this before I went to Berea, KY, for on the way back I stopped at Baker Creek and picked up some Jing okra that I heard was the best flavored out there... I prolly picked up your okra and put it back.... LOL
On the other hand, I'd rather give my money too you rather than Baker..... Unless you want me too order from them.... I'm prolly just north of you and north of Sedan, KS....
I want too try Baker Creeks Dumplings so bad that I may drive the four hours or so back, for the chef told me they only serve them on Thursdays and Fridays.... Would be exspensive dumplings... LOL
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Nov 13, 2023 13:57:35 GMT -6
Mrh,
Great to hear from you again!
2013 just happened to be the year that I started the Heavy Hitter Okra thread for George's new (at the time) seed-saving forum. That year had nothing to do with the development of the seeds, that just happened to be when we started writing about them. I've been working on this strain for almost two decades now.
The seeds are still true to their original form in that they produce plants that branch heavily and they produce pods heavily. Each branch bears fruit, so the more branches the better. My personal best record so far was 65 branches, back in 2011. Twenty branches are fairly common.
I might be wrong, but I believe Heavy Hitter still holds the record for highest production in the State of Oklahoma.
My youngest son built us a seed-selling website a few years ago here's a link to that site:
www.heavyhitterokra.com/
We sell Heavy Hitter Okra seeds directly, a lot cheaper than Baker Creek's catalog price; just under half actually.
I've never had the fortune to visit Baker Creek's facility. I'll bet that place is nice!
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MRH
New Member
Posts: 20
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Post by MRH on Nov 13, 2023 16:02:12 GMT -6
They're not bad... I didn't go thru all the buildings, just the seed house, then the restaurant and the bakery, Man the bakery was good that day... It's only a vegan eatery, but I have too say it was Awesome eating... There was a gal from good ole cali forni, visiting someone and they went to have the dumplings and I messed up and told them they didn't have em till thursday, they weren't happy.... There was a gal there that turned out too be from Kentucky, and she had been looking at appalachian beans for a while, just never had the money too buy any, I found this out after I told her where I came from and asked if she'd like some, I haven't seen a woman that happy in a long time... LOL I gave half of whatever she wanted that I had, she was so happy she ran over too the shelves and too 7 packs of beans, two of which were butterbeans, one of which was the alabama blackeye I think, and she said, here, I said no don't do that, she said she had too..... ......... She said why would you do this, I was basically offering them too baker, but, I told her, because it's the Appalachian way, too share seeds that is, she said, I know, I'm from there.......... I also was shopping shoulder too shoulder with The couple from the Youtube channel, Living Traditions Homestead.... I was hoping too meet them, and when I seen them, I thought it would be weird to say anything, then shop with them.... LOL ... Yes, I'm the King of Lost Opportunity.... LOL ................................................When I started the thread, the original poster started it in 2014,, so I guess I thought you were someone that took over the project.. He also said that he had a plant or plants that had 70 plus branches,, so that's why I asked the question, if it was still true too original form?..... I know it's tuff being an commercial grower, but it your only getting an average of 25 branches then it's taken a big hit from the original, from what I've read..... That aside, I'd say we're lucky too still have it, so, thanks for that.....
I'll send you an order here shortly.... SMAC has the Missouri Wonder in stock, I've been looking for that for a few years now, so I'll order that and prolly several more tomato's, for they have some really nice Heirlooms from appalachia or so they say.... Some worth mentioning, only from my seeing them at the Seed Swap, would be, and I'm sure they picked the biggest ones for the swap, but my Goodness, there was one there that had too be 8-9 inches long by 4-5 inches tall by at least 4 inches wide, I could be, and probly am, off a tad, but if you'd seeen it, I mean, WoW! ... It was Judge Jack Miller, the pix on there website do not due it justice from what I seen at the show.. The bad news is she said, they won't have seed for sale till the first part of january... Bugger, I know, but you just want it in your hands.... LOL..... ..............Another one would be, and close too the same size is, Mary Rose McMurray... The Big Orange was a giant as well, and so was Hensley, and Anna Huthens was pretty big as well, though no Judge or McMurray.... I'm missing some but Bills favorites were, Vinsen Watts, and Willard Wynn, and two Tommie Toes out of Vinsen Watts are the, Robe Mountain tommie toe and the Basin Mountain tommie toe....... I'm retired now due too a back and arthritis disability's... I can do some and by not forcing myself to due things inspite of the pain, I've let most of my muscle go, and that's not good... Next year I'm hoping I'll be in a position where I can buy a piece of Dirt, though finding it is another story, especially at todays prices..... Anyways, I'm sure I saw you answering the original poster about this variety in 2014.... I'll have too go back and reread..... Anyways, Thanx and Take Care
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Nov 13, 2023 23:06:12 GMT -6
Mrh,
Have you ever considered leasing a garden spot? My garden spot is leased. The people who own it are not at all interested in selling it, but I offered to do upkeep on the place in exchange for a lease on the land and they agreed. I've been happily mowing it and tilling my garden spot there for the past 19+ years.
That lease idea has been beneficial to both parties for years and years. I basically pay the property tax each year and keep the place cleaned off in exchange for gardening privileges. Because of that deal we made, they now own land that is not being degraded over the years, due to neglect. The grass is mown, there are fruit trees planted, there is a campground area. There are picnic tables, I strung power down there and ran water to it from my well up on the hill. It has been a good trade for both sides. Plus keeping the place up makes the land a lot more enjoyable.
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