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Post by woodeye on Aug 14, 2022 4:00:06 GMT -6
The conversations about water, or lack of water, led me to think about a size comparison of the earth and its water that I saw a few years ago. I found it online and here it is...
www.usgs.gov/media/images/all-earths-water-a-single-sphere
"Spheres representing all of Earth's water, Earth's liquid fresh water, and water in lakes and rivers The largest sphere represents all of Earth's water. Its diameter is about 860 miles (the distance from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Topeka, Kansas) and has a volume of about 332,500,000 cubic miles (mi3) (1,386,000,000 cubic kilometers (km3)). This sphere includes all of the water in the oceans, ice caps, lakes, rivers, groundwater, atmospheric water, and even the water in you, your dog, and your tomato plant."
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Post by triffid on Aug 18, 2022 21:46:57 GMT -6
Thanks for the tag in the weather thread chrysanthemum, I'll continue any weather discussion there. woodeye, that image really puts into perspective how precious all water on Earth is yet so much is treated as a waste disposal site.
To answer your question, people do grow okra here, though I do not believe there is much demand outside of ethnic minorities. One can pick up seeds from most companies. A polytunnel or greenhouse helps, especially to get them started in the spring. In the south they'd do fine outside in a sheltered spot. We definitely need selections adapted to our climate for them to be reliable, though.
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Post by chrysanthemum on Aug 19, 2022 9:30:22 GMT -6
triffid , my tag is the weather thread was not at all meant that you couldn’t discuss weather in this one. I am particularly interested in knowing how your extreme weather has affected the beans you are growing this year. I just wanted you to be aware of the other one. (Okra excursus: Okra is definitely popular on this forum, but it’s not so widespread a taste in America as you might think from reading over here. It’s definitely more of a Southern thing, but even growing up in the Southern state of Virginia, none of my school peers ever had okra on their tables that I knew of. Lots of them didn’t know what it was if they’d visit my house and see my mom’s garden. I think my mom (a northerner) only learned of it because of my dad (a southerner). I didn’t even like okra as a kid, but I love it know. It’s one of those foods that people seem to love or hate. I now love it in its traditional Southern fried okra, but I also really lik (Asian) Indian recipes for okra. Bhindi Masala with okra, onion, pepper, and tomato is probably our most common way of eating it in this household. I imagine those kind of dishes are the form in which it’s more consumed in England.) Back to “Obscure Heirloom Bean” now. Any updates?
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Aug 19, 2022 11:30:47 GMT -6
Back when I worked in Upper New York State, we lived so far North of the Adirondacks that we couldn't get American TV broadcasts, so we had to listen to French Canadian Radio and Television stations while working up there.
One evening, while watching a cooking show, the host proclaimed, "I'm going to cook something tonight that most of you have probably never heard of before!" We were all waiting in anticipation of what exotic food it might be, then he pulled out a bowl full of okra to cut up and fry. My wife and I about fell out of our chairs laughing! Okra down here is as common as dirt. Every poor person in Cherokee County knows what okra is.
We had okra, tomatoes, and corn for lunch today. It's just a dish very similar to succotash, to be eaten cooled and ladled over sliced bread during hot Summer weather when no one wants a hot lunch.
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Post by woodeye on Aug 21, 2022 3:46:42 GMT -6
Thanks for the tag in the weather thread chrysanthemum, I'll continue any weather discussion there. woodeye, that image really puts into perspective how precious all water on Earth is yet so much is treated as a waste disposal site. To answer your question, people do grow okra here, though I do not believe there is much demand outside of ethnic minorities. One can pick up seeds from most companies. A polytunnel or greenhouse helps, especially to get them started in the spring. In the south they'd do fine outside in a sheltered spot. We definitely need selections adapted to our climate for them to be reliable, though. triffid, That is exactly right, well said...
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Post by macmex on Aug 21, 2022 7:30:33 GMT -6
Ron, we make that very same dish with okra. It's simply WONDERFUL!
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Post by triffid on Sept 6, 2022 4:36:17 GMT -6
First ripe Myrtle Allen pod depicted below. Those look like the quality of bumps and curves that would be appreciated by Appalachian folk If I had to guess, Remy picked these up at Best's seed swap along with the Eddie Sim's Traveling bean, which is growing well with appx. the same date to maturity as North Carolina Long Greasy E.
Also, I happened to find out a little about the White Simpson Greasy: Donated to SSE by the late Dr. James Wolfe (TN WO J) who acquired this variety in 1990 from the family of Mrs. Nora Simpson, Rogersville, Tennessee. SSE Accession # 104959
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Sept 6, 2022 11:40:40 GMT -6
That is one good-looking pod!
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Post by triffid on Sept 11, 2022 15:09:44 GMT -6
On closer inspection today it seems that Eddie Sim's Traveling is a greasy bean! But one of those 'it's quite shiny, I suppose..' greasy beans. Fresh out the shower, applied moisturiser type greasy bean. Then you have White Simpson Greasy, which looks like it was buffed to a high shine and dipped in brilliantine. The photo doesn't even do them justice, they sparkle in the sun.
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Post by chrysanthemum on Sept 11, 2022 15:32:58 GMT -6
Wow. I think I counted a dozen catchlights in that photo. Reflective beans!
When is your typical first frost? (I apologize if I’ve asked before. Your climate is so different from ours, I don’t know whether you’re warm or cold these days.)
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Post by triffid on Sept 13, 2022 2:30:14 GMT -6
It does vary depending on the prevailing wind, high pressure or low pressure etc., but the local average is mid-December.
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Post by macmex on Sept 13, 2022 9:40:53 GMT -6
Gorgeous beans! You are blessed to have such a late frost too! Sounds like you should have a prolonged harvest!
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Post by rdback on Sept 13, 2022 10:46:39 GMT -6
George, with triffid in Zone 9a, and frost not until December, how do you think Oaxacan Cream would fair for him? I fear we may be losing this bean so it might be worth a shot, if triffid is willing. Just a thought.
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Post by macmex on Sept 13, 2022 12:34:12 GMT -6
That's a WONDERFUL idea! I fear the few seeds I have are now dead. But Glen might have some. Might be a bit of a challenge to get them out of Panama now....
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Post by triffid on Sept 15, 2022 6:31:44 GMT -6
I wasn't familiar with the Oaxacan Cream saga so I read the two dedicated topics last night in an attempt to educate myself. Quite a fascinating series of events and goodness, what a challenging variety!
It might have a chance here, and I'd be willing to give it a go. Always glad to help in any way I can when it comes to biodiversity conservation.
Last season I was picking pods until the end of October, when I brought the last greasy beans inside to dry. The main issue will be the weather in that critical period. While it isn't freezing, it can be cold and wet.
Polytunnel culture may be a solution, if the heat can be mitigated during the summer.
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