Mail Box: Free seeds, a new catalog and magazine, a garden club, and today's bonus, a list of on-line gardening groups:
Free Seeds! Winter Sown Educational Organization: I saw a message about free seeds being offered for a SASE on one of the garden groups I belong to, a while back. * So I went and visited the web-site and sent off my business sized SASE. I received back seven packets of seeds. The seeds I received were different than the ones the person first posting on the subject received; you have no choice. One of the varieties I was actually lusting after – Breadseed Poppies. Three others are related to plants I seem to be making collections of salvia, milkweed, and candy lily. But don’t get your heart set on something in particular. Be ready for a surprise. You will find complete details on how to easily and cheaply start your seeds, as well as the address to send you SASE at: http://www.wintersown.org/
Scam? – National Home Gardening Club: I am not sure that this is for real. The mailer uses all kinds of tactics I learned about in college: creating the illusion of exclusivity, complimenting the intended victim, appealing to greed by offering something for nothing. Additionally, long ago and far away, when my Son was a boy, he received a similar ‘offer’ but related to fishing instead of gardening. Anyway – they imply that you will get to test gardening supplies and then get to keep them. I am not holding my breath. But I did take the bait. I didn’t have to sign anything; I can cancel at anytime, and was promised free seed etc. I seem to be a sucker for free seeds – whether I need them or not. I will try to remember to keep you posted.
Plant Catalog – Forest Farm: I just received the spring 2006 catalog and it is really enticing as usual. The catalog cost $5.00, and is well worth it to avid gardeners and designers with a budget for plants. The catalog is about the size of an average paperback book, and it is packed with the largest selection I have ever run across. They specialize in woody plants, perennials, grasses, ferns, bamboo (including edible types), palms, and fruit. The catalog contains descriptions, requirements, botanical and common names, hardiness zones, and keys to uses including food, wildlife, fragrance, etc. While they have some bargains, this catalog is not really for the bargain seeker. It is more for those with a need for a certain specimen for a special spot, or for the experienced collector looking for hard to find varieties. A special note of interest to other Northern CA gardeners - they are located in the Pacific north west so plants should be adapted to our weather. You can visit their web site at: http://www.forrestfarm.com
Magazine - Cottage Living: This was a gift from an on-line gardening friend. Thanks!!! I recently received my first issue, and I really enjoyed looking at the photos and reading the articles. The have a great piece on growing citrus inside, instructions for a simple potting bench, and a list of gardening book recommendations. (Only one of which is familiar to me, Sunset’s Western Garden.) There were plenty of other articles and photos related to the Cottage Style. I even picked up a tip from their bathroom article, snagged myself some inexpensive baskets, and now my shampoo, etc. have a new home – Cottage style. http://www.cottageliving.com
Note from above – On-line gardening groups:
*I don’t remember which group it was. But if you are looking for some gardening conversation, want to arrange some trades, or hope to jump into or start a round robin, or want to participate in a seed bank - check these out: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Casape/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Fish_Fowl_and_Flowers_For_Free/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeirloomGardening2/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thegarden_seed_exchange/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/seedswapworldwide/
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Monday, January 30, 2006
A Seedy Perspective
A Seedy Perspective (Some Thoughts and a Couple of Books)
Modern culture and commerce has evolved to the point that folks can garden, grow their own food, and have beautiful landscapes without ever touching a seed. This is, perhaps, considered the civilized way to grow plants. One can select them at the nursery, have one’s hired hands pop them into the ground where indicated, and then prune, pluck, and pick without ever having to soil one’s hands. The state of civilization may have evolved to the point, for some, that this is the only way they have time to garden.
“The Emergence of Agriculture,” by Bruce D. Smith reminds us that civilization, as it is understood by western man, evolved from intimate relationships with seed and soil. It began with the intentional adaptations of human beings to seeds, and those seeds subsequent adaptations to gardeners and gardens. From there the budding of civilization grew through the intentional selection of seeds from those plants that early gardeners admired. Qualities like hardiness, larger seeds, tastier produce, quicker fruiting, greater storage life, and many others were hand selected from plants that had originally been wild or weedy.
The improved harvests from gardeners and gardens provided abundance, food security, and subsequent leisure. Time was then available to create more complex social forms, to expand architecture, to further explorations into art, and so forth. This eventually lead to commerce and professionalism and for many, the divorce from the civilizing relationship of man and seed.
In the small but rich booklet “Save Your Own Seed,” by Lawrence D. Hills, the dichotomy between those still engaged in that primal seed selection process and those who would leave our seed selection to professionals is finally drawn. While Smith in “The Emergence of Agriculture” examines what is known about the very beginning of our roles as seed selectors, “Save Your Own Seed” illuminates our evolution as seed savers, and our impending peril. The abundance of Heirloom varieties is celebrated. Gardeners had developed these varieties by many generations of hand selection. The varieties are each adapted to small niches in a plethora of microclimates, sensibilities, and cuisines. This wondrous variety is at risk.
Hills wrote his small volume after 50 years of experience with gardening and garden writing in Britain. And while the book was written in 1975, much of what threatened seed diversity then, still threatens us today. The growing professionalism of the nursery trade in Britain and Europe brought international treaties outlawing the sale of many heirloom vegetables. These tediously and lovingly hand selected varieties may be imperil of disappearing.
In “Save Your Own Seed,” Hills encourages us to seek out heirloom varieties of various foods. He points in directions that some of this variety can be found. Instructions are given on the selection process for various crops. There are also suggestions on how we can compare our efforts to our starting point, so we know if we are making improvements or not. It is not only a thoughtful and instructive booklet; it is poetic in places as well.
One of Hills’ points is that sometimes in the home garden, seed saved from such a small genetic pool will decrease in vigor over time. So far I have not seen that in my own efforts, however, while I have been gardening long, I have not been saving seed consistently until the last few years. One of my gardening mentors, Bonnie Coleman, had been saving seed for several decades when I came to shadow her efforts. While she saved her own seed, she didn’t grow named varieties of any of her crops. Her efforts were more towards selecting from what worked well for her, and crossing that stock with the newest award winners, even if they were hybrids. In this way her selection process was on going, and she was able to maintain genetic diversity within her garden.
Bonnie Coleman was also involved with “auditioning” as Smith refers to the idea of testing plants out for possible inclusion in the garden. While at the time of “The Emergence of Agriculture” those early gardeners were primarily auditioning wild plants for places in those first gardens. Bonnie and other avid gardeners have continued that process, often primarily testing various domesticated plants for fitness in their particular gardens. However, Bonnie, and other avid gardeners I have had the pleasure of knowing, often include a number of wild plants in their recruitment and auditioning efforts as well.
It is this experimenting, auditioning, and the trial and error of gardening where we do much of our learning of the process. Discussions and friendships with other gardeners enrich our process, as well as diversify our plant collections through the trading of seeds and slips. Reading continues our gardening education. Through books we can embrace the history, thoughts, and life-ways of gardeners - modern, historic, and ancient. We can feed our perspective, nourishes our wisdom about our place in this vast earthly landscape, this infinitesimal Garden of Eden. Don’t forget it all began, when the first gardener held a seed, and understood. *
I definitely recommend the following books to feed your gardening perspective:
“The Emergency of Agriculture,” by Bruce D. Smith, Published by Scientific American Library, A division of HHLP, New York, 1995, ISBN 0-7167-5055-4 (From the Willow Creek Library, CA)
“Save Your Own Seed,” by Lawrence D. Hills, Published by The Henry Doubleday Research Association, 1975, no ISBN (From the Hoopa Library, CA)
To get started saving your own seed, please see:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/09/saving-seed.html
Once you have a collection of saved seeds, you will want to think about organizing them:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/01/organizing-home-seed-bank.html
938 words, Copyright 2006, 2015 Harvest McCampbell
Please feel free to share.
Modern culture and commerce has evolved to the point that folks can garden, grow their own food, and have beautiful landscapes without ever touching a seed. This is, perhaps, considered the civilized way to grow plants. One can select them at the nursery, have one’s hired hands pop them into the ground where indicated, and then prune, pluck, and pick without ever having to soil one’s hands. The state of civilization may have evolved to the point, for some, that this is the only way they have time to garden.
“The Emergence of Agriculture,” by Bruce D. Smith reminds us that civilization, as it is understood by western man, evolved from intimate relationships with seed and soil. It began with the intentional adaptations of human beings to seeds, and those seeds subsequent adaptations to gardeners and gardens. From there the budding of civilization grew through the intentional selection of seeds from those plants that early gardeners admired. Qualities like hardiness, larger seeds, tastier produce, quicker fruiting, greater storage life, and many others were hand selected from plants that had originally been wild or weedy.
The improved harvests from gardeners and gardens provided abundance, food security, and subsequent leisure. Time was then available to create more complex social forms, to expand architecture, to further explorations into art, and so forth. This eventually lead to commerce and professionalism and for many, the divorce from the civilizing relationship of man and seed.
In the small but rich booklet “Save Your Own Seed,” by Lawrence D. Hills, the dichotomy between those still engaged in that primal seed selection process and those who would leave our seed selection to professionals is finally drawn. While Smith in “The Emergence of Agriculture” examines what is known about the very beginning of our roles as seed selectors, “Save Your Own Seed” illuminates our evolution as seed savers, and our impending peril. The abundance of Heirloom varieties is celebrated. Gardeners had developed these varieties by many generations of hand selection. The varieties are each adapted to small niches in a plethora of microclimates, sensibilities, and cuisines. This wondrous variety is at risk.
Hills wrote his small volume after 50 years of experience with gardening and garden writing in Britain. And while the book was written in 1975, much of what threatened seed diversity then, still threatens us today. The growing professionalism of the nursery trade in Britain and Europe brought international treaties outlawing the sale of many heirloom vegetables. These tediously and lovingly hand selected varieties may be imperil of disappearing.
In “Save Your Own Seed,” Hills encourages us to seek out heirloom varieties of various foods. He points in directions that some of this variety can be found. Instructions are given on the selection process for various crops. There are also suggestions on how we can compare our efforts to our starting point, so we know if we are making improvements or not. It is not only a thoughtful and instructive booklet; it is poetic in places as well.
One of Hills’ points is that sometimes in the home garden, seed saved from such a small genetic pool will decrease in vigor over time. So far I have not seen that in my own efforts, however, while I have been gardening long, I have not been saving seed consistently until the last few years. One of my gardening mentors, Bonnie Coleman, had been saving seed for several decades when I came to shadow her efforts. While she saved her own seed, she didn’t grow named varieties of any of her crops. Her efforts were more towards selecting from what worked well for her, and crossing that stock with the newest award winners, even if they were hybrids. In this way her selection process was on going, and she was able to maintain genetic diversity within her garden.
Bonnie Coleman was also involved with “auditioning” as Smith refers to the idea of testing plants out for possible inclusion in the garden. While at the time of “The Emergence of Agriculture” those early gardeners were primarily auditioning wild plants for places in those first gardens. Bonnie and other avid gardeners have continued that process, often primarily testing various domesticated plants for fitness in their particular gardens. However, Bonnie, and other avid gardeners I have had the pleasure of knowing, often include a number of wild plants in their recruitment and auditioning efforts as well.
It is this experimenting, auditioning, and the trial and error of gardening where we do much of our learning of the process. Discussions and friendships with other gardeners enrich our process, as well as diversify our plant collections through the trading of seeds and slips. Reading continues our gardening education. Through books we can embrace the history, thoughts, and life-ways of gardeners - modern, historic, and ancient. We can feed our perspective, nourishes our wisdom about our place in this vast earthly landscape, this infinitesimal Garden of Eden. Don’t forget it all began, when the first gardener held a seed, and understood. *
I definitely recommend the following books to feed your gardening perspective:
“The Emergency of Agriculture,” by Bruce D. Smith, Published by Scientific American Library, A division of HHLP, New York, 1995, ISBN 0-7167-5055-4 (From the Willow Creek Library, CA)
“Save Your Own Seed,” by Lawrence D. Hills, Published by The Henry Doubleday Research Association, 1975, no ISBN (From the Hoopa Library, CA)
To get started saving your own seed, please see:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/09/saving-seed.html
Once you have a collection of saved seeds, you will want to think about organizing them:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/01/organizing-home-seed-bank.html
938 words, Copyright 2006, 2015 Harvest McCampbell
Please feel free to share.
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Florence Fennel, Real Food
Florence Fennel, Real Food
1384 words
Copyright 2006 Harvest McCampbell
Florence fennel is a delicious and easy to grow - cool weather vegetable. It minds its manners in the garden, unlike its wilder cousins you may have noticed growing along the highway and in vacant lots near the coast. Those wild fennels can grow upwards of 3 – 5 feet tall and the individual plants can reach 6 feet around. Florence fennel by contrast is a diminutive and graceful plant, equally at home in the flower bed or vegetable garden. It is grown primarily for its tender and delicious bulbs, however the stalks, leaves, flowers, and seed are also edible.
Fennel bulbs are much esteemed in Epicurean, European, and other high brow cuisine. Their delicate flavor lends them to inclusion in many dishes, both fancy and simple. They can be grated or slivered raw into salads, diced or sliced for inclusion in soups, casseroles, and stir-fries. The tender stems and leaves can also be used in soups or included with other wild and garden offerings for a mixed sauté of greens and onions. The whole bulbs can also be split in half or quarters, depending on the size, and steamed, braised, or even lightly broiled. They make a tasty and elegant side dish, which can be dressed up with a light mustard or hollandaise sauce, if you must.
The bulbing fennels reach about 2 feet in the garden, before flowering. They have gracefully fern like; fragrant leaves and they thrive in cool moist weather. In temperate mild winter interior zones along Northern CA river valleys, Florence fennel can be successively sown from the autumn equinox through the spring equinox. Those people who live in the cool coastal fog belt can grow and enjoy fresh fennel all year, while those in the snowy mountains will have to content themselves with a spring and fall crop. Those of you that live in the hot summer zones of Northern CA and restrict your gardening to summer time will miss out on this lovely delicacy.
Seeds and sometimes young plants are available from many garden centers, nurseries, and catalogs. My first seeds came from: http://www.thompson_morgan.com The seeds were listed as “Fennel Victoria Hybrid - Foeniculm vulgare var. dulse Victoria Hybrid.” I have also bought young plants from Pierson’s Nursery, which were simply labeled “Florence Fennel.” If you are lucky enough to find nursery starts, plant them out in the garden in an area where they get at least a few hours of sun a day, if possible. They do benefit from a spot with good drainage, and protection from gophers is ideal. However don’t be dismayed if you can’t provide the ideal. Fennel is not overly picky. I often grow plants in full winter shade, in spots with poor drainage, and with no gopher protection. It may not be ideal, but I still harvest delectable bulbs.
Seeds can be direct sown, started in 6 packs, or started on a wet paper towel in a plastic sandwich bag. The plastic bag route saves space if you are starting many varieties at once. It also guarantees the seed are evenly moist. You do, however, need to keep a close eye. As soon as the seeds begin germinating they need to be transferred to cell packs. Fennel seeds generally begin germinating within a few days, and most will be up within a week, except during the coldest parts of the winter. I find the young seedlings have a pretty high mortality rate, so I start about twice the number of seeds that I hope to plant out. It takes from 6 to 8 weeks from starting until they are ready to be planted in the garden.
Once your fennel is established, it will be about 2 months until you can cut your first tender bulbs. These bulbs are produced above the ground, and can be used in almost any recipe that calls for celery. Watch the base of the plants, when your bulbs reach the size of tennis balls you can begin cutting them for kitchen use. Only cut as many as you will use on any particular day. The ones left in the ground will grow slowly until they reach softball size or even larger.
When cutting the bulbs think first of how you are going to use them. If you want whole bulbs to halve or quarter, make your cut well below the base of the bulb. Plants cut this low are unlikely to re-sprout. If you are going to dice or sliver your fennel, leave a bit of the bottom of the bulb behind. Fennel cut in this way sometimes re-sprouts. While it is unlikely to form additional bulbs, it may flower and set seed. The flowers and seeds themselves are edible and useful. If you save your own seed to grow you will be a little ahead of the game for the next season.
Summers heat will also cause Florence fennel to bolt. The spindly stalks, which rarely reach 3 feet, benefit from staking. The delicate flowers make a delightful cup of tea or a classy addition to salads. However they are not produced in abundance. If you want seed, leave the flowers to bloom. The nectar and pollen attracts beneficial insects to the garden. If you watch from a short distance you may notice ladybugs, trichogama wasps, lacewings, and hover-flies visiting the flowers. While they are busy filling their tanks for the important and high-energy work of hunting, eating, and parasatizing garden pests – they are also pollinating the flowers.
After the flowers wilt watch carefully as the seeds develop. When the seeds are fat and the stalks turn brown, pick the seed stalks and bring them in to dry in an airy spot. (If you do not catch them in time they may be eaten by birds or simply drop to the ground.) Once the seeds are completely dry you can store them in a seal-able plastic bag or small jar with a tight fitting lid. These seeds can be used to make tea or to season deserts and sauces. Florence fennel sets its seed sparingly, so you may want to reserve it for growing.
Rumors abound that you can’t save seed from hybrids. And certainly it may be preferable to start with seed from heirloom varieties, if you can find them. I have been growing out Florence fennel for several generations of saved seed, some of which originally came to me as hybrids. I have not found any loss of vigor, tenderness, or bulb size what so ever. In fact the plants seem to improve with each successive generation. If you want to save your own seed, select seed from the best plants. Do not save seed from fennel that flowers in winter before making a bulb. Its offspring are unlikely to form bulbs either.
The list of pests that attack Florence fennel is fairly short. Slugs may bother young plants. (You can hand pick the slugs evenings and mornings for fairly effective control.) I lose an occasional mature plant to the gophers. However, fennel doesn’t seem to be the gophers’ favorite food. (Growing in raised beds with hardware cloth or other wire on the bottom of the box works great.) Once they reach a decent size, they have few pests or problems. Slugs tend to leave the larger plants alone – as long as they have some tender lettuce and other yummies to eat instead. Even without protection from gophers I do manage to harvest a few tender bulbs.
Florence fennel meets my criteria for “Real Food.” When fresh, it seems to have a low amine content – making it an excellent choice for those with chronic migraines, anxiety, muscle spasms, high blood pressure, learning disabilities, and other disorders where an inability to process amines may be implicated. It is easy to grow and it produces an ample, tasty crop. It is also easy to prepare and can be used in a variety of dishes. While it is slightly unusual, its flavor is mild. Even the most finicky eater is unlikely to be bothered by a little fennel bulb tucked into soup or casserole. This delectable vegetable is definitely worth seeking out and growing during a season when fresh vegetables are truly welcome.
Copyright 2006 Harvest McCampbell
1384 words
Copyright 2006 Harvest McCampbell
Florence fennel is a delicious and easy to grow - cool weather vegetable. It minds its manners in the garden, unlike its wilder cousins you may have noticed growing along the highway and in vacant lots near the coast. Those wild fennels can grow upwards of 3 – 5 feet tall and the individual plants can reach 6 feet around. Florence fennel by contrast is a diminutive and graceful plant, equally at home in the flower bed or vegetable garden. It is grown primarily for its tender and delicious bulbs, however the stalks, leaves, flowers, and seed are also edible.
Fennel bulbs are much esteemed in Epicurean, European, and other high brow cuisine. Their delicate flavor lends them to inclusion in many dishes, both fancy and simple. They can be grated or slivered raw into salads, diced or sliced for inclusion in soups, casseroles, and stir-fries. The tender stems and leaves can also be used in soups or included with other wild and garden offerings for a mixed sauté of greens and onions. The whole bulbs can also be split in half or quarters, depending on the size, and steamed, braised, or even lightly broiled. They make a tasty and elegant side dish, which can be dressed up with a light mustard or hollandaise sauce, if you must.
The bulbing fennels reach about 2 feet in the garden, before flowering. They have gracefully fern like; fragrant leaves and they thrive in cool moist weather. In temperate mild winter interior zones along Northern CA river valleys, Florence fennel can be successively sown from the autumn equinox through the spring equinox. Those people who live in the cool coastal fog belt can grow and enjoy fresh fennel all year, while those in the snowy mountains will have to content themselves with a spring and fall crop. Those of you that live in the hot summer zones of Northern CA and restrict your gardening to summer time will miss out on this lovely delicacy.
Seeds and sometimes young plants are available from many garden centers, nurseries, and catalogs. My first seeds came from: http://www.thompson_morgan.com The seeds were listed as “Fennel Victoria Hybrid - Foeniculm vulgare var. dulse Victoria Hybrid.” I have also bought young plants from Pierson’s Nursery, which were simply labeled “Florence Fennel.” If you are lucky enough to find nursery starts, plant them out in the garden in an area where they get at least a few hours of sun a day, if possible. They do benefit from a spot with good drainage, and protection from gophers is ideal. However don’t be dismayed if you can’t provide the ideal. Fennel is not overly picky. I often grow plants in full winter shade, in spots with poor drainage, and with no gopher protection. It may not be ideal, but I still harvest delectable bulbs.
Seeds can be direct sown, started in 6 packs, or started on a wet paper towel in a plastic sandwich bag. The plastic bag route saves space if you are starting many varieties at once. It also guarantees the seed are evenly moist. You do, however, need to keep a close eye. As soon as the seeds begin germinating they need to be transferred to cell packs. Fennel seeds generally begin germinating within a few days, and most will be up within a week, except during the coldest parts of the winter. I find the young seedlings have a pretty high mortality rate, so I start about twice the number of seeds that I hope to plant out. It takes from 6 to 8 weeks from starting until they are ready to be planted in the garden.
Once your fennel is established, it will be about 2 months until you can cut your first tender bulbs. These bulbs are produced above the ground, and can be used in almost any recipe that calls for celery. Watch the base of the plants, when your bulbs reach the size of tennis balls you can begin cutting them for kitchen use. Only cut as many as you will use on any particular day. The ones left in the ground will grow slowly until they reach softball size or even larger.
When cutting the bulbs think first of how you are going to use them. If you want whole bulbs to halve or quarter, make your cut well below the base of the bulb. Plants cut this low are unlikely to re-sprout. If you are going to dice or sliver your fennel, leave a bit of the bottom of the bulb behind. Fennel cut in this way sometimes re-sprouts. While it is unlikely to form additional bulbs, it may flower and set seed. The flowers and seeds themselves are edible and useful. If you save your own seed to grow you will be a little ahead of the game for the next season.
Summers heat will also cause Florence fennel to bolt. The spindly stalks, which rarely reach 3 feet, benefit from staking. The delicate flowers make a delightful cup of tea or a classy addition to salads. However they are not produced in abundance. If you want seed, leave the flowers to bloom. The nectar and pollen attracts beneficial insects to the garden. If you watch from a short distance you may notice ladybugs, trichogama wasps, lacewings, and hover-flies visiting the flowers. While they are busy filling their tanks for the important and high-energy work of hunting, eating, and parasatizing garden pests – they are also pollinating the flowers.
After the flowers wilt watch carefully as the seeds develop. When the seeds are fat and the stalks turn brown, pick the seed stalks and bring them in to dry in an airy spot. (If you do not catch them in time they may be eaten by birds or simply drop to the ground.) Once the seeds are completely dry you can store them in a seal-able plastic bag or small jar with a tight fitting lid. These seeds can be used to make tea or to season deserts and sauces. Florence fennel sets its seed sparingly, so you may want to reserve it for growing.
Rumors abound that you can’t save seed from hybrids. And certainly it may be preferable to start with seed from heirloom varieties, if you can find them. I have been growing out Florence fennel for several generations of saved seed, some of which originally came to me as hybrids. I have not found any loss of vigor, tenderness, or bulb size what so ever. In fact the plants seem to improve with each successive generation. If you want to save your own seed, select seed from the best plants. Do not save seed from fennel that flowers in winter before making a bulb. Its offspring are unlikely to form bulbs either.
The list of pests that attack Florence fennel is fairly short. Slugs may bother young plants. (You can hand pick the slugs evenings and mornings for fairly effective control.) I lose an occasional mature plant to the gophers. However, fennel doesn’t seem to be the gophers’ favorite food. (Growing in raised beds with hardware cloth or other wire on the bottom of the box works great.) Once they reach a decent size, they have few pests or problems. Slugs tend to leave the larger plants alone – as long as they have some tender lettuce and other yummies to eat instead. Even without protection from gophers I do manage to harvest a few tender bulbs.
Florence fennel meets my criteria for “Real Food.” When fresh, it seems to have a low amine content – making it an excellent choice for those with chronic migraines, anxiety, muscle spasms, high blood pressure, learning disabilities, and other disorders where an inability to process amines may be implicated. It is easy to grow and it produces an ample, tasty crop. It is also easy to prepare and can be used in a variety of dishes. While it is slightly unusual, its flavor is mild. Even the most finicky eater is unlikely to be bothered by a little fennel bulb tucked into soup or casserole. This delectable vegetable is definitely worth seeking out and growing during a season when fresh vegetables are truly welcome.
Copyright 2006 Harvest McCampbell
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