THREE SISTERS

[Arielle]

Quote: I will be looking forward to your review of the pencil cob!!

Unfortunately the current population of people are reaping the rewards of the " modern" varieties. I have been delving in to health isues and the common link I find is our foods. Not saying other things have an influence but last I checked I can't change my genes and I cant change where I live or change my husbands job. THose are givens. So I look to what I can change and that is the foods we eat. THe list of ailments linked to our diet is LOOOOOONNNNG and most people dont even know it.

Dr Daniel Amen is NOT on board with the current recommendation by the powers that be that we should all eat according to this divided plate that replaced the pyramid. Most ADDers benefit from a higher protein % and less refined carbs. Dr Atkins of course devised a p lan that benefits those that had developed a screwed up metabolism from the current SAD. I see the old corns as an alternative to the modern corns.


THe scarlet runner bean is easy to see too though the texture is very fibrous and is the extreme of the bean family. Again I am looking for the fibrous foods and less "improved" varieties because the health benefits are likely to be higher. Not a bean for everyone.

 

[Fluffnpuff]

In regards to the nutritional benefits of heirloom corn you may find this interesting

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070730092559.htm


Several of the dark colored corn varieties have 16%-20% more protein than the standard white and yellow varieties everyone is used to. That article is about hopi blue corn, but i've read the same thing about bloody butcher, black aztec, black mexican, and Green Oxacana corn.

I've grown all the above corn except green oxacana and made cornmeal out of them. The only downsize is that they are all but uneatable fresh. The sugars in the kernels convert to starch very quickly so there is an ultra small window in which you can eat them fresh. The second any color starts appearing in the kernels they are tough and chewy.

 

[Arielle]

In regards to the nutritional benefits of heirloom corn you may find this interesting

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070730092559.htm


Several of the dark colored corn varieties have 16%-20% more protein than the standard white and yellow varieties everyone is used to. That article is about hopi blue corn, but i've read the same thing about bloody butcher, black aztec, black mexican, and Green Oxacana corn.

I've grown all the above corn except green oxacana and made cornmeal out of them. The only downsize is that they are all but uneatable fresh. The sugars in the kernels convert to starch very quickly so there is an ultra small window in which you can eat them fresh. The second any color starts appearing in the kernels they are tough and chewy.

I'll check that out.

Since the primary purpose until recent years was to store food until the next year I can see why the corn quickly convert sugars to starch. Now if only we had recipes for these OLD varieties to take advantage of these unique qualities.

How do you go about grinding your dried corn??

 

[Fluffnpuff]

How do you go about grinding your dried corn??

Years ago i started with this handgrinder

http://www.amazon.com/Victorio-VKP1...TF8&qid=1405892165&sr=8-4&keywords=grain+mill


It works but it's very slow and time consuming. Large dent corn kernels will clog it up.


Last year i bought nutribullet blender to make green smoothies with my bok choy and kale and it came with an additional flat blade attachment that was marketed towards grinding up nuts. On a whim i decided to try it on my corn. To my surprise it grinds it up very well. I tested it on several corn varieties and the only thing i couldn't get it to work on was popcorn. I found that attachment will also work well in grinding up wheat berries to make flour.

I just use the nutribullet to grind the corn to a cornmeal consistency. I don't sift it however. I've had older relatives insist that i need to but i don't see the need of it. I'm not real knowledgeable on that aspect but maybe some people on byc can explain the rationale.

 

[LindaB220]

Years ago i started with this handgrinder

http://www.amazon.com/Victorio-VKP1...TF8&qid=1405892165&sr=8-4&keywords=grain+mill


It works but it's very slow and time consuming. Large dent corn kernels will clog it up.


Last year i bought nutribullet blender to make green smoothies with my bok choy and kale and it came with an additional flat blade attachment that was marketed towards grinding up nuts. On a whim i decided to try it on my corn. To my surprise it grinds it up very well. I tested it on several corn varieties and the only thing i couldn't get it to work on was popcorn. I found that attachment will also work well in grinding up wheat berries to make flour.

I just use the nutribullet to grind the corn to a cornmeal consistency. I don't sift it however. I've had older relatives insist that i need to but i don't see the need of it. I'm not real knowledgeable on that aspect but maybe some people on byc can explain the rationale.

I bought a heavy duty manual grinder. Yes, it's slow but I don't do a lot at a time and it's fun. I ferment my feed and it doesn't matter if i sift or not.

 

[Arielle]

IMO sifted grains are what got us in to this obesity mess!! I rarely use wheat flour anymore-- and now it is very strange to eat this white pastey glue.

I would use the mixed sizes of grains. I've learned to use as is and some are harder than others and not very digestable. Oh well-- fiber!! lol

If you want to make fine pastries, ya, then sift.

 

[Papas Chickens]

THis sounds like a good plan-- I planted my corn AFTER the squash so I'm expecting the corn to be covered and shaded by the fast growing squash. live and learn. 

Sorry you tomatos didnt make it. Will you try again as you have such a long growing season??

Im buying some tomato seedlings from lowes this week, im cheetin lol, im planting Kentucky Blue Beans they always worked for me. Also going to plant some grape vines outside my chicken coop and acouple Texas Lilac Trees if I can find some seeds or saplings out here.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Tomatos anyway you can get them!!!! lol

I bought seed from a FL company , mostly old varieties, but all fun. 100's of varieites and great catalog made it hard to reduce the selection to order to only 35. lol

 

[Papas Chickens]

Tomatos anyway you can get them!!!! lol 

I bough see from a FL company , mostly old varieties, but all fun. 100's of varieites and great catalog made it hard to reduce the selection to order to only 35. lol 

Yup I love my tomatos so do my girls lol.

 

[Arielle]

WOnder why tomatos never became one of the three sisters??