2013catalog

Rutabagas
(Brassica napus) Cabbage relative grown
for its roots, which are similar to turnips but
larger, sweeter and milder. Requires a longer
season, 90-120 days, but can tolerate cool
temperatures as it matures, and is at its
best harvested in late autumn. Sow about
90 days prior to expected fall frost, in rich,
deeply worked soil of average fertility. Thin
to about 8-12 inches apart, control weeds
and keep moist. The leaves of some varieties
make passable greens when harvested
young. 400 seeds per packet.
AMERICAN PURPLE TOP #RT101
Very tasty, mild, and sweet; great cooked or
raw. Bright yellow flesh; top quality. A pre-1920
heirloom, a great fall vegetable. Pkt $2.50
CHAMPION A COLLET ROUGE #RT103
This variety is a true champion and has been
popular in Europe since the 1850’s. Large roots are
purplish-red on the top and yellow on the bottom
half of the roots. Attractive, sweet and really finely
flavored; delicious fried or roasted. Pkt $2.50
COLLET VERT #RT104
Finely flavored old standard that has a bright green
top and yellow bottom, making these roots unique
and colorful. Popular in France since the 19th
century, it still holds a place with many gourmets
and gardeners who love its rich taste. Pkt $2.50
JOAN #RT107 New!
90-100 days. Roots are uniform with very smooth
and pleasing shape. Flesh is dense, crisp, and mild,
having a delicate and very sweet flavor, particularly
after being kissed by light frost. A refined version
of American Purple Top, that has some tolerance to
Club Root, a disease that often afflicts brassicas. Pkt
(125 seeds) $2.00
LAURENTIAN #RT102
An improved “Purple Top” rutabaga, its delicious
yellow roots are great fried or baked; sweet, and so
tasty. Very uniform and makes a good market type.
Pkt $1.50 or 1 oz $2.50
NADMORSKA #RT105
90 days. A superior rutabaga, apparently first
introduced from Lithuania by the Seed Ambassadors,
and first offered by us a couple of seasons back. The
golden-fleshed roots are large, having apple-green
tops and the balance in cream. The shape is more
upright or bottle-like. Here’s a monument to the
world-wide sharing of premium, open-pollinated
vegetable varieties! Pkt (125 seeds) $2.50
Roselle
(Hibiscus sabdariffa) 15 seeds per packet.
RED ROSELLE #RS101
A super plant for making cranberry-flavored bright
red beverages, jelly, pie, and tea. Much is grown in
Asia, tropical America and the Mideast, as the flavor
is wonderful. A tasty sauce can be made by boiling
and sweetening the fleshy calyxes. The leaves are
also used to make a drink. The plant is red and very
beautiful. Start very early indoors, unless you live in
the far South. Citrus-flavored flowers are delicious
on frozen desserts. This plant has too many uses to
name here. Pkt $3.00
ROSELLE JAMAICAN COCKTAIL #RS102
(Tibiscus sabdariffa) Wow! Here is something new and
beautiful! The 6' plants are covered with lovely, cup-shaped
cream flowers and then followed by highly ornamental fruit
in three festive colors: yellow, red, and purple! These stems
with their brilliant fruit are popular for displays and cut flower
arrangements and are so cool for cut flower growers, because
these sell for top prices The fruit is good for making teas and
flavorings. This stunning plant is a must for gardeners who
love beauty and color. Pkt $3.50
Salsify
(Tragopogon porrifolius) A European favorite
known in Roman times and cultivated since at least
the Thirteenth Century. Sow ½” deep in very early
spring, keeping moist until seedlings emerge. Needs
at least 6” spacing, full sun, only ordinary garden soil,
but this must be finely worked and free from rocks to
produce straight roots. Lift and store mature roots in
autumn. If left until the second spring, young shoots
may be harvested and used like asparagus. Eventually
forms attractive purple blooms on 3-ft stems.
SALSIFY MAMMOTH SANDWICH ISLAND #SF101
Heirloom, native of Europe. Tasty in soups and stews, or
cooked alone. Plant in spring, dig in fall; a non-sweet parsniplike
root. This variety dates back to the 1800s. Young plants
look like grass. Pkt (125 seeds) $2.00
Sorghum
(Sorghum bicolor) Sorghum is one of Africa’s
greatest contributions to the world’s agricultural
diversity, and is a traditional crop in the South.
Adaptable and drought tolerant, sorghum varieties
exist that provide grain, sweet syrup, animal fodder,
or sometimes, more than one crop from a single
planting! The main requirement for sorghum is
heat—plant the seeds about ½” deep a couple
of weeks after spring frosts are over and soil is
really warm. Ordinary garden soil and moisture are
sufficient to get a crop, although sorghum may be
more productive under better conditions. Seeds are
ripe at about the same time as sugar content of the
stalks reaches maximum. 50 seeds per pkt.
BLACK AMBER #SR107
100 days. One of the oldest cane sorghums still on the market,
named for its shiny black seeds. The 6-8 foot stalks make a delicious
golden sorghum syrup. We are happy to offer this sorghum that
was a standard in early America and is still used today. Pkt $3.00
BROOM CORN MULTI-COLORED #SR102
The multi-colored tassels are so popular for fall decorations.
Colors include red, gold, burgundy, black, bronze, and more!
Broom Corn can also be used to make brooms. Pkt $3.00
CANA DULCE #SR120
(Cana Azucar) The Spanish names translate simply as “Sweet
Cane” or “Sugar Cane.” Sorghum was widely grown in the
traditional Spanish villages in New Mexico, in the days when
sugar was an expensive imported item. This variety is redseeded
and reaches about 8’ tall. Seed collected in Dixon, New
Mexico, and originally from the Native American community
of Santo Domingo Pueblo. Pkt $3.00
DALE #SR115 New!
115 days. A USDA release from 1970 and still the standard by
which modern varieties are judged. Disease-resistant plants
may reach 12 feet in height, yet resist lodging. Dale makes
a mild-flavored syrup with good body and attractive amber
color. Juicy stalks yield a high volume of juice for syrup-making.
Favored by many of our Mennonite growers. Pkt $3.00
MENNONITE #SR104
A Mennonite heirloom from Missouri. The tall canes are
juiced and boiled to make a very sweet, light, sorghum
syrup, excellent on pancakes. This variety gives good yields
and also produces lots of grain. Pkt $3.00
ONAVAS RED #SR111
Vigorous, 10 foot plants send out many tillers (side-shoots,)
and all produce sweet juicy sap suitable for boiling down
into syrup. Beautiful burgundy seed heads. From the Pima
Bajo village in Sonora, Mexico. Pkt $3.00
RED’S RED SWEET #SR103
This heirloom has been grown in northern Missouri for
many years. More adapted to northern climates than many
sorghums. Makes excellent syrup. From our friend Steve
Salt. Pkt $3.00
SUGAR DRIP #SR108
Big 10’-12’ tall plants produce large heads with edible red
seeds. This old variety receives its name from the sweet
juice that is in the stalk of each plant; this juice was boiled
down in many rural areas of the Southeastern United
States to make the famous sorghum syrup that was a
staple on the morning’s pancakes and cornbread. This
strain has now became very rare. Pkt $3.00
TUNISIAN #SR116
Excellent grain-type sorghum, originally collected in a
market in Tunis. Smallish, brown to almost olive-colored
grains are ground for use as porridge in their native land.
Slender stalks and narrow leaves might be an adaptation
to their native land. Compact seed heads occasionally
cause lodging, so plant a bit deep. Needs really warm
temperatures to thrive; recommended for dry-summer
areas. Pkt $3.00
TARAHUMARA POPPING #SR110 New!
120 days. From the Tarahumara people of Northern
Mexico’s Batopilas Canyon area. This variety isn’t grown for
syrup, but rather for the plump white seeds, which can be
popped and eaten like miniature popcorn. Vigorous plants
reached ten feet in our 2008 trials. Pkt $3.00
WHITE AFRICAN #SR109
Introduced to the USA in 1857 by Leonard Wray from Natal,
South Africa, under the name Enyama, it was later named
White Mammoth and then White African. This variety produces
10’ tall stalks that make great, sweet syrup that is perfect for
hot waffles and pancakes. White seeds can be used to grind for
flour. Pkt $3.00
WHITE BROOM CORN #SR114
This is the sorghum that was used for making brooms
in early America. Lovely yellowish-cream seed heads are
great for feed and food. Make your own brooms and fall
decorations with this easy to grow crop. Our strain comes
from the Old Sturbridge Village. Pkt $3.00
YELLOW BONNET #SR119
120 days. A fairly long season syrup-type sorghum,
originally from southern Missouri. Medium stalks reach
9-10 feet, showed no lodging in one trial, and only
moderate tillering (suckering). Pkt $3.00
Onavas Red Sorghum