Moringa (Moringa oleifera) is a fast growing tree crop in it’s native tropical regions (parts of Africa and Asia). It’s well known for its highly nutritious leaves, but also produces bean like pods full of seeds.
Our aim is to produce our own seed crop in WNC so we can make regionally adapted selections and not have to rely on seeds from Africa or Florida each year.
OUR WORK
The Utopian Seed Project has been growing moringa for a number of years, but we have not yet achieved a seed crop to make the practice regionally sustainable. Our 2020 aim is to produce our own seed crop in WNC so we can make regionally adapted selections and not have to rely on seeds from Africa or Florida each year.
Here's a selection of edible summer greens growing at the #experimentalfarm right now. Even though you may never have tried (or maybe heard) of some of these, they are not new. We did not discover them. They belong to cultures older and wiser, ancestral work done to create many of the food crops that exist today, both known and forgotten.
We support eating and exploring these crops, and there is resilience in a diversified food system that will be much needed as climate change continues. But climate justice and climate work goes hand in hand with social justice and social work, so respecting those who came before (the work, the culture, the traditons, the people) is critical to our journey.
This picture shows a world of possibilities, but it also shows the world.
Top Row, Left to Right
1. Permelon (Cucurbita maxima)
2. Butternut (Cucurbita moschata)
3-4. Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas)
5 (top). Southern Pea (Vigna unguiculata)
5 (bottom). African Basil (Ocimum gratissimum)
6. Moringa (Moringa oleifera)
Bottom Row, Left to Right
1. Chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius)
2. Sunset Hibiscus (Abelmoschus manihot)
3-4. Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus)
5. Abelmoschus tetraphyllus
6 (top). Taro (Colocasia esculenta)
6 (bottom). Chayote (Sechium edule)
#summergreens #diversefood #chayote #chaya #taro #moringa #hibiscus #okra #southernpeas #basil #squash #sweetpotato #eatyourgreens #leafygreens #greens #notallgreensarered
A few shots from the #experimentalfarm today @frannysfarm
1. Pigeon Peas aka Gandules from @brujobrandon
2. Red Turkish Okra from sustaining sponsor, @twoseedsinapod
3. Taro
4. Moringa
5. Chaya
6. True Potato Seed grown potatoes from @cultivariable
7. Yacon in the foreground and some Japanese beetle chewed Achira aka Canna edulis in the background.
#growyourownfood #experimentalroots #chaya #yacon #achira #pigeonpea #gandules #moringa #tps
We are growing a lot of crops that are not usually grown in WNC, but our aim is much more than simply growing 'exotic' things. You can grow anything anywhere with enough inputs and environmental modifications. We are only interested if we can grow things sustainably and carry the crop from one season to the next. This often takes some experimenting...
Seeds are obviously the best option and offer the greatest opportunity for regional adaptation. Here we have #chaya, which has not set seed and will not be happy if it freezes tonight. So I dug up the whole plant, potted the main root and took a ton of cuttings to see if they'll root and survive the winter. I did the same with our #moringa!
Wish then luck ☺️
#experimentalfarm #tropicalperennials #growinggreens #firstfrost
The miniature moringa forest is beginning to take off.
Moringa oleifera is a fast growing tree crop in it's native tropical regions (parts of Africa and Asia). It's well known for its highly nutritious leaves, but also produces bean like pods full of seeds.
Our aim is to produce our own seed crop in WNC so we can make regionally adapted selections and not have to rely on seeds from Africa or Florida each year.
#moringa
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Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.