Sprouting!

[The Sproutarian (Mr Raw)]

Yes, fenugreek is excellent.

The Dr Jubb view
Now you get people like Dr Jubb (supposedly the world's greatest raw foods expert and the most researched man in history on raw foods) who say that sprouts are no good because they contain high levels of phosphates. But what these people don't understand is the nature of sprouts. Dr Jubb couldn't be more wrong with this way of thinking because science has proven that when a seed sprouts the phytic acid levels reduce by as much as 80%. And we also know that most phosphorous is tied up in phytic acid, so when the phytic acid declines [during sprouting] the phosphorous does also to significant levels and actually puts the sprouts in good balance.

The other problem with Dr Jubb's veiws is that he is a scientist who has very narrow minded views based on the basic science he was taught at school, and this has come about because, being a scientist, he is only capable of measuring one variable at a time instead of being able to measure multiple variables to get a more comprehensive understanding on the effect of sprouted foods. So we have Dr Jubb think that the calcium to phosphorous ratio is the be all and end all to calcium retention in the body, but what about the other nutrients in plants that work with calcium to buffer the negatives of excess phosphorous consumption? lt's not all about phosphorous, it's also about boron and probably many other nutrients. We shouldn't think we know everything about plants when we don't.

So how are the people living on sprout diets going over the years, are their bones starting to crumble yet? Well, l know my bones have gotten stronger, and Dr Clement has reported he has bone density of a 20 year old, and that the patients at HHI don't report calcium deficiencies. See, fancy narrow minded theories and reality are two different things. lf we are all theory we are bound to come to many poor conclusions.

[delmar]

^ I love alfalfa so that's a start.

I've had adzuki bean sprouts, they're one I can only handle in salads disguised with dressing and all the flavoursome trimmings. The black eyed peas were even worse.

Fenugreek will be a good one as I'm prone to anemia and calcium helps prevent osteoporosis which my doctor warns me about. Fenugreek looks nice as a microgreen too. I love microgreens so it's something I'll have to recruit my green fingers mother into helping me start up, I'll try sunflower/pea shoot greens when I try that.

Red clover looks good!

Very good indeed!

My list for September will be: fenugreek, red clover, sunflower and chia (which I was going to buy anyway).

Also realised that flax seeds will sprout. I have an abundance of these as I don't really like them but bought loads of them at some point.

I have been growing flax micro-greens without soil, on the little trays I make out of milk jugs. The trick is to get the tray wet then scatter just as many seeds on it as will stick to the tray. Then you simply mist them with a spray bottle twice a day. I really like the favor and texture of flax micro greens. So far I just eat the greens. I haven't had much luck juicing them. They really gum up the works of my manual juicer.

Looking forward to this!


And... another question , do sprouted herb seeds (dill, coriander) or things like garlic taste anything like they would as we would normally eat them?

I don't know about those, but radish and mustard sprouts have a nice little kick to them!

edit:I did a search on sprouting dill and I did find some info over at sprout people.
http://sproutpeople.org/dill.html

I tried sprouting Dill straight, back in 1993 or 94. I soaked it - then rinsed it twice a day for 2 weeks. Nothing. Back in those days we grew all of our sprouts outside - near our well. It was a partially shaded area, but it had direct sunlight for a good part of the day. I got fed up with the Dill, so I put it aside. Normally I cleaned up after every crop, but the Dill was sitting in small tray (we grew everything in standard nursery trays back then), so I just shoved it to a little used spot. I left the tray uncovered and untended for another week or two (I forget). At some point in that time frame, I noticed the tray. It was full of sprouts! It had gone at least a full week without water, and had been sitting in a bright spot. The wind didn't dry it to death, the sun didn't either. It sprouted! We found its flavor to be hot. Since we didn't like it, we didn't grow it straight again for 15 years. We have found that its flavor will change to the dill-weed-flavor we want. Our instructions are derived from the method that produced the flavor we wanted. They were also inspired by that ancient forgotten crop. Once again, a lesson was learned from failure.

[MysticTree]

If you have the space Mr Raw, why have a clover lawn. You needn't even seed the whole area you want clover - just a small area would do and you could allow it to spread. Then you would have a lovely cropping area that looked beautiful even in the hottest weather and you'd get free clover seed.

[Living Food]

And... another question , do sprouted herb seeds (dill, coriander) or things like garlic taste anything like they would as we would normally eat them?

Generally they do, although sometimes spicier or a lot stronger. Garlic, leek, and onion sprouts all taste just like the mature versions.

[Living Food]

Have you had any luck saving garlic mustard seed?

No, somehow I managed to completely miss the seeding period, and it didn't just happen with the garlic mustard either. I saw the flowers, and now the plants are only woody stems (although the new generation is here now). I need to be much much more vigilant if I really want to get serious about sprouting loads of weed seeds.

I have reason to believe that garlic mustard seeds are mucilaginous, so you should not soak them and instead just grow them as microgreens.

[delmar]

I just found out what lambsquarter looks like when it goes to seed and I have a bunch of that stuff waiting to be collected.
http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-h...le-plants-0409

[delmar]

No, somehow I managed to completely miss the seeding period, and it didn't just happen with the garlic mustard either. I saw the flowers, and now the plants are only woody stems

That was my exact experience!

(although the new generation is here now). I need to be much much more vigilant if I really want to get serious about sprouting loads of weed seeds.

I have reason to believe that garlic mustard seeds are mucilaginous, so you should not soak them and instead just grow them as microgreens.

I have figured out how to jar sprout mucilaginous seeds but cleaning out the jars is a real pain so growing them in trays is the way I tend to go.

[The Sproutarian (Mr Raw)]

what length should the peas grow to?

About this:




a 12.5 inch by 16 inch tray will make around 8 oz of juice, sometimes even 10 oz.

[The Sproutarian (Mr Raw)]

I just found out what lambsquarter looks like when it goes to seed and I have a bunch of that stuff waiting to be collected.
http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-h...le-plants-0409
Attachment 9200

A good picture that.

[MysticTree]

About this:




a 12.5 inch by 16 inch tray will make around 8 oz of juice, sometimes even 10 oz.

Thanks. Looks as though you grow yours with a lot less light than I do - that or the variety is much less robust than the one I use.

[The Sproutarian (Mr Raw)]

Yes, they aren't the most robust seeds, that's why l use special methods to grow them like filtered water with an energiser and 110 pounds of pressure water per square inch, otherwise the sprout rate can be as low as zero. Many of the aussie seeds are not very robust, the adzuki are terrible these days. Your sunflower greens look better than mine too. Many of the seeds l see sprouted here look better than mine.

Talking about pressure spraying sprouts....l was outside last night at 2am high pressure spraying the peas and the sprayer got over 110 PSI pressure and there was a massive explosion as the re-enforced bottle blew to pieces and smashed the florescent globe and left me in darkness with me and my microgreens covered in thousands of grains of fine glass. l should use saftey goggles. The explosion is always extremely loud.

[MysticTree]

Yes, they aren't the most robust seeds, that's why l use special methods to grow them like filtered water with an energiser and 110 pounds of pressure water per square inch, otherwise the sprout rate can be as low as zero. Many of the aussie seeds are not very robust, the adzuki are terrible these days. Your sunflower greens look better than mine too. Many of the seeds l see sprouted here look better than mine.

Talking about pressure spraying sprouts....l was outside last night at 2am high pressure spraying the peas and the sprayer got over 110 PSI pressure and there was a massive explosion as the re-enforced bottle blew to pieces and smashed the florescent globe and left me in darkness with me and my microgreens covered in thousands of grains of fine glass. l should use saftey goggles. The explosion is always extremely loud.

I will try to show a picture of my peas growing ... mine have tendrils too because they are a climbing variety.

[Living Food]

Collecting weed seeds for sprouting can be tricky work; where I am oxalis has been flowering for some time, and is finally starting to show the seedpods (they look like this), but the seeds of many other weeds seem to evade me no matter how hard I try.

On the subject of oxalis, I am quite curious to see what the sprouts taste like, because the sour taste of oxalis is due to the high quantities of oxalic acid; since sprouts have practically no oxalic acid, will they taste like the mature plant or completely different?

It's a pity that oxalis is so high in oxalic acid, because it is by far my favorite tasting weed (I imagine the juice would taste almost like sour lemonade, but I don't dare juice enough of it to really get much of the taste), which is why I hope the sprouts somehow taste like the mature weed. I know that some people say that oxalic acid is harmless if the food is raw, but I don't buy that.

Warning: oxalis seedpods, when mature, burst open when touched and scatter the seeds all over the place. So you should be ready with a bag held up the the seedpod so you don't lose any of the seeds.

[MysticTree]

Warning: oxalis seedpods, when mature, burst open when touched and scatter the seeds all over the place. So you should be ready with a bag held up the the seedpod so you don't lose any of the seeds.

if you cut the plant stalks just before they reach this stage then do the up ended in a paper bag thing I mentioned before then you don't lose as much - if any - of the seed.

[The Sproutarian (Mr Raw)]

I will try to show a picture of my peas growing ... mine have tendrils too because they are a climbing variety.

I am still looking forward to seeing them.