With the big cross-country eclipse coming up in April and all the exciting things happening with Space X lately, I though it might be fun to try out some space-themed tomato varieties to release this year. Two tomato varieties in particular did not disappoint. Here is the first of the two space-themed varieties Grow Your Health Gardening is releasing this growing season:
Heaven Oregon
Heaven Oregon Tomato is an open pollinated variety and a favorite in 2021 by other growers and I can see why. It is an unusually shaped tomato. It is primarily red with a globe-shape that comes to a point at its base like a tear-drop and has purple shoulders. It has a hint of orange flecking and shading on the lower half near the purple shoulder on the skin (see photo below), but the interior flesh is bright red throughout. Its flesh is watery and best for slicing. Heaven Oregon tomato is about the size of a golf ball and looks so pretty on a plate!
Heaven Oregon Tomato has a tear drop shape and is about the size of a golf ball (around 1.75″ in circumference.) Photo copyright 2024 Grow Your Health Gardening.
This is an indeterminate tomato and needs support as it grows to around 70 inches tall. I enjoyed watching it ripen on the vine. As you’ll see from the photo below, the Heaven Oregon tomato as a whole is green with dark purple shoulders while it is growing. It slowly fades to red as it ripens. She’s a no-fuss tomato with no disease issues or cracking. The hard part for you as a grower will be to be patient enough until it reaches that deep red indicating it is ready to enjoy!
One tip I want to offer is to harvest the whole cluster and keep the vine that holds the cluster attached if you want it to hold a couple of days indoors. Do not put these in the fridge. They’re best enjoyed harvest to table in my opinion. They are especially lovely roasted whole and added to any dish — especially pasta (yummmm)!
Our line of seed for sale comes from Oregon Heaven Tomato plants that were grown hydroponically / aeroponically in zone 7B Atlanta, Georgia, so unlike the line of seeds that come from the NW, we’ve adapted this variety to grow hydroponically in hot and humid conditions as well. As we have discussed in the past, research has found that plants can store 5+ years of environmental survival conditions in its DNA for future generations. Our seed will be adapted especially for hydroponic growers, but soil growers should also have no problem growing it.
Heaven Oregon hangs on the vine to ripen a little bit more. Photo copyright 2024 Grow Your Health Gardening.
I tried to track down the back-story on this pretty tomato. One grower said it was developed by Dr. James “Jim” Ronald Baggett, a professor for 30 years who in 1973 became the head of the vegetable breeding program at Oregon State University OSU.1I could not find anything that supported that claim. Baggett has been credited for developing Oregon Eleven tomato, Oregon Spring, and Oregon Star, so it’s quite possible Heaven Oregon might be part of his work given the similarity with naming (even though it doesn’t seem to start with Oregon?) As a side note and nod to another great variety to try, Honey Boat Squash was also bred by Baggett’s program.
For now, I am not going to attribute Heaven Oregon Tomato to him until I get confirmation. For now, Heaven Oregon Tomato’s history remains unknown to us. If you happen to have a source to show Baggett should be attributed as the breeder, please feel free to share with our community in the comments below.
This is a chef’s delight and perfect for the home grower alike. You definitely won’t find this as a seedling start at any big box retailer garden center as a start, so it’s best to grow from seed. You also won’t find it in the grocery store where produce is bred to last 10+ days from harvest (yuck old food!) Grow this beautiful tomato and enjoy it at home knowing that you get to try what most folks miss out on!
Today, we continue sharing about our favorite tomato varieties and what we are releasing for 2024. If you want to catch-up, you can read part 1 here and part 2 here.
Remember, all of the varieties mentioned in this article can be found on our store.growyourhealthgardening.com (and if you sign-up for our newsletter on our store, you’ll get a 15% off coupon to save money on any $15 seed order. Remember, we always include a free package of seeds with every order!)
As you may recall, I shared previously how Craig Schaaf, a grower from Michigan who uses the Korean Farming Technique (KFT), had generously shared some of his favorite tomato varieties with me through a mutual seed swap. That brings us to our next favorite variety which also comes from Craig; Kellogg’s Breakfast Tomato.
Kellogg’s Breakfast Tomato is named after orange juice and Darrell Kellogg who submitted the variety to the Seed Savers Exchange. Photo copyright Grow Your Health Gardening 2024
Kellogg’s Breakfast Tomato
I have seen Kellogg’s Breakfast Tomato listed in seed catalog after seed catalog and paid no attention to it — mainly in part because of my own bias against the cereal manufacturer. But, come to find out, the name of this tomato has NOTHING to do with the cereal company you might be thinking of right now.
Instead, according to the research I find, it is named after a humble gardener and a Seed Saver Exchange (SSE) member, Darrell Kellogg from Redford, Michigan who by trade was a railroad supervisor, but also loved to grow his own food. Darrell purportedly received this variety from a friend in West Virginia (name unknown) and saved the seed year after year. Darrell eventually shared his seeds with Bill Minkey who introduced the seeds to the Seed Savers Exchange in 1993. The “breakfast” part of the tomato’s name is said to refer to the beautiful orange color of the inside of the tomato which is reminiscent of the color of orange juice—hence Kellogg’s Breakfast Tomato.
But to be honest, I only grew this variety because Craig recommended it to me. My bias kept me from trying a great variety and I almost missed out on it. That’s something to keep in mind as you explore what you want to grow this growing season. Be adventurous and curious. Be willing to try something new — especially if you can’t find it at the grocery store produce aisle or at a big box nursery. And share your favorites with others to keep the variety going and adapted to your growing region.
“Be adventurous and curious. Be willing to try something new — especially if you can’t find it at the grocery store produce aisle or at a big box nursery. And share your favorites with others to keep the variety going and adapted to your growing region.”
— Erin C, Grow Your Health Gardening owner and soil/hydroponic grower and coach
Kellogg’s Breakfast Tomato, sliced and shown above next to a red variety for comparison. It’s so juicy and tasty off of the vine! Photo copyright Grow Your Health Gardening 2024
Kellogg’s Breakfast Tomato has become quite popular among fans that like to try different tomato varieties and has won honors such as:
Gary Ibsen’s annual “Best-Tasting Tomato” at the Carmel TomatoFest Event
Dr. Carolyn Male, the author of101 Heirloom Tomatoes, and who has raised more than a thousand heirloom tomatoes, presents 100 consistently top-performing varieties for North American gardeners and in her book she lists this variety as “one of her favorites”
Voted one of the “best tomatoes” by Sunset Magazine
Not only is Kellogg’s Breakfast Tomato good tasting, but it also has health benefits such as tetra-cis-lycopene, a healthy anti-oxidant found especially in some orange tomatoes. According to research done by New Zealand non-profit, Heritage Food Crops, the Kellogg Breakfast variety scored a 3.42 level of tetra-cis-lycopene in their lab tests. We will do a deeper dive on orange tomatoes in another article, but for now, just know that these are nutritionally beneficial to the human body (having protective effects even) and a good variety to choose beyond taste and adding fantastic color to any plate!
“Tetra-cis-lycopene is a highly beneficial bioavailable form of lycopene, and exhibits a golden-orange or tangerine tomato color. But not all tomatoes with this color contain tetra-cis-lycopene, as this color can also be expressed by beta-carotene. Hence it is necessary to chemically analyse each tomato variety to verify whether or not it contains tetra-cis-lycopene.”
— Heritage Food Crops
The yellow/orange nature of this tomato also is important as it contains Beta Carotene. Beta Carotene is converted in the body to vitamin A (retinol). Vitamin A is an important nutrient in maintaining healthy eyes and eyesight as well as a critical role in cell growth within the heart, lungs, kidneys and other organs.1
Kellogg’s Breakfast Tomato, when pruned and given ideal growing conditions, may produce 1-1.5 lb tomatoes on the vine that measure 3-4″ across in diameter. Photo copyright Grow Your Health Gardening 2024
This seed stock comes from the northern region of the United States (Michigan) and Craig adapted it grow earlier in the season and ripen in cooler conditions. We’ve taken his Kellogg’s Breakfast seed and gone the opposite direction and have grown it in a hydroponic system here in the Southeast. That means it has already adapted to a hot and humid environment for one growing season while also maintaining that DNA of surviving colder climates grown in soil through epigenetics.
We enjoyed this tomato so much that we can’t wait to offer it to you in Craig’s honor. We are thankful for the opportunity to grow such a wonderful variety and think that you’ll enjoy it as well.
This is part 2 of what we’ve trialed in new tomato varieties as we continue to bring you our fav’s! If you missed part 1, you can read it here, otherwise, let’s keep cruise’n and share the rest of our new tomato variety releases for 2024 highlights!
All of the varieties mentioned here can be found on our store.growyourhealthgardening.com (and if you sign-up for our newsletter on our store, you’ll get a 15% off coupon to save money on any $15 seed order. Remember, we always include a free package of seeds with every order!)
Chocolate Stripes Tomato
I had first listened to expert market grower, Craig Schaaf, on a podcast where he was being interviewed by Alabama market grower and homesteading pro, Noah Sanders. (I love how Noah shares his passion and wants to help others through the Well Watered Garden Project.) In the podcast, Craig shared his experience growing warm season crops early in the season in his cold Northern climate and how epigenetics played a key role in why he saved his seeds season-after-season. What he shared really inspired me to dive deeper into epigenetics and to keep on my path of saving my own southern soil and hydroponic-adapted seeds every growing season.
Fast forward to the following year when I was bedridden with Covid… I entertained myself doing research for the upcoming growing season on my computer. It was then that I happened-upon Craig’s videos through social media and recalled his interview with Noah. I decided to reach out to him and I was thrilled when he responded! It was great to have him connect me with other like-minded growers on his social media channel. I enjoyed learning more about the Korean Farming Technique (KFT) method he uses to grow his own crops. (Craig has a heart to help others learn, so I encourage you to check out his videos on Gab @Schaafcraig which are chalk-full of experienced growing tips if you haven’t already.)
All that to say that Craig and I exchanged some seeds last year as he was interested in testing some micro-dwarf tomato varieties. I sent him my fav’s and he sent me his tomato fav’s. One of his choices he liked was Chocolate Stripes tomato. I couldn’t wait to test Chocolate Stripes Tomato in our Tower Garden aeroponic / hydroponic system and she did fantastic! I have to agree with him that it is a wonderful homegrown tomato variety. It reminds me a lot of Cherokee Purple and Paul Robeson. It looks beautiful when sliced due to its striped coloration. I enjoyed how it tasted so much that I wanted to offer the next generation from his shared seeds here (he gave his permission of course.)
But don’t just take our word that it tastes wonderful! Chocolate Stripes tomato was also voted as one of the “Top 3” “best tasting” tomatoes by TomatoFest attendees along with the event’s “tasting panel”. It was also voted on by thousands of TomatoFest customers purchasing seeds. This is a sure win as a great BLT sandwich tomato as well as to add to salsa’s and salads for full flavor.
Besides the fantastic taste and ease of growing, here’s the thing that makes this seed stock special… Craig said he would start this seed in early spring and be the first to market using his growing techniques in the northern region of Michigan where he lives. (I think he has a video on his technique on the channel I mentioned earlier in the article.) This seed stock has been adapted to grow in colder conditions according to Craig, yet it also grew beautifully for me in my hot and humid growing region of Atlanta, Georgia (zone 7b).
For those of you who have been following GYHG for awhile, you probably recall me sharing that seeds can hold 5+ years of survival traits in their seed DNA so that the next generation can thrive all the more. That means that our seed from this variety will be especially suited in either soil northern conditions all the way to the south where it gots hot and humid. Furthermore, if you grow hydroponically, your seed will be right at home and produce better for you than the first generation — that’s why we call this seed “hydroponic adapted”.
When I was doing some research online to find out more about its history, it appears that it has come from the Seed Saver Exchange (SSE). I did find some detailed information from a European blogger:
The ‘Chocolate Stripes’ tomato variety was bred by Ohio American John Siegel and was created in the early 2000s by crossing ‘Shimmeig Creg’ with a pink beefsteak tomato. Between 2006 and 2007, the new variety entered the seed bank Seed Savers Exchange (SSE) via Al Anderson, an association for the transmission and preservation of seed-resistant varieties. ˈChocolate Stripesˈ promptly won the award for one of the top three flavors at the Carmel TomatoFest event that same year and the following year. 1
My plants were grown in an aeroponic / hydroponic Tower Garden and I had no problems with cracking or fungal diseases. If you see this in photos online on other pages or videos, it’s either the seed stock is not strong and/or growing methods. This tomato grew beautifully for me and I will grow it again.
Again, you can’t find this variety as a seedling in most big box garden centers or definitely in the produce aisle of your grocery store. This variety is best started from seed and harvested going from garden to table. It’ll keep a little while inside once harvested, but I really think it’s best enjoyed straight from the vine as you’ll get all those good nutrients it offers the closer to harvest you eat it.
Just looking at these pics from last year’s harvest makes my mouth water! I can’t hardly wait for tomato season to be here again!
We’ve trialed new tomato varieties and are bringing you our seven fav’s over the course of a week we will release more information about each one. So much of why I grow the food I do is because I cannot find these amazing tasting varieties at the grocery store. They are just best enjoyed from garden to table and so worth the time and little effort involved in growing them at home.
All of the varieties mentioned here can be found on our store.growyourhealthgardening.com (and if you sign-up for our newsletter on our store, you’ll get a 15% off coupon to save money on any $15 seed order. Remember, we always include a free package of seeds with every order!)
Without further adieu, here are our new tomato seed varieties we have home grown and offer to our customers:
Aunt Ruby’s German Green Tomato. Photo copyright 2024 Grow Your Health Gardening
Aunt Ruby’s Green German Tomato
My husband loves to try out barbecue places across the southeast and whenever we go to any barbecue restaurant there are two things we always try if they are on the menu: banana pudding and fried green tomatoes. So, for the past 20+ years we have taste-tested our way across the southeast and I wanted to pair that knowledge with testing varieties at home to find the perfect green tomato variety to make our southern favorite, Fried Green Tomatoes! And I am officially declaring that Aunt Ruby’s German Green tomato did not disappoint! (It’s also a great addition to any salsa verde!)
Aunt Ruby’s German Green Tomato variety has been listed in the top 10 tomatoes by many chefs and home growers alike as well as won several taste tests.1 Slow Food USA ( slowfoodusa.org ) nominated this tomato to the Ark of Taste Program. This is also one of the 100 varieties described in Carolyn J. Male’s book “100 Heirloom Tomatoes for the American Garden“. In fact, Chuck Wyatt, Seedsmen Hall of Fame and long-time grower and fan of vintage tomato varieties had this to say about Aunt Ruby’s German Green;
“Excellent flavor and texture, good slicer, or for salads. THE OUTSTANDING GREEN VARIETY. If you have never tried a tomato that stays green when ripe, you should try this one, This is the biggest surprise I have ever experienced in tomatoes,”2
— Charles Atwood ‘Chuck’ Wyatt, “A Grower of Vintage Tomatoes” and Seedmen Hall of Fame Recipient
According to my research, Aunt Ruby’s German Green Tomato is a family heirloom from Germany. It purportedly was first introduced in the Seed Savers Exchange (SSE) 1993 Yearbook by Bill Minkey of Darien, Wisconsin. According to Tatiana’s TOMATObase, Minkey received the seed from Nita Hofstrom of Clinton, Wisconsin. Hofstrom’s Aunt Ruby E. Arnold (1915-1997) lived in Greeneville, Tennessee, and had grown it for years and according to Aunt Ruby, the seed originally came to the United States with her German immigrant grandfather. Aunt Ruby had simply called it ‘German Green’. Minkey asked Aunt Ruby for permission to rename this variety and he called it ‘Aunt Ruby’s German Green‘ after Ruby Arnold.3 You should know that I couldn’t find anything on the SSE’s web site to confirm or deny this account, but we have reached out to them for comment as it contradicts another account given by Victory Seeds Co.
We have not tested the pH level on this particular tomato, but according to tomatoabout.com, green tomatoes tend to have a high acidity level with a pH range of 3.5 – 4.2 pH.4 If you’re not sensitive to the acidity in tomatoes, this one will help support healthy stomach acid which you want to break down food easily in your stomach.
One of the advantages of growing your own homegrown green tomatoes is how you can control when to harvest tomatoes. By allowing them to fully ripen on the vine, you can increase sweetness and reduce tart green flavors while also getting the most nutritional benefit from your homegrown tomatoes, because it is not sitting on a store shelf somewhere aging. You also get THE BEST green tomatoes to make Fried Green Tomatoes or salsa verde and this variety is worth growing if you like either of those sides.
The seed stock we sell comes from plants grown hydroponically on a Tower Garden. They are open-pollinated and our parent plant produced multiple large beefsteak green tomatoes (see photo below) weighing 10-16 oz or more each. With proper pruning and timed fertilizing, you could reach 1 pound or more.
Plants do vine, so you will need a strong support cage. It typically ripens late in the season taking around 85 days to be ready for harvest after transplanting outdoors when overnight temps are a consistent 64ºF. This variety you’ll want to start from seed as it is typically difficult to find starts of this tomato from local greenhouses or big box stores.
You can find and purchase Aunt Ruby’s German Green Tomato here (and if you sign-up for our newsletter on our store, you’ll get a 15% off coupon to save money on any $15 seed order. Remember, we always include a free package of seeds with every order!)
And if you have a favorite Fried Green Tomato or Salsa Verde Recipe, feel free to share with the GYHG community in the comments below!
Here’s a look at how abundant Aunt Ruby’s German Green Tomato is on the vine. The darker yellowish green is how you know when the fruit is ready to pick and enjoy. Photo copyright 2024 Grow Your Health Gardening
Use the following chart to help jog your memory on when it is best to prune either a fruit tree or a bush. We will come back to this list periodically to add to it as we have updates. And after you have pruned, be ready for when blooms emerge as spring is an ideal time to fertilize once you see new growth.
Fruit Trees:
Apple
Winter or early spring
Train tree for low head and prune moderately. Keep the center of the tree open with main branches well-spaced around the tree. Avoid sharp V-shaped crotches.
Cherry
Winter or early spring
Prune moderately, cut back slightly the most vigorous shoots.
Citrus
Spring after risk of freeze has passed,
Prune after risk of freeze has passed, but well in advance of summer heat. Water sprouts, a.k.a. “suckers”, emerge frequently, especially the first few years of the tree’s life. It’s best to remove suckers as they appear, otherwise, they take energy from the tree. The thorns also make harvest difficult. If the suckers do produce fruit, it is usually bitter and unpalatable.
Peach
Early spring before buds
Prune vigorously removing one-half of the previous year’s growth keeping the tree headed low and well thinned out.
Plum
Early spring
Remove dead and diseased branches, keep tree shaped up by cutting back rank growth. Prune moderately.
Quince
Early spring
Cut back young trees to form low, open head. Little pruning of older trees is required except to remove dead and weak growth and keep airflow.
Flowering Japanese Magnolia
Early spring
Before buds open, trim off side limbs that cross another limb. Keep center of tree open for airflow and birds will nest in it.
Fruit Bushes, Flowering Bushes, and Vining Plants
Blackberry
After bearing and summer
Remove at ground canes that bore last crop.In summer, but back new shoots 3.5′ high.
Boxwood
Early spring
Trim and shape before new growth occurs.
Blueberry
Winter while plants are dormant
Blueberries only grow on branches that are at least one year old, but the older the branch, the fewer the berries produced. You must prune the bushes so that they provide enough new growth for blueberry production the following year.
Raspberry
After bearing and summer
Remove at the ground in fall canes which bore last crop. In summer, head back new canes 20 ” to 22″ inches high.
Currant
Early spring
Remove old unfruitful growth and encourage new shoots.
Gardenia
Right after blooms have faded
Pruning your gardenia every other year typically keeps the size manageable. Gardenia blooms on new growth, so pruning after bloom cycle is ideal.
Gooseberry
Early spring
Same as currant—cut back shoots at 12″ inch and side shoots to two buds.
Grape
Late winter or early spring
Requires heavy pruning of old wood to encourage new bearing wood. Remove all old branches back to main vine. Cut back the previous year’s new growth to four buds.
Hydrangea
Early spring
Hills of Snow variety cut back to ground. Other varieties: remove dead and weak growth, cut old flowering stems back
Elderberry
After fruiting (Sept/Oct)
Prune severely. Remove one-half of season’s growth on established plants.
Roses, Tea, Hybrid, Perpetual
Early spring
Cut away all dead and weak growth and shorten all remaining branches or canes to four buds for weak growers and five buds for vigorous varieties.
Roses, Climbing
After flowering
Cut away all dead and weak growth and shorten all remaining branches or canes to four buds for weak growers and five buds for vigorous varieties.
Before moving forward into the new year, I wanted to take once last glance backward to 2023 in regards to food that has been modified genetically. There were three big announcements in 2023 that involved genetically changed / altered / modified food and food sources that have been modified by CRISPR breeding technologies.
If you’re not familiar with the acronym, CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) is essentially a DNA gene-editing system. It allows scientists to edit parts of the genome by removing, adding, or altering sections of DNA in order to dial down undesired traits and dial-up/in to traits that are beneficial.
In recent years, GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) have entered the market. In 2020, GMO soybeans made up 94% of all soybeans planted, GMO cotton made up 96% of all cotton planted, and 92% of corn planted was GMO corn.1 (In fact, I learned this year—along with my 6th and 8th graders—that GMO cottonseed oil (in addition to feeding cattle) is commonly used in crackers, peanut butter, tortillas, chips, baked goods, fruit snacks, and as a frying oil in mainstream restaurants2.)
Keep in mind that there is a difference between GMO and CRISPR genetic editing processes. GMO takes two organisms/kinds that do not naturally reproduce in nature and joins their DNA thru gene editing. CRISPR gene editing removes or add genes into the genome within the plant’s own kind. As you read on, keep these methodologies in mind.
These bio-engineered improvements are touted as “improved”. Yet, there is little research to be found online on the genetic effects of bio-engineered foods on the human body on a cellular level — specifically whether or not they cause inflammation in the human body. If the altered foods have polyphenols and antioxidants, how can it be measured how these foods had a positive (or otherwise) impact on the human body?
Genetically engineered crops must be approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) before they can be freely grown and consumed in the United States. I was not able to find if the USDA runs any sort of trial or tests of bio-engineered products on actual human beings before allowing them to enter the marketplace. From what I can gather, it appears that the USDA focus on any concerns they have is to the plant affecting other plants or insects and animals from an environmental perspective (which needs to be looked at) more so than understanding how these changes within the DNA code will affect the human body. If there is concern by the USDA, it is not readily transparent with receipts to show its safety claims on humans. (I do not claim to be an expert is this area and only have common knowledge on the subject. I would be happy to learn more from someone in the genetic field about what happens behind the scenes that the general public may not see.)
Without further delay, let’s dive in and explore what is coming (or has arrived in 2023) in a grocery store near you. Remember, this is for informational purposes only so readers can make informed decisions.
28-DAY NON-BROWNING APPLES
In October of 2023, The Packer, an industry trade publication for producers and grocery stores, shared that Okanagan Specialty Fruits had received approval for taking non-browning, “Arctic” apples to the public. In turning off the enzyme that makes the apple turn brown, the Arctic apple is said to stay “orchard fresh” for up to 28 days.3
It reported that Okanagan Speciality Fruits (parent company Third Security, LLC formally known as Intrexon4)5 was building a 110,000-square-foot processing facility in Moses Lake, Washington.6 This processing facility has been touted as being able to process more than 50 million pounds of apples per year. When fully built (anticipated 2024), it will be able to store, process and pack more than 100,000 bins of Arctic apples.
Okanagan Specialty Fruits picked their first Arctic apple in 2004.7 Currently, Okanagan Specialty Fruits has 1,250 acres of Arctic Fuji, Arctic Golden, and Arctic Granny apples. Arctic Gala will be the next variety the company will grow followed by Arctic Honey and Arctic Pink.8 When you see the Arctic brand, know that this fruit has been genetically modified to not brown as quick as other apples.
Some questions I have for Arctic and the USDA….
• If you can’t see an apple brown, and it doesn’t brown for 28-days how do you know if pre-cut apples on the store shelf are still fresh to eat? • Has the DNA change affected the nutritional profile of the apple? If so, what was lost/gained? • Has the DNA change been tested in how it will affect the human body? • In removing this browning enzyme, will it alter how the human body utilizes the nutrients? • Will it cause inflammation in the body? • Studies have shown that there is nutrient loss from the time of harvest in many foods. What happens to the nutritional profile of the apple from time of harvest to table?
MOVE OVER ROMAINE … CRISPRED PURPLE MUSTARD GREENS ARE NOW MORE NUTRITIOUS
Conscious Greens, a product of Pairwise Conscious Foods, is offering purple leafy greens that boast double the nutrition of romaine.9 They set out to improve upon lettuce’s nutritional profile and used CRISPR breeding technology by taking mustard green DNA and editing the DNA to dial down any bitter flavor. It is said to now taste like romaine or any other green in a salad mix.
The company is also currently working on seedless blackberries, black raspberries, and red raspberries, as well as pit-less cherries, all with year-round availability under its Conscious Foods brand.10
Some questions I have for Conscious Greens (aka: Pairwise) and the USDA….
I’m wondering how these claims really play out in the human body. Where are the studies? I would like to learn more. I know that flavonoids play an important role in the body while also offering flavor (these are released when you cut into an herb for example). Have these anti-oxidants been deleted or altered? I’d love to learn more about your process there and see some transparency. If the flavor has been dialed down, how did you preserve the nutritional benefit?
A reminder to we, the consumer.… As for those of us growing our own food for health and Pairwise’s plans… CRISPR changes aside, remember, a plant without a seed cannot reproduce in kind and you must go back to the source that makes the original seedless plant to continue enjoying the fruits (unless somehow propagated — which would be against the law because said plant would be trademarked/copyrighted.) Food freedom can only exist if the plant can reproduced as God intended — by seed or natural propagation. I’m leery of anyone removing that option from my food source.
Also, I also find it super interesting that Bayer and Pairwise have formed “a strategic alliance to advance agriculture research and development through gene-editing technology.” Within this partnership, Pairwise says it works in corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton and canola crops exclusively with Bayer. Together, they created a new corn phenotype that produces 20% more kernels on a corn thereby increasing corn production.11
I also noticed that Pairwise recently got a pass on changes made to brown mustard. I use brown mustard to make my homemade mayonnaise. Will it be disclosed by these dijon mustard companies that their brown mustard seed is altered because it didn’t have to go through the approval process by the USDA? And again, does this alteration to the DNA affect just the plant growth mechanism, or has any nutrient been altered as well?
ANTIOXIDANT-RICH GMO PURPLE SNAPDRAGON TOMATOES
In July, Norfolk Plant Sciences says it successfully completed a consultation with the FDA12 regarding its high-antioxidant, genetically engineered purple tomato.131415According to their Web site, they carefully added two genes from snapdragons that work like “on switches.” As they explain, “These ‘on switches’ turn on the antioxidant benefits already in the purple tomato skin and juice DNA.” Y’all, this tomato is the darkest purple I’ve ever seen (albeit I’m looking at examples by photo / screen) —it’s even darker than Indigo Chocolate or Black Beauty by the looks of it.
Purple tomatoes have been shown through research to be higher in anthocyanins and polyphenols — anti-oxidants that have health benefits similar to eating blueberries or blackberries.
The company states, “We have developed a proprietary technology for massively enhancing the production of beneficial phytonutrients in plants. Tomato fruit expressing two genes derived from another plant species, antirrhinum (the edible snapdragon flower), are a beautiful deep purple colour. These tomatoes contain high levels of anthocyanins, the healthy polyphenols associated with consumption of blueberries, blackcurrants acai, and pomegranate. A paper published in Nature Biotechnology in 2008 showed that consumption of NPS purple tomatoes extends the lifespan of cancer-prone mice by 30%.”16
Some questions I have for Norfolk Plant Sciences (aka: Big Purple Tomato / Little Purple Tomato) and the USDA….
I’m curious to see any lab work on the nutrient profile of this tomato compared to other tomatoes bred through natural methods. Again, I’m not against the claimed benefits — we want to focus on foods that heal our body. Just wondering what other research is saying about these altered tomatoes. Forgive my skepticism, as the tomatoes I find in the grocery store have been modified genetically (aka “bio-engineered”) to lengthen the time from harvest-to-table and altered so they can sit on the shelf and not decay. They tomatoes are absolutely tasteless in my opinion. These GMO tomatoes are the reason why I love to grow Cherokee Purple Tomato or Black Cherry Tomatoes every season and look forward to when they produce. Taste and nutrition is a big part in why I like to grow my own past tomatoes — especially orange ones as they are chock full of beneficial nutrients that have been found that they help our DNA function properly and actually have been shown to bring protective qualities in regards to humans when x-rays are administered. I’d love to learn more about these genetically modified tomatoes especially since they have stated plans of introducing seeds into the everyday gardener’s plot.
BEFORE WE WRAP UP…
Before I wrap up this 2023 highlight list, I think it’s also good to be aware of what DIDN’T go through regulation. That can be cause for even more attention because we have even less information on what these companies are doing/ have done.
I’m particularly interested in the Tropic Biosciences non-browning banana because I purchased some bananas from Costco this year that NEVER finished ripening and I had to throw them out because it was just not natural. Were they just picked too green for market or was there some other DNA funny-business going on that wasn’t disclosed to the consumer. We need to be able to make informed decisions and you, the consumer should know if what you’re putting in your body has been altered at a genetic level in a lab somewhere prior to growing.
12 PLANTS GENETICALLY MODIFIED AND DEEMED NOT SUBJECT TO REGULATION
On November 14, 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reviewed 12 plants modified using genetic alteration to determine whether they posed an increased plant pest risk as relative to non-modified comparators:
Bayer Crop Science, modified soybean for herbicide resistance (glufosinate, dicamba, dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), and mesotrione).
Bioheuris, Inc., modified soybean for herbicide resistance (auxin and 2,4-D)
CoverCress, Inc., modified pennycress for reduced levels of erucic acid and reduced fiber in the seed.
Inari Agriculture, Inc., modified corn for altered plant architecture
Insignum AgTech, modified corn to induce a rapid response to fungal infection.
Mazen Animal Health, Inc., modified corn for altered enzyme levels and herbicide resistance (glufosinate).
Pairwise Plants Services, Inc., modified brown mustard for altered pungency to improve flavor and altered outgrowth/texture to reduce appendage development on leaves and stems.
Tropic Biosciences, modified banana for altered fruit quality, non-browning.
Yield10 Bioscience, Inc., modified four camelina plants for herbicide resistance; one for resistance to glufosinate; and three for resistance to glufosinate, imidazolinone and sulfonylurea.
APHIS found, “these modified plants are unlikely to pose an increased plant pest risk compared to other cultivated plants. As a result, they are not subject to regulation under 7 CFR part 340. From a plant pest risk perspective, these modified plants may be safely grown and bred in the United States.”
From what I can gather, these USDA decisions—based on the new regulations—focus regulatory oversight on organisms that pose a risk to plant health, but say nothing to any oversight on organisms that pose a risk to the human body, nor any information released publicly on how it would be absorbed (or not) in a human’s intestinal tract or how the DNA would interact at a cellular level within the human body once ingested.
At the end of November 2023, the USDA announced it was deregulating Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.’s (Pioneer) DP23211 corn. This corn was developed using genetic engineering to resist corn rootworm and given the genetic traits to tolerate glufosinate herbicides.17
Look for these labels on foods that contain bio-engineered foods:
Click image below to read details:
This is obviously a massive topic that keeps on growing and to try and tackle it in one article is a bit daunting. (If you’re still reading, I applaud you on caring about this area of our food supply chain.) I will circle back and provide more information as I learn more. In the meantime, please do your own due diligence and be aware of the products that have been altered genetically and reach out to these companies and feel free to ask questions of them and the USDA. And, as always, if you learn of anything not mentioned in this article, feel free to share in the comments below.
Please Note:
For both GMO and CRISPR processes, we could not find information from any of the regulatory agencies like the USDA on whether or not these genetic modification and changes have been tested in regards to how they affect the human body. If you know of any human studies that have been conducted on these genome-edited foods, please feel free to reach out to us. All research has been gleaned from online articles provided by the companies. Footnotes are noted below. We cannot be responsible for any companies changing information after the date of this posting.
We share the above information for informational purposes only and to help the public become more aware of what bio-engineered foods are entering the main stream grocery stores, restaurants, and even farmers markets in some cases. I have included sources for my research in the footnotes below and you are welcome and encouraged to dive deeper. As a sovereign human being, you have the right to be informed when making decisions about your health. We are not medical professionals, nor do we offer any medical advice. Readers are encouraged to do their own research before making any decisions on their health and you alone are responsible for what you eat or drink.
If you work in the industry or have personal knowledge or information regarding a possible violation of the USDA National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard (BE Standard) you may file a written statement or complaint. You can find the contact form here. https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/be/file-complaint
Let’s remember that synonyms for “modified” also include, “altered, qualified, restricted.” The term, “modified” can sound so benign when in fact, the act of changing the DNA code at a cellular level for a given organism is essentially “man trying to be like God” as some scientist believe these foods have been designed by our Creator to nourish and even heal within our human bodies. I do believe we are created in our Creator’s image, so it is not surprising to see His creation mimicking Him, but I am not convinced yet that it is a good thing to be manipulating what He keeps in motion. I’m continuing to think about this topic in great details and hope this information above helps you to be a little more aware of what is entering our grocery stores and ultimately, our bodies.
Be well, my friends, and wishing you a wonderful and healthy New Year!
Here are some simple swaps you can use when you run out of a specific recipe ingredient while baking. Remember that you are not only substituting the chemical components of the item in your baking, but also moisture content in some cases (like with eggs.) When in a pinch, try pulling from these as staples in your kitchen:
Want to dive deeper? King Arthur has this fantastic review with pics as well as Kitchn where they rated and ranked how they felt the substitutes performed in a basic muffin recipe. I encourage you to check those out if you want to learn more on how these substitutions can effect the baking without an actual egg.
Happy baking!
Erin
PS: Don’t forget that to grow your health gardening, you can grow your own garlic, onions and heritage wheat. These typically are started in the fall, so now is a great time to plan these wonderful staples for your pantry.
“The best food in the world starts in the garden and ends on your plate, perhaps after a comfortingly stop in a well-stocked pantry or freezer. It never knows the back of a truck or the inside of a factory, and it holds no chemical or genetic secrets. Eating it feels comfortable and good.”
What is it about growing and preserving your own food that makes it worth the time and trouble? Here are 18 common traits we’ve observed of pantry gardeners… See how many you can identify with!
You want to know exactly what’s in the food you’re eating and feeding those you love. You have been educated in the effects of chemicals on foods and understand you can’t always simply “wash off” the pesticides. Everything that comes into contact with the commercially grown plant and soil is taken up by the plant affecting the nutrition as soils wane and become poorer with every season of use.
You understand that “organic” still means pesticides may have been applied to the plant you’re about to eat and “some” pesticides is still too much. You want to feel confident that the food you eat and feed to your family is the best clean nutritious food you can find.
You understand that plants grown for the grocery store are grown for their transportability and shelf life, not for nutritional value or flavor as the primary goal. Growing your own produce from seed gives you the advantage of picking what you’re going to eat at its peak ripeness meaning it will have all the nutritional benefits you are desiring. Further, you can quickly process the plant at its peak by harvesting, cleaning, and processing it either to eat right away or put into long term storage. In either case, you’ll be locking in optimal nutrition for your body.
You understand that growing your own food is investing in your own personal health and the health of those you care for on a daily basis. The activity of gardening is good for your mind and body according to research and personal experience.
You don’t have a consumer mindset where you only buy and live in the moment… instead, you think about your future needs and make an effort to have something on hand in the event you cannot find what you enjoy eating. This mindset of thinking long-range not only gives you peace of mind that you have some food security when tough times come. Those of us that had grandparents that lived through the depression era, now understand why they took the time to plant a garden and can food. Food security can be empowering and peace-giving.
It feels good knowing that you won’t be the cause for more packaging and plastic to be thrown away. Eliminating the need to purchase items from the store means you are creating a smaller carbon footprint on the need to rely on packaged goods.
You have practiced persistence and are able to stick with a task over a period of time in order to achieve the end goal (often referred to as delayed gratification.) You know with a little bit of effort, consistently over time, you can achieve anything — including a stocked pantry full of nutritious food you have grown.
You understand that investing in the right tools to grow food upfront will have a savings effect over time. Your homegrown food will outpace inflation in savings — it will cost less than store bought food (especially if you’re using a hydroponic Tower Garden.)
You connect with family history through gardening and preserving teaching the next generation through example these simply lessons of healthy living. Maybe it’s making your grandmother’s apply pie or your mama’s fresh basil pesto — these foods have a strong connection to your past and good memories. In sharing that with your children, you pass along these gifts.
You know that home grown herbs that are dried immediately after harvesting out-surpass anything you can buy in the store when it comes to flavor and nutrients. Store bought seasonings sit on the shelf and lose flavonoids when they are crushed. By the time they are used in your cooking, the flavor has diminished. Drying your own herbs and keeping them in leaf form as much as possible keeps the flavonoids in tack and maintains a superior seasoning when you go to crush them and use them in your cooking.
You find that maintaining your own food supply helps to connect you more deeply to the earth and the seasons of life. Watching a plant grow from seed to harvest or even to produce seed to collect gives you a deeper connection to living life to the fullest as you appreciate the cycle of life.
You feel empowered to try something new and aren’t afraid to risk failing. You know that nothing is gained by not trying, so you’re willing to put yourself out there and explore new things in order to gain understanding.
You have a generous nature in that you freely share what you have grown and preserved either through sharing of a meal together or in helping out a neighbor or loved one when they are grieving or in need.
In selecting plants intentionally for their usefulness, you are able to gain the benefit of harvesting herbs in particular for medicinal uses to bolster your immune system. Homegrown herbs with medicinal benefits give one access to health care no matter your age or demographic.
In preparing items for your pantry, the time it takes to go to the store to purchase those items (as well as the cost associated with that grocery run) saves you time in making meals at home. You just walk over to the pantry shelf or go outside to the garden and “shop” from your own aisle.
You know the importance of being mindful of salt and sugar in your food as it affects your arteries and heart. Store-bought options and eating out expose you to higher than normal recommended levels of sodium and sugar. Plus, aluminum cans leech aluminum into contents (food) over time. Storing your own food puts you in control of how much salt or sugar is put into whatever you are preserving.
You like working smarter, not harder. If you have an indoor Tower Garden with grow lights, you have total freedom to grow food 3x bigger and 3x faster using 98% LESS water than traditional gardens 365 days a year indoors. You bask 24/7 in your ability to have food freedom no matter what the weather or pest pressure happens to be outside.
You are resourceful and don’t waste anything—you are the top recycler in your neighborhood. You know that some of the things we consume can be used to feed your soil and garden. The whole chicken you just ate can be used to make bone broth. The bones can be dried and then put into ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar) for four weeks to extract calcium for a shelf stable fertilizer that can then be added to water and used as a foliar spray or soil drench. Remove the bones from your ACV and re-dry the bones and they can be crushed down into a powder to add into your soil. No need to go out and buy bone meal or calcium spray. You literally can make your own fertilizers.
I love lavender. It’s one of my go-to essential oils and a good lavender foot soak with salt is THE BEST! So, when my husband surprised me with a special mother/daughter lavender farm tour and workshop in Thomson, Georgia I was thrilled! Of course, it is more fun to travel as a family so I asked if he and one of our sons could tag along.
When we arrived at our hotel Friday evening, we were given two wonderful gift bags full of information on what we could do during our stay as well as treats and Thomson, GA swag (like a fun tumbler, luggage tags, vinyl stickers, and a drink cozy) and a couple of gift cards to use in the area (which we were delighted to take advantage of to stretch our dollars!
I’ve never been to Thomson before, but it’s a quaint town just outside of Augusta that is evidently known for a local music event called the Blind Willie McTell Music Festival (note: this Jazz festival is coming up Sept 23, 2023) and the Belle Meade Hunt Opening Meet which it hosts annually the first Saturday in November. There are also some large nurseries in the area that grow and ship out to the local region that used to have a large plant sale once a year, but when I checked out the event Web site, they hadn’t had the event the past three years for some reason. Bummer. Love me a good plant sale.
McDuffie Public Fishing Area near Thomson, Georgia is stocked from the nearby fish hatchery with plenty of room to fish.
Saturday morning we enjoyed a complementary breakfast at our hotel (nice spread with plenty of options) and then headed toward the fishing area where we planned to drop-off my husband and son at the lake which was five minutes away from where our tour and workshop was to take place at White Hills Farm.
Our Tour, Workshop, and Luncheon at White Hills Farm
The owner, Amy, was friendly and made us immediately feel welcome. She has a beautiful shop on site where she hangs her lavender bundles to dry. You could smell the lavender in the air and the cool A/C was a welcome already at 10 am in the morning.
She immediately took us on a tour of her gardens where we saw not only the lavender she grew, but also rosemary and other herbs, veggies, and legumes.
Varieties to plant in the Southeast and how to plant
When she showed me her newly planted lavender bed, she said that lavender likes sandy soil with good drainage. She recommended a mix of 1 part sand, 1 part potting soil, & 1 part compost. She recommended to water daily at first & then wait a day, water, & then 2 days, water, & then 3 days, water, and so forth until established continuing to spread time out between waterings while watching the young plant for any stress. In the Southeast, you will want to look for varieties that tolerate heat and humidity of course. She likes the varieties “Grosso” and “Lavendula X Intermedia” (aka: Provence) for cuttings & “Lavendula Angustifolia” aka: English Lavender for culinary use.
We grabbed a refreshing cool drink of Hibiscus Tea with lavender simple syrup and went out to harvest some lavender from her established hybrid lavender plants which were buzzing with busy bees. Amy showed us how to harvest, focusing only on stalks with larger flower bud heads and cutting the stem low, but where it was still green. If you cut down into the woody area, it will not continue to grow stalks from that area.
Workshop on how to make your own bundles to dry
We sat down to make bundles of our lavender to dry and a little vase to fill with culinary herbs Amy had collected while we walked and talked earlier on the garden tour. We were then treated to a nice lunch under two 100 year old pecans. The shade was lovely and the spread was beautiful and tasty as well!
Rosemary and lavender bundles to dry and a sweet little culinary herb bouquet to take home.Rolls, chicken salad, pimento cheese, garden-to-table cucumber, and grape salad with yogurt, pecans and brown sugar (YUM!)Strawberry cup cake on pretty floral plates.
My daughter and I had quite the laugh when one of the farm cats jumped up onto the table to try and sample our chicken salad. Another farm cat came along and soon the two were vying to compete for the food they knew was close by. Lunch and entertainment! LOL
Tips for Drying Lavender for Herbal Use in Tinctures, Salves, Sachets, and More
When drying herbs, you can make bunches to hang and secure them with a rubber band, but don’t make too large or you may get fungal issues in the center of the bunch. Your lavender needs warm air circulating around it to dry well. Amy also had some screens positioned to dry other herbs she was growing in her garden in her workshop and store area. If you use screens, just make sure you don’t use metal screens, but nylon. If you have a dehydrator (how I dry mine) lay out (flowers still on stem, without overlapping) & keep heat circulating 90°-100°F for 24-48 hrs until stem is crispy dry. Defoliate (strip) petals from stem and store in an amber jar with a lid that seals in a cool dry place until you are ready to use.
Can you see the bee?Gift shop with fresh herbal teas to drink and cool off while you enjoy the farm.
Ideas for using culinary lavender
Amy also kindly shared some ideas for using lavender to enjoy with food:
Make a lavender simple syrup and add to most any beverage (teas, juice, cocktails, or sparkling water). If you’re wanting to try making your own lavender simple syrup, you can grab the recipe here.
Make infused sugar or infused salt (add several sprigs to a jar of sugar and let it sit up to six (6) weeks
Add lavender buds to your scrambled eggs or omelette while cooking (eggs and lavender pair well together).
Add to salad dressings and marinades.
Cook in lavender when making jams and jelly.
Decorate tops of cakes, cupcakes, desserts.
Bake with lavender (for most recipes, add about 1 Tbsp ground lavender to recipe.)
Roast chicken or port with a little lavender (and rosemary , too!)
Lavender Simple Syrup Flower Essence
I first enjoyed this at White Hill Farm in Dearborn, GA with Hibiscus Tea. The owner, Amy, shared this recipe with me and it was so fun to try I wanted to share with you!
Way to Heat Purified Water
Container with lid to store simple syrup in fridge when not using
Mixing Spoon
1-cup measuring cup
1 cup sugar
1 cup purified filtered water
8 or 10 sprigs dried lavender
Add boiling water to sugar in a a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup and stir (or boil together in small saucepan on stove.)
When sure is dissolved, break apart lavender stems and add to sugar mixture.
Let steep for 30-60 minutes until desired taste, then strain out lavender.
Lavender syrup will keep in the refrigerator for about 3 weeks.
Lavender Lemonade: 1 cup lavender simple syrup (recipe above) 1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice from 4-6 lemons 4 cups of filtered cold water
Combine all ingredients and taste. Add more syrup or juice if desired. Serve chilled or over ice.
Beverage ideas for herbal syrups:
Make a simple syrup using fresh mint, rosemary, basil, thyme, organic rose petals, hibiscus, or your favorite herb.
Add to unsweetened black or green tea.
Add fresh fruit juice and syrup to unflavored carbonated water (such as La Croix, Perrier, or soda water) to create your own bubbly sodas.
flower essence, lavender, simple syrup, syrup
If you’re interested in visiting Amy’s lavender farm, White Hills Farm, and staying in Thomson, you can enjoy the same package we did by using this link. Be sure to let them know you heard about it from Grow Your Health Gardening! (We don’t get a kick back, but it helps them know how to best serve future interested visitors.)
Thomson, Georgia has some good local eateries
A few other highlights from the trip included eating at a barbecue place called Pigg-ah-boo’s. It was recommended by Amy whose husband liked to smoke meat as well. My husband makes amazing barbecue as well, so we love to try out other barbecue places while traveling. To be honest, when we first arrived I had my doubts. There was no one else there and the place lacked ambiance. But we sat down and soon others started to arrive to get food as well. Everything tasted fantastic!
Pigg-ah-Boos was worth the stop if you like good barbecue.
The next day we tried Fernanda’s Grill and Pizzeria because it was one of the few restaurants opened (and was also one of the recommendations Amy gave us. The food there did not disappoint either and we ate well! The above pizza pictured is called the “Fahgetaboutit” and was super filling. The service was good and we didn’t have to wait long to get our food on Father’s Day even though the place was busy.
Travel midweek and call ahead for tour of Georgia’s first all-robotic Dairy Farm
We tried to check out the first robotic dairy farm in Georgia, but you have to organize a tour in advance and minimum is $100 for them to even give a tour. They only tour through the week, so if you’re a week-end traveler, skip this option or call in advance to make arrangements.
Fun shopping, but shop before 3 pm on Saturday!
We did find some cool vintage stuff at a place called Aunt Tique and Uncle Junks. It was so nice that they stayed open until 6 pm as most of the shops in town closed at 3 pm and were closed on Sunday. I picked myself up a few vintage medicine glass pieces to put herbal tinctures in at a later date.
Aunt Tique and Uncle Junks is worth the stop (closed Sundays).Check out E.T. hanging out in the VW in front of the store.Vintage goods high and low, but easy to shop. We found some treasures!
All in all, a fun week-end getaway. If we were to go again, I would research places on our interest list and when they are open/closed because we missed out on some neat looking gift shops because of our Saturday morning plans and didn’t realize most of the stores shut down at 3 pm on a Saturday and then are closed on Sunday. I also wish the hotel’s pool had been open, because our kids would have really enjoyed swimming. But we were glad to know that fishing wasn’t too far away, because the guys really were able to relax lakeside for a few hours each day which was nice. I also loved the farm tour and am planning where I can plant some of the cultivars that Amy recommended. I would eat at the same places again and try to squeeze in a few more local restaurants instead of opting for familiar chain eats near the hotel our first night.
Part of the fun of traveling is trying new foods and seeing new things, so getting our game plan ahead of time would be helpful. If you want to visit Thomson, GA, check out this page they have created for out-of-towners visiting. If you live in the Atlanta area, be sure to check it out sometime! And don’t forget to plant some lavender this year!
We have been making our own Sourdough Starter for some time now to use in making our own bread (and we use a Spelt Sourdough Starter in particular because Spelt is said to be easier on your digestion system. But that’s for another conversation.)
Exciting news (especially for any of your folks that like sustainable organic gardening)! There’s yet another use for our sourdough discard! Chemical-free, pesticide-free, and organic slug bait! Yes, you read that correctly. Sourdough starter discard can be used as an organic option for rounding up slugs and snails.
Recently, Oregon State University (OSU) researcher, Rory McDonnell, led a multi-institutional research collaboration and found that a simple mixture of flour, water and yeast (bread dough) attracts slugs and snails in droves.
McDonnell theorizes that it is the fermentation process that draws them in saying, “We gave them a choice of food and they consistently went for the bread dough. They really, really like it. They went bonkers for it. Bread dough outperformed everything (even better than beer).” In fact, in one instance, over 18,000 snails were trapped within 48-hours according to McDonnell! Research also revealed that it can be effective in the field in Oregon for at least 8 days if the bread dough is kept moist.
Don’t have sourdough starter discard? No problem! You can make your own slug and snail slurry any time using whatever flour you have on hand along with yeast and water. Here is the recipe McDonnell recommends:
500 g of All-Purpose Enriched Bleached Flour
500 mL of water
2 packets of Active Dry Yeast (0.25 oz packet size)
Note: You do not need to use any particular brand of flour or active dry yeast
Instructions: 1. Mix all three ingredients thoroughly until combined. (If you already have sourdough starter discard, simply feed your discard with equal amounts of water and flour to the weight of your discard and mix ingredients thoroughly.) 2. Apply dough directly to the ground leaving a little distance away from the plants you want to protect. Simply remove the slugs or snails as they arrive. 3. Alternatively, you can also sink a shallow container into the ground and add the bread dough / sourdough starter discard. If you add water to make it a bit more watery, they may simply drown and then you can toss the jar contents periodically, rinse out, and replace with fresh sourdough starter discard or bread dough.
McDonnell also suggests, “The dough works best when it is moist. If it dries out, it will not be as attractive, so in dry weather we stir the dough daily and then replace it if it starts to get dry.”
If you grow anything in the mint family, know that during wetter weather, snails and slugs will especially be attracted to these plants. Have a non-toxic slug or snail plan in place like bread dough.
Also, NASA spotted El Niño precursor from space (May 21, 2023) and says that in the Southern part of the United States we may see wetter weather more than usual. This is actually something I’ve been noticing in our own garden (and I’m totally enjoying this cooler spring) — the snails and slugs have been out in full-force.
I will be implementing this sustainable gardening practice bread dough tip from the OSU right away! Be sure to let us know in the comments below if you try it in your area and if it works for you.
PS: OSU has a slug portal (yes, I’m not making this up) if you want to learn more about the latest news on slug identification and management using sustainable practices. You can check that out here if you are interested. (Also great for any homeschoolers out there who want to learn more!) 😉
Happy growing y’all!
—Erin
Tips for Hydroponic, Aquaponic, and Soil-based Gardening Methods
Grow Your Health Gardening 