Jersey Royal seed potatoes
George Bray
crop of new potatoes around this time next year. The Jersey Royals
were bought today from a shop in the UK.
Should I aim to store them in the dark for 10 months before planting
them c. Feb 05? I fear they won't keep well for that long.
Or should I plant them around July time and use the next crop
(autumn/winter 04?) as my seeds potatoes for a further crop in
April/May 05?
Does anyone know the Jersey farmers' source of seed potatoes for the
new Jersey Royals which are in the shops now? Are they stored for
almost a year?
Regards
George
Sacha
pmGeorge...@hotmail.comf888ed61.0404290638.38f88859@posting.google.com
To the best of my knowledge (I'm a Jersey woman now living in UK) when they
lift the potatoes for export which is now, some are kept back, stored and
chitted, then planted next January or February, depending on weather. The
ones we're eating now will have been grown under polythene, is my guess.
I don't know the technical details so I've forwarded your query to a Jersey
farmer friend of mine and will see what he comes up with. He was mostly
dairy but grew a few spuds, too.
Of course, the Jersey people will tell you that you can't grow a true Jersey
Royal anywhere outside Jersey. ;-)
--
Sacha
(remove the weeds to email me)
Sue da Nimm
"Sacha" <sa...@gardenweeds506.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:BCB6E90B.1A54D%sa...@gardenweeds506.fsnet.co.uk...
<snip>
> Of course, the Jersey people will tell you that you can't grow a true
Jersey
> Royal anywhere outside Jersey. ;-)
>
inside Jersey since they stopped carting seaweed to the fields and started
using commercial fertilizers....
Sorry, but in recent years I've been bitterly disappointed in the fall-off
in taste.
Sacha
pmNo...@ThankYou.co.uk.c6rbcq$mss$1...@newsg3.svr.pol.co.uk
You and me and a few Jersey people would agree, I can tell you. BUT, I must
say that the other day I bought some Royals from our greengrocer in
Ashburton and they were the real thing - had the flavour I remember as a
child. They still had the soil on them BUT the washed ones I bought from
M&S a day or two later were bland, bland, bland!
I don't know what the state of play is now in Jersey but at one time it had
one of the highest levels of nitrates on the land within Europe. I hope
that's dropped because I am convinced, personally, that it makes an enormous
difference to taste, let alone health.
I have friends in Jersey who grow for their own table only and use seaweed
and the difference in taste is marked. But the Ashburton ones I bought the
other day were superb.
The problem, as with so many older varieties of veg and fruit is that
overseas sources, which fly in everything from potatoes to strawberries to
roses, mean that the market is so wide open that comparatively small and
later cropping co-operatives can't compete. So they resorted to
'encouragement' of the soil and its crop - mistake, IMO but I'm not a
farmer trying to keep family and land going.
Barry & Iris McCanna
"Sue da Nimm" <NoS...@ThankYou.co.uk.> wrote in message
news:c6rbcq$mss$1...@newsg3.svr.pol.co.uk...
Oh! Please don't say that! I've ordered some on-line direct from the
growers. We've been longing to taste them again after living for nearly
seven years in France. Let's hope it isn't a big let-down. We've paid over
£6.00 for two kilos which includes the postage.
Regards
Iris McCanna
Sam
> How do they manage to produce potatoes so early in Jersey. In Naxos,
> Greece the first potatoes are lifted at the beginning of June.
The Gulf Stream?
Sam
Vicky
really go for the grow at the moment and now want to add some Jerseys to my
list.
And please can someone tell me what a chit is exactly? I've been studying
the info section of the website closely and it just tells me to chit my
potatoes!
Vicky the ignoramus
"Barry & Iris McCanna" <beti.m...@wanadoo.fr> wrote in message
news:c6rgt4$9o9$1...@news-reader3.wanadoo.fr...
Vicky
the year to ensure and ongoing supply?
Vicky
> 'chit' seed potatoes before planting. This means placing them in a
> clean box or tray - old egg trays are ideal - and keeping them in a
> cool (8-10°C), light place, where they will produce strong sturdy
> shoots to give an earlier crop. Tubers can stay safely in their trays
> until planting conditions are right.
Sam
>
> The Mediterranean sea around Naxos is warmer all the year around than
> the gulf stream's maximum temp around the C.I.s
Interestingly they seem not too disimilar for mean temps particularly in May
according to these sites
http://www.koufonisi.com/en/weather.shtml
and
Rainfall is noteably higher in Jersey during April/May which would be a
distinct advantage when growing spuds.
Sam
Sam
"martin" <m...@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:ftp2901cqnv7i1ep0...@4ax.com...
>
> The sea temperature was 11 DegC for C.I. and 17 DegC at Naxos today.
Oh, sea potatoes!, yes i guess they would come on a bit quicker in the Med
:-)
Sam
Sacha
From the official website:
"ersey Royals have been grown on Jersey for over one hundred years. Today
there are approximately 90 island farmers who grow Jersey Royals, many of
whom grow potatoes and no other crops. The potatoes are grown on
approximately 19,000 vergees (there are 2.2 vergees to one acre, so this
equates to 8,636 acres).
The Jersey soil is light and well drained and many farmers still use seaweed
harvested from Jersey beaches as a natural fertilizer (it is known locally
as Vraic). Jersey has some of the most formidable tidal flows in the world,
and the strong movement of the sea deposits large quantities of vraic on the
shore. The practice of using vraic on the land dates back to the 12th
century.
The Jersey Royal season begins in November with planting under glass. The
main crop is planted outdoors in January and harvesting begins in April
through to the end of June. The peak of the season is May, when up to 1,500
tonnes of Royals are exported daily, and the grower can be working up to a
twelve-hour day.
Potatoes planted on the early slopes are hand lifted, with mechanical
lifters used only for the later, flatter fields. The fields on slopes near
the coast known as côtils are so steep that almost all the work is done
by hand.
Once harvested, the level of care continues at each stage. In the packing
sheds Jersey Royals are checked twice by workers and quality controllers
before being packed and loaded into refrigerated vans for export. The
potatoes are packed in the evening, shipped overnight and are in the
supermarkets and shops the very next day to ensure that consumers are buying
them when they are at their freshest and finest.
Besides being unique to Jersey, the Jersey Royal is the only British fresh
produce which enjoys EU protection of designation of origin in much the same
way that France was granted sole use of the word Śchampagneą. The Place of
Destination Origin (PDO) is an official recognition granted by the EU to
protect the product as it is produced in its country of origin. In other
words, if a batch of potatoes doesnąt have the PDO it isnąt the genuine
article. "
http://www.jerseyroyals.co.uk/
Sacha
pm...@privacy.netrmr290tviqstud3vm89upgaagd2misi2ld@4ax.com
> On Thu, 29 Apr 2004 22:02:17 +0100, Sacha
> <sa...@gardenweeds506.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
>
>
>> The Jersey Royal season begins in November with planting under glass.
>
> That's what they DONT do in Naxos :-)
They won't plant Jersey Royals there anyway because they wouldn't be
acknowledged as Jersey Royals.
Bob Hobden
"George Bray" wrote in message
The correct name of "Jersey Royals" is "International Kidney", they only
become "Jersey Royals" when grown on Jersey.
You will find "International Kidney" seed potatoes easy to come by so why
bother to try to save bought ones for a year?
What you need to get them to taste right is lots of compost made with
seaweed, without it they will just taste like any other new potato.
--
Regards
Bob
Use a useful Screen Saver...
http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
and find intelligent life amongst the stars
George Bray
> lift the potatoes for export which is now, some are kept back, stored and
> chitted, then planted next January or February, depending on weather. The
> ones we're eating now will have been grown under polythene, is my guess.
> I don't know the technical details so I've forwarded your query to a Jersey
> farmer friend of mine and will see what he comes up with. He was mostly
> dairy but grew a few spuds, too.
> Of course, the Jersey people will tell you that you can't grow a true Jersey
> Royal anywhere outside Jersey. ;-)
Thank you very much for passing on my query to your farmer friend. I
look forward to hearing any suggestions.
I've heard it said that Jersey Royals don't grow as well outside
Jersey but I'm prepared to try. Firstly, with so-called global
warming, perhaps London is almost as warm now, as Jersey was in the
70s when I remember new potatoes tasting much better than in recent
years. Secondly, I'm going to add seaweed compost to my soil, which
could go one better than Jersey if they don't do that any more!
Thirdly, I can cover the ground with polythene to further warm the
soil.
Nothing is simple, though. I assumed seaweed is seaweed until I went
to a beach to pick some up. I now read that Bladderwrack is the type
to use but it's probably not found on beaches in many parts of the UK.
Regards
George
David Hill
ready for lifting until the beginning of June. When do Maltese potatoes
appear in the supermarkets?
Whoops! I just googled and found that the complete Maltese crop of 6000
tons is exported to the Netherlands around now. .........."
Strange as potatoes are grown all the year round in Malta. and a large
quantity are for "Home consumption".
It's lovely buying fresh local potatoes in January in Malta, and they go so
well with the local caught fish.
They also grow great caulies and a lot of their Garlic is harvested in the
green, that is it's lifted and sold/used with stems around finger thick and
about 18 inches long.
Milder than the ripe cloves but much nicer and you get a heavier crop per
acre )and it doesn't take up the ground for so long.
--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk
martin
Isn't that caused by old age and not the thing you are eating?
martin
My answer was to the comment that the Channel Isles climate is warm
because of the Gulf Stream. The maximum sea temperature around the
C.I. is about 16 DegC. Around Naxos it's 24 DegC.
martin
<da...@abacusnurseries.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
>".............. No of course not, I just wondered why Naxos potatoes weren't
>ready for lifting until the beginning of June. When do Maltese potatoes
>appear in the supermarkets?
>
>Whoops! I just googled and found that the complete Maltese crop of 6000
>tons is exported to the Netherlands around now. .........."
>
>Strange as potatoes are grown all the year round in Malta. and a large
>quantity are for "Home consumption".
I got the info from a Maltese govt. website.
martin
<da...@abacusnurseries.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
>".............. No of course not, I just wondered why Naxos potatoes weren't
>ready for lifting until the beginning of June. When do Maltese potatoes
>appear in the supermarkets?
>
>Whoops! I just googled and found that the complete Maltese crop of 6000
>tons is exported to the Netherlands around now. .........."
>
>Strange as potatoes are grown all the year round in Malta. and a large
>quantity are for "Home consumption".
http://www.independent.com.mt/daily/printerversion.asp?id=24700&t=News&s=News&f=newsview
The 6000 tons refers to those grown for export. Sorry to be
misleading.
George Bray
> growers. We've been longing to taste them again after living for nearly
> seven years in France. Let's hope it isn't a big let-down. We've paid over
That's certainly not cheap but, on the other hand, neither were the
Jersey Royals I bought from Waitrose recently. They were Ł2.39 for
750g, so 2Kg would be Ł6.37, i.e. more than you are paying! That's a
lot of profit going straight to Waitrose for doing very little,
whereas I bet the Jersey farmers are hard done by, nothwithstanding
all their hard work to actually produce the potatoes.
Waitrose is an expensive place to shop, unless you have money to burn.
Regards
George
George Bray
> The correct name of "Jersey Royals" is "International Kidney", they only
> become "Jersey Royals" when grown on Jersey.
> You will find "International Kidney" seed potatoes easy to come by so why
> bother to try to save bought ones for a year?
> What you need to get them to taste right is lots of compost made with
> seaweed, without it they will just taste like any other new potato.
Thank you for this info, which I was aware of, but hadn't found
anywhere that sold International Kidney seed potatoes, hence my
decision to buy ordinary spuds from shops. Following your comment,
I'll have another look.
Regards
George
martin
Bray) wrote:
We can't find anybody selling Idaho/russet potatoes either. We bought
a couple of Idaho supermarket spuds to see if they would grow.
martin
Bray) wrote:
>"Barry & Iris McCanna" <beti.m...@wanadoo.fr> wrote in message news:<c6rgt4$9o9$1...@news-reader3.wanadoo.fr>...
>> ...I've ordered some on-line direct from the
>> growers. We've been longing to taste them again after living for nearly
>> seven years in France. Let's hope it isn't a big let-down. We've paid over
>> £6.00 for two kilos which includes the postage.
We paid UKP3 a kilo in a UK garden centre AFAIR.
Sacha
amGeorge...@hotmail.comf888ed61.0404300155.5a0d703@posting.google.com
Still waiting to hear for my farmer friend, I found this on the official
Jersey Royal site:
"In 1878, a major development in the Jersey potato industry took place, the
discovery of a new variety of potato, later christened the Jersey Royal
Fluke.
Until the discovery of the Royal, a variety of potatoes had been grown on
the island. Then one day a Jersey farmer, Hugh de la Haye, spotted two
enormous potatoes displayed on the counter in a local store. Hugh de la Haye
purchased them and took them home. That evening he invited some friends over
for dinner. After the meal he showed them the two huge potatoes, one of
which had 15 Śeyesą (from which new plants sprout).
The friends cut this particular potato into sixteen pieces which they took
and planted on a Ścôtilą above Bellozanne valley (a côtil in Jersey is a
steeply sloping field, often overlooking the sea.).
The following spring, they produced a large and early crop. Strangely,
though the parent potatoes and most of the new crop were round one plant
produced nothing but uniquely kidney-shaped potatoes. The Jersey Royal was
born! It was carefully nurtured and developed to produce the later varieties
of Jersey Royals which now account for almost half of Jerseyąs income from
all agricultural products.
So what became of Hugh de La Haye? He was later honoured by islanders at a
formal gathering with a testimonial and a purse of gold sovereigns. "
And depending on climate during the growing season, which is January to
March, the crop can be from 36,000 to 50,000 tonnes per year.
http://www.jerseyroyals.co.uk/
Sacha
pmbeti....@wanadoo.frc6rgt4$9o9$1...@news-reader3.wanadoo.fr
Iris, do you know which grower you ordered from, or was it the co-operative?
The Reids
>Thank you for this info, which I was aware of, but hadn't found
>anywhere that sold International Kidney seed potatoes, hence my
>decision to buy ordinary spuds from shops. Following your comment,
>I'll have another look.
I got them from one the two better nurseries in my area, listed
just as "kidney" Coolings or possibly Ruxley Manor (NW Kent)
--
Mike Reid
"Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso
Wasdale-Lake district-Thames path-London "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" <-- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" <-- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap
Sacha
amdo...@fell-walker.co.ukkaa4909juqgfo60eg6485qo9qsb5taoa27@4ax.com
> Following up to George Bray
>
>> Thank you for this info, which I was aware of, but hadn't found
>> anywhere that sold International Kidney seed potatoes, hence my
>> decision to buy ordinary spuds from shops. Following your comment,
>> I'll have another look.
>
> I got them from one the two better nurseries in my area, listed
> just as "kidney" Coolings or possibly Ruxley Manor (NW Kent)
Ah but where did you find the vraic? ;-)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
Sue da Nimm
"martin" <m...@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:p5b4909ljf037t31r...@4ax.com...
> We paid UKP3 a kilo in a UK garden centre AFAIR.
>
whinging about availability being poor this year for both varieties.
martin
My wife informs me that in fact we paid UKP3 for 3.5 kg of seed
potatoes at Roger's Plants in Pickering. For this we got not only
potatoes, but 15 minutes of expert advice. I feel much better now :-)
Bob Hobden
"George Bray" wrote in message then ...
> "Bob Hobden" wrote in message
> > The correct name of "Jersey Royals" is "International Kidney", they only
> > become "Jersey Royals" when grown on Jersey.
> > You will find "International Kidney" seed potatoes easy to come by so
why
> > bother to try to save bought ones for a year?
> > What you need to get them to taste right is lots of compost made with
> > seaweed, without it they will just taste like any other new potato.
>
> Thank you for this info, which I was aware of, but hadn't found
> anywhere that sold International Kidney seed potatoes, hence my
> decision to buy ordinary spuds from shops. Following your comment,
> I'll have another look.
>
http://potatoes.thompson-morgan.com/uk/en/list/full-list/3
http://www.suttons-seeds.co.uk/index2.html?area=frame_menu_main.html&body=cffiles/search.cfm?cat_ca_ref=507&a=316&b=2&c=310&d=300&e=0
(watch the wrap)
I'm sure there are lots more.
Our reasonably local GC (Heathrow GC at West Drayton) sells a good variety
of spuds and seems to be able to get in whatever you want. Try asking your
local one especially if it's an independent like ours is.
The RHS at Wisley also have them every year which is where I normally buy
mine.
Some people have reported good flavour by watering using seaweed extract,
something I intend to try this year (having purchased 5lts from N A Kays)
George Bray
> Ah but where did you find the vraic? ;-)
Sacha, Mike
Thank you for your respective help.
The element of doubt about the exact type of potato is part of the
reason why I decided to buy Jersey Royals from a shop. I'll buy
another batch, later in May, when the price falls a bit. If I buy
'kidney' seed potatoes how can I be sure they're the real thing, even
though plenty of people say 'Jersey Royals' ARE 'International Kidney'
potatoes.
The first thing I need to check about vraic is that I can identify the
stuff, even if I can find any! Some sources say it's found more on
Atlantic beaches, rather than, say, in Hampshire or Essex.
Regards
George
Sacha
pmGeorge...@hotmail.comf888ed61.0404300653.2ca3bba5@posting.google.com
The Jersey Royal is indeed the Jersey Royal because, AIUI, it's a 'fluke' of
the International Kidney, so there's a difference of some sort. As to the
'vraic' , it's seaweed in general but what's mainly used is bladder wrack
(Fucus vesiculosis) that sort of broad, freckly, frondy stuff that has warts
on it and dries to a crisp blackness.
http://www.societe-jersiaise.org/langsec/vraic.jpg is a pic. of bladderwrack
being collected 'time past', as we say in Jersey and this is a link to a
short dissertation on various seaweeds and their functions and uses in
Jersey and elsewhere: http://www.societe-jersiaise.org/langsec/vraic.html
--
Sacha
martin
In Brittany AFAIR and according to your web site they harvest kelp.
It's kelp which is usually washed up in large piles after a storm in
most places.
Have you any idea why they don't harvest kelp in Jersey or do they?
Janet Baraclough..
from "David Hill" <da...@abacusnurseries.freeserve.co.uk> contains these
words:
> It's lovely buying fresh local potatoes in January in Malta, and they go so
> well with the local caught fish.
> They also grow great caulies and a lot of their Garlic is harvested in the
> green, that is it's lifted and sold/used with stems around finger thick and
> about 18 inches long.
> Milder than the ripe cloves but much nicer and you get a heavier crop per
> acre )and it doesn't take up the ground for so long.
In the UK you can often buy green garlic in Asian shops (along with
other vegetable delights such as tiny little aubergines)
Janet.
Sacha
pm...@privacy.netd8v4909ooln947cu2fnffcjg655oh5mgl7@4ax.com
Look at the website. ;-) I think they harvest everything that's going but
the most prolific in winter storms is the bladder wrack.
martin
<sa...@gardenweeds506.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
>> In Brittany AFAIR and according to your web site they harvest kelp.
>> It's kelp which is usually washed up in large piles after a storm in
>> most places.
>>
>> Have you any idea why they don't harvest kelp in Jersey or do they?
>
>Look at the website. ;-) I think they harvest everything that's going but
>the most prolific in winter storms is the bladder wrack.
I remember watching a BBC archeology program about Scotland where they
showed ancient pits where seaweed was burnt before being used on the
land. Is this what they do in the C.I.?
I had a scout camp holiday in Jersey in 1953, it rained very hard and
we ended sleeping on the floor of a church hall in St Martin near
Rozel. I've been back several times to the Channel Isles, mainly
Alderney, but by boat. Boats tend to be drier than tents when it rains
:-)
Sacha
> On Fri, 30 Apr 2004 23:42:44 +0100, Sacha
> <sa...@gardenweeds506.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>> In Brittany AFAIR and according to your web site they harvest kelp.
>>> It's kelp which is usually washed up in large piles after a storm in
>>> most places.
>>>
>>> Have you any idea why they don't harvest kelp in Jersey or do they?
>>
>> Look at the website. ;-) I think they harvest everything that's going but
>> the most prolific in winter storms is the bladder wrack.
>
> I remember watching a BBC archeology program about Scotland where they
> showed ancient pits where seaweed was burnt before being used on the
> land. Is this what they do in the C.I.?
No, they just spread it on 'neat'. It rots down through the winter.
>
> I had a scout camp holiday in Jersey in 1953, it rained very hard and
> we ended sleeping on the floor of a church hall in St Martin near
> Rozel. I've been back several times to the Channel Isles, mainly
> Alderney, but by boat. Boats tend to be drier than tents when it rains
> :-)
If you sail round Alderney good luck to you! And I used to live in St
Martin's, not far from Rozel. I know the Public Hall very well indeed!
martin
<sa...@gardenweeds506.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
>martin1/5/04 7:58 am...@privacy.net79i690pjf4hbb4at0qhm6vhma20e7uler6@4ax.com
>
>> On Fri, 30 Apr 2004 23:42:44 +0100, Sacha
>> <sa...@gardenweeds506.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>>> In Brittany AFAIR and according to your web site they harvest kelp.
>>>> It's kelp which is usually washed up in large piles after a storm in
>>>> most places.
>>>>
>>>> Have you any idea why they don't harvest kelp in Jersey or do they?
>>>
>>> Look at the website. ;-) I think they harvest everything that's going but
>>> the most prolific in winter storms is the bladder wrack.
>>
>> I remember watching a BBC archeology program about Scotland where they
>> showed ancient pits where seaweed was burnt before being used on the
>> land. Is this what they do in the C.I.?
>
>No, they just spread it on 'neat'. It rots down through the winter.
We wondered if anybody ever burnt it. We couldn't see the point.
>>
>> I had a scout camp holiday in Jersey in 1953, it rained very hard and
>> we ended sleeping on the floor of a church hall in St Martin near
>> Rozel. I've been back several times to the Channel Isles, mainly
>> Alderney, but by boat. Boats tend to be drier than tents when it rains
>> :-)
>
>If you sail round Alderney good luck to you!
I've never actually sailed around it just to/from and past it.
>And I used to live in St
>Martin's, not far from Rozel. I know the Public Hall very well indeed!
It has very hard floor boards :-)
Sacha
am...@privacy.netv4t690p82rapugadaseuio8fkiadhgi9v4@4ax.com
> On Sat, 01 May 2004 09:55:30 +0100, Sacha
> <sa...@gardenweeds506.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> martin1/5/04 7:58 am...@privacy.net79i690pjf4hbb4at0qhm6vhma20e7uler6@4ax.com
>>
>>> On Fri, 30 Apr 2004 23:42:44 +0100, Sacha
>>> <sa...@gardenweeds506.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
>>>
>>>>> In Brittany AFAIR and according to your web site they harvest kelp.
>>>>> It's kelp which is usually washed up in large piles after a storm in
>>>>> most places.
>>>>>
>>>>> Have you any idea why they don't harvest kelp in Jersey or do they?
>>>>
>>>> Look at the website. ;-) I think they harvest everything that's going but
>>>> the most prolific in winter storms is the bladder wrack.
>>>
>>> I remember watching a BBC archeology program about Scotland where they
>>> showed ancient pits where seaweed was burnt before being used on the
>>> land. Is this what they do in the C.I.?
>>
>> No, they just spread it on 'neat'. It rots down through the winter.
>
> We wondered if anybody ever burnt it. We couldn't see the point.
Perhaps they thought the salt had to be burned off? I don't understand that
at all because you'd think they'd realise that burning also burned away the
nutrients. Are we sure these weren't just huge fireplaces for ceilidh
nights? ;-)
>
>>>
>>> I had a scout camp holiday in Jersey in 1953, it rained very hard and
>>> we ended sleeping on the floor of a church hall in St Martin near
>>> Rozel. I've been back several times to the Channel Isles, mainly
>>> Alderney, but by boat. Boats tend to be drier than tents when it rains
>>> :-)
>>
>> If you sail round Alderney good luck to you!
>
> I've never actually sailed around it just to/from and past it.
Quite enough to be going on with! Have you *seen* the tidal charts for that
area. ;-((
>
>> And I used to live in St
>> Martin's, not far from Rozel. I know the Public Hall very well indeed!
>
> It has very hard floor boards :-)
All the better for stamping on during election hustings. ;-)
martin
<sa...@gardenweeds506.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
>martin1/5/04 11:00
>am...@privacy.netv4t690p82rapugadaseuio8fkiadhgi9v4@4ax.com
>
>> On Sat, 01 May 2004 09:55:30 +0100, Sacha
>> <sa...@gardenweeds506.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>> martin1/5/04 7:58 am...@privacy.net79i690pjf4hbb4at0qhm6vhma20e7uler6@4ax.com
>>>
>>>> On Fri, 30 Apr 2004 23:42:44 +0100, Sacha
>>>> <sa...@gardenweeds506.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>> In Brittany AFAIR and according to your web site they harvest kelp.
>>>>>> It's kelp which is usually washed up in large piles after a storm in
>>>>>> most places.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Have you any idea why they don't harvest kelp in Jersey or do they?
>>>>>
>>>>> Look at the website. ;-) I think they harvest everything that's going but
>>>>> the most prolific in winter storms is the bladder wrack.
>>>>
>>>> I remember watching a BBC archeology program about Scotland where they
>>>> showed ancient pits where seaweed was burnt before being used on the
>>>> land. Is this what they do in the C.I.?
>>>
>>> No, they just spread it on 'neat'. It rots down through the winter.
>>
>> We wondered if anybody ever burnt it. We couldn't see the point.
>
>Perhaps they thought the salt had to be burned off? I don't understand that
>at all because you'd think they'd realise that burning also burned away the
>nutrients. Are we sure these weren't just huge fireplaces for ceilidh
>nights? ;-)
sounds much more probable, archeologists aren't very practical when
they are guess mode.
>>
>>>>
>>>> I had a scout camp holiday in Jersey in 1953, it rained very hard and
>>>> we ended sleeping on the floor of a church hall in St Martin near
>>>> Rozel. I've been back several times to the Channel Isles, mainly
>>>> Alderney, but by boat. Boats tend to be drier than tents when it rains
>>>> :-)
>>>
>>> If you sail round Alderney good luck to you!
>>
>> I've never actually sailed around it just to/from and past it.
>
>Quite enough to be going on with! Have you *seen* the tidal charts for that
>area. ;-((
I have seen the real thing close up. I remember rocks whizzing by and
the boat averaging about 8 knots over the ground in a light wind when
we went from Alderney to Jersey.
>>
>>> And I used to live in St
>>> Martin's, not far from Rozel. I know the Public Hall very well indeed!
>>
>> It has very hard floor boards :-)
>
>All the better for stamping on during election hustings. ;-)
stamping on politicians? :-)
Sacha
<snip>
>> Quite enough to be going on with! Have you *seen* the tidal charts for that
>> area. ;-((
>
> I have seen the real thing close up. I remember rocks whizzing by and
> the boat averaging about 8 knots over the ground in a light wind when
> we went from Alderney to Jersey.
Every time I've gone past the Casquets, I think of The White Ship.....not a
happy thought, either!
>
>>>
>>>> And I used to live in St
>>>> Martin's, not far from Rozel. I know the Public Hall very well indeed!
>>>
>>> It has very hard floor boards :-)
>>
>> All the better for stamping on during election hustings. ;-)
>
> stamping on politicians? :-)
There's another use?
Mike Lyle
> martin1/5/04 11:00
> am...@privacy.netv4t690p82rapugadaseuio8fkiadhgi9v4@4ax.com
>
> > On Sat, 01 May 2004 09:55:30 +0100, Sacha
> > <sa...@gardenweeds506.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
> >
> >> martin1/5/04 7:58 am...@privacy.net79i690pjf4hbb4at0qhm6vhma20e7uler6@4ax.com
> >>> I remember watching a BBC archeology program about Scotland where they
> >>> showed ancient pits where seaweed was burnt before being used on the
> >>> land. Is this what they do in the C.I.?
> >>
> >> No, they just spread it on 'neat'. It rots down through the winter.
> >
> > We wondered if anybody ever burnt it. We couldn't see the point.
>
> Perhaps they thought the salt had to be burned off? I don't understand that
> at all because you'd think they'd realise that burning also burned away the
> nutrients. Are we sure these weren't just huge fireplaces for ceilidh
> nights? ;-)
Isn't there some industrial process for which seaweed has to be burnt?
(I don't think they'd invented soap yet; certainly not gunpowder!)
And, for crops, burning it would give you the potash in a more
portable form, which may have been a factor at the time.
Mike.
George Bray
> Try mail order then....
>
> http://potatoes.thompson-morgan.com/uk/en/list/full-list/3
>
> http://www.suttons-seeds.co.uk/index2.html?
Thank you for these links. But why are seed potatoes so expensive? And
how can anyone be so sure that they are more disease-free than spuds
bought in the shops? I think I'll take my chance with Jersey Royals
from the shops.
Regards
George
Mike Lyle
My take on it is that certified sets come from cool windy places where
infection is low, but this could be wrong these days, with all the
spraying.
I think you'd happily get away with one season of potatoes from the
greengrocer or supermarket, as I've done it several times; but I'd
hesitate to use any of the crop for seed.
Mike.
Brian
seaweed was to reduce the volume for transport. None of the minerals should
have been destroyed. The bulk that was incinerated could be easily replaced
from peat or straw. This would have been an early attempt at fertilisers as
opposed to bulk manures.
By burning, the bulk is reduced to 1lb from 1 ton!!~~with loss of only
the carbohydrates.
Best Wishes. Brian.
"Mike Lyle" <mike_l...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:3fa4d950.04050...@posting.google.com...
Sacha
pmb...@tiscali.co.uk40951ddb_1@mk-nntp-2.news.uk.tiscali.com
> Iodine can be extracted from seaweeds. I understood that the burning of
> seaweed was to reduce the volume for transport. None of the minerals should
> have been destroyed. The bulk that was incinerated could be easily replaced
> from peat or straw. This would have been an early attempt at fertilisers as
> opposed to bulk manures.
> By burning, the bulk is reduced to 1lb from 1 ton!!~~with loss of only
> the carbohydrates.
<snip>
Very interesting, Brian and thank you. But it makes you wonder why Jersey
farmers didn't burn seaweed in situ 'time past' instead of carting it by the
ton, literally. Perhaps our tidal flow is too extreme to permit firepits on
the beaches!
Brian
and to retain the humus. Also it is very unlikely that they had the peat or
straw to replace that burnt. Scotland is a vast country.
Many thanks for all of your contributions. They are always pertinent and
don't 'wander' as some of us others.
Did you ever discover the name of the Ribes?
I recently saw the most beautiful, totally double, shell pink Vinca.
Compact and covered in bloom. So different that I had to swallow and ask
what it was!! But then I had not got very close so I forgave myself. I'm
very good at that!!
We used to be able to buy seaweed locally [subsidised] at ten tons per
acre and the potatoes were very different. Beetroot even more so but that
can be imitated by a sprinkle of salt around the seedlings.
Thanks and Best Wishes. Brian. 'flayb' to respond.news:BCBAE6E1.1A92B%sa...@gardenweeds506.fsnet.co.uk...
Janet Baraclough..
from GeorgeB...@hotmail.com (George Bray) contains these words:
> But why are seed potatoes so expensive?
And
> how can anyone be so sure that they are more disease-free than spuds
> bought in the shops?
Seed-potatoes are produced by registered growers and are certified
disease free. You pay more for a higher standard.
Janet.