MAX FACTS growing tips, news and trivia
Candied Beet Treats
Turning your produce into candy is a great way to preserve leftovers that would
otherwise go to waste. The beet’s natural sweetness makes it a natural fit for
candied produce, and its earthiness makes it good for both savory and sweet
garnishing. Try adding it to the top of soup, salads or chocolate beet cake. You’ll
need four baby beets sliced very thin, 1.5 cups of water and half a cup of sugar.
In a saucepan, bring sugar and water to boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved.
Increase heat to a boil. Add beets and return to boil before reducing heat to a
simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes, until the beets are somewhat translucent and
liquid is thick.Transfer the beets to a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake until
firm, about an hour. Transfer to rack and cool completely.
(Source: treehugger.com)
New Pear Variety is a True Gem
A new pear cultivar called Gem combines high yields with excellent
appearance, fruit quality and long storage potential. The new cultivar is
resistant to fire blight and is not prone to brown discoloration known as superficial scald.
Gem pears require at least three weeks of cold storage before normal fruit softening, but
they will last for at least 28 weeks in cold storage without core breakdown or superficial scald.
The fruit can also be eaten immediately after harvest without softening, as it has a crisp, juicy
texture. Its flavor is sweet and mildly aromatic. Gem is recommended as a fresh-market pear for
commercial and residential orchards. While budwood of Gem is limited, its genetic
material will be deposited in the National Plant Germplasm System,
where it will be available for research purposes, including development and commercialization.
(Source: westernfarmpress.com)
Urban Pollinators Get the Job Done
A new San Francisco State University study shows native bees are able to provide
adequate pollination services in San Francisco, despite the urban setting. The
study also shows the amount of pollination a plant received was driven not by
the garden’s size, but by how densely it was populated with flowers. “What this shows is
that just because you’re in an urban setting doesn’t mean bees aren’t providing important
pollinator services,” says Gretchen LeBuhn, a professor of biology at San Francisco State
University and co-author of the study. Since 2008, Gretchen has led the nation’s largest citizen
science project focused on pollinators, which conducts an annual census of bees. “Right now,
pollinator service is adequate, but if native bee populations are not sustained, we could see a
significant decline in urban agriculture,” she says. Her latest effort, The Great Pollinator Habitat
Project, helps participants make their green spaces friendlier to pollinators.
(Source: sciencedaily.com)
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Maximum Yield USA | April 2015