Potatoes Go Postal
Matthew DiStefano was in his office when his co-worker received a huge box of potatoes
from his parents in Idaho. “I thought it was really funny to see so many potatoes sent
as a gift to us to take home,” he says. “Everyone was really excited and took one home
to eat.” Cue Send A Potato (sendapotato.com), a website that helps users send a potato
to their friends, family or anyone who would be delighted to find a spud in their mailbox,
sans box or envelope—just a potato with an address and stamps. “You will be hard
pressed to find someone who doesn't like potatoes,” says Matthew. But after all of that
handling in the mail, plus the Sharpie and stamps, Matthew warns that a person might
not want to eat the potato. If you do, just peel the skin off first.
(Source: bostinno.streetwise.co)
MAXFACTS
Growing tips, news and trivia
Lettuce Becomes a Superfood
When asked to name a superfood a food item jam-packed with nutritional value—a few items invariably
—
come to mind. Blueberries. Quinoa. Almonds. Kale. Now, a team of Rutgers University scientists have added
lettuce to the list. Rutgers University professor Ilya Raskin and his team set out three years ago to boost
the health value of the vegetable through nutritional breeding. They chose to work with lettuce because it
is an “ideal delivery vehicle” and one of the most commonly consumed vegetables in domestic diets. It’s
also a quick-growing plant that can be grown in warm and cooler months in parts of the country, says Ilya.
The researchers used tissue culture technology to create a colorful and nutritious red leaf plant they
call Rutgers Scarlet Lettuce. The new lettuce has more antioxidants and polyphenols—both of which
are associated with preventing cancer and cardiovascular disease—than blueberries.
(Source: nj.com)
Construction Workers Turn to Hydroponics
In late 2008, when the housing market collapsed, David and Terry Quick from Illinois
decided to get out of the construction business and into farming. “People don’t always
need concrete patios, but they always need to eat,” says David. After 30 years in
construction, the Quicks launched a hydroponic farm called Quickley Produce
Farm in Galena. While they didn’t have a background in hydroponics, David
says he believed in its potential: the farmer can grow more crops in less
space, has a longer growing season, is less susceptible to traditional
diseases, and provides consumers with locally grown produce yearround. So far, things have paid off. The Quicks specialize in tomatoes
and cucumbers and can’t keep up with demand. “In the past three
years, the acceptance of hydroponics has been overwhelming ... to
where people are actually seeking it out,” adds David.
(Source: news-leader.com)
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Maximum Yield USA | March 2015