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AmaranthAmaranthus sp.AmaranthaceaeAmaranth is a plant with many advantages. When the plant is still young, the leaves are used like spinach. The seeds, on the other hand, are used like cereals, raw, germinated, roasted or even to make flour. Some also cultivate it in the vegetable garden for the consumption of its foliage (like spinach). It is rich in vitamins A, B, and C but also in calcium, iron and magnesium, but we especially like amaranth for its haughty bearing and its bright red color in the garden.

BOTANICAL INFORMATION
Latin name: Amaranthus sp.
Common names: Amaranth
English: Pigweed
Family: Amaranthaceae

MAINTENANCE AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Can become easily invasive, cut back once flowering is finished. If you want to collect seeds, cut the flower stalks when the seeds are almost dry and leave to dry on a tray. The flowers are decorative, cut off spent flowers to stimulate flowering.

HARVEST TIME:
Young stems and leaves before flowering (4-6 weeks) and seeds in the fall.

Antoine D'Avignon was passionate about heirloom vegetables. A pioneer in Quebec in the preservation of heritage seeds, he harvested, cultivated and shared several varieties which, today, would have been forgotten without him. For example, Louis-Marie's Crotte d'ours potato, Ice Grow tomato (from Suzanne Bourgeois), Huron wheat, and... this corn. he appeals to all Quebec corn that our grandmothers grew no longer exists. No one grows flour corn anymore. After the interview, a lady telephoned the radio station to say that she had in her possession seeds of flour corn that had been grown in her family for ages.<!--more-->And so it is that she shared with Antoine her precious treasure. Then that summer, Antoine talked about it to his friend, Mme France Bouffard, who asked him to give her some seeds. Hesitating, because he has very few, he ends up leaving him 6 seeds. She cultivates and multiplies them, then makes flour for her pancakes. The story could have ended like this, but it was without counting on the early death of Antoine, who took with him the story of corn. More recently, Mrs. Bouffard contacted me, who then worked at Semences du patrimoine . We speak. She tackles the corn, then sends it to me by post. Having had a good first harvest, we can therefore offer it to you in turn. To top it all off, Antoine had given the seeds to another of his friends, René Paquet, who has kept the corn husk to this day. And on the envelope, a name. Anita Fournier, from Nicolet. We are looking for this lady (probably deceased today) or her descendants. Please let us know if you know it. Note that some of the seeds have been sent to Seeds of Diversity for preservation. Hoping that you too will contribute to adding a new chapter to the story. Send us photos of your Canadian White Corn and we'll share them.

BOTANICAL INFORMATION
Latin name: Zea mays (possibly a Northern Flint, but resembles Narragansett Indian Flint Corn, eastern US)
Common names: Flour corn, Indian corn (Quebec)
English: Horn
Family: Poaceae

Teff is a cereal of African origin with very small grains. Its culture is ancestral, it has been shown that it was cultivated by the Egyptians at the time of the Pharaohs. It is the basic ingredient in the preparation of injera, a kind of pancake characteristic of Ethiopian cuisine, and Tella beer, a traditional Ethiopian beer. Its grains are gluten-free, which makes it an ideal cereal for people who must follow a gluten-free diet. Teff produces an abundance of tiny grains.

BOTANICAL INFORMATION
Latin name: Eragrostis tef
Common names: Teff, Ethiopian Millet
English: Teff
Family: Poaceae

Old variety of corn introduced around 1890 in the USA, soft and sweet. Plant over 2 m tall, producing two to three 20 cm spikes. The long white grains are not arranged in a row, but in a totally irregular fashion. Cook longer to extract the flavor. Excellent on the BBQ.

MAINTENANCE AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Rare, share.

Sorghum is grown mainly in Africa and Asia for these edible grains, as a cereal. This variety, with its shiny grains in beige, brown, red or even black hues, can also be used to form magnificent ornamental bouquets. But that's not all! Once the grains have been harvested, the remaining stems can turn into a useful biodegradable broom. Variety obtained from Witches' Brooms.

MAINTENANCE AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Similar to the cultivation of maize

Camelina, also called bastard flax or German sesame, was once cultivated as a food source for humans and animals. Indeed, this annual herbaceous plant, cultivated in Europe, has allowed the production of fodder and oil for more than 3000 years. Used in particular as a green manure, the camelina is gradually making a name for itself again. Its honey-bearing yellow flowers produce seeds whose oil, very rich in omega 3, gives it growing popularity in the health departments. In addition, its powerful root is very popular for loosening soils that are too compact. Note you can make brooms!

MAINTENANCE AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
High temperatures can affect flowering.

Sesame has been cultivated since the dawn of time, so much so that the wild plant is no longer found. Archaeological excavations have nevertheless revealed that sesame seeds and oil were part of the Chinese pharmacopoeia, there is 5,000 years old, and from India 7,500 years ago. Black sesame seeds are rich in iron, magnesium, manganese, copper and calcium. Rich in antioxidants, black sesame is also much rarer than white, plant it and harvest its seeds ... heated in a pan, a delight!
Its growth is indeterminate, in fact its seeds do not all ripen at the same time. Check the plants regularly between July and October to harvest, ripening from the bottom up like fava beans. Overall 90 to 120 days then 30 days of drying

BOTANICAL INFORMATION
Latin name: Sesamum indicum
Common name: Sesame
English: sesame
Family: Pedaliaceae

This rare variety of corn was shared with us by Steve McCumber, founder of the Haudenosaunee Seed Savings Group. It comes from the Winnebago nation who cultivated it for generations on their lands, today Wisconsin and Illinois. With a beautiful cream color sprinkled with bluish spots, this corn is a flour variety. You can of course try the experiment of eating it fresh, but its taste is less sweet and its texture more fibrous than the varieties that we find on our stalls in summer. On the other hand, it will be excellent for cooking cornbread, polenta or hominy. Old and rare variety, please share!

BOTANICAL INFORMATION
Latin name: Zea mays
Common names: Flour corn, Indian corn (Quebec)
English: Corn, Winnebago Spotted
Family: Poaceae

MAINTENANCE AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Rare, share!

Liven up your movie nights with this crunchy, rich-tasting popcorn. Also perfect for a healthy snack. The glossy black kernels burst into mouth-watering white popcorns. This strain was developed at the Prairie Road Organic Seed Farm in North Dakota, to delight our taste buds. Suitable for warmer climates cold and easy to grow, unless you have greedy birds in your garden!

BOTANICAL INFORMATION
Latin name: Zea mays
Common Names: Popcorn corn, Dakota black corn
English: Corn, Black Dakota corn
Family: Poaceae

MAINTENANCE AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
To ensure that the kernels burst well, let them dry on the plant before harvesting.

There are very old mentions of this corn which grew in the Gaspé region and throughout the territory of the east coast of Canada. It was originally grown by members of the Mi'gmaq First Nation. Jacques Cartier is said to have even observed plantations of it in 1534. This small popcorn type corn is particularly early and its cobs form in less than three months. Cobs measuring 10-12 cm with 8 rows of grains.


BOTANICAL INFORMATION
Latin name: Zea mays
Common names: Popcorn corn, Gaspé corn
English: Gaspe flint corn
Family: Poaceae

MAINTENANCE AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
To ensure that the kernels burst well, let them dry on the plant before harvesting.