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Seed Savers Handbook: 45,000 Sold Worldwide

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Handbook adapted by other cultures

Community Seed Saving Book for the Pacific

Clearly written and illlustrated, the book gives practical guide for saving seeds in the villages of the Pacific.

Seed Savers Handbook Translation Into Macedonian

The translation was done by bulgarian seedsavers. If you have any comments please email Michel@seedsavers.net

Michel

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Seed Savers Handbook

This is a complete reference for growing, preparing and conserving 117 traditional varieties of food plants. Written especially for Australian and New Zealand conditions in 1993 by

Michel and Jude Fanton, founders of The Seed Savers' Network.

The Seed Savers' Handbook has 180 pages with stunning original illustrations. Translations into Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Khmer and Bulgarian. 45,000 sold worldwide.

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ASPARAGUS

Asparagus is a perennial and a Permaculture plant par excellence. It has both male plants and female plants (i.e. it is dioecious). The flowers on the male plants look like yellowish green bells and the female's flowers are smaller and quite inconspicuous. Asparagus plants are ferny and grow to one and a half metres.

Plant Names

Botanical Family:

LILIACEAE

Common Name:

ASPARAGUS

Genus:

Asparagus

Species:

officinalis

About the Name:

in Greek, asparagus means "first sprout" and in Latin officinalis, the apothecary shop.

Origins:

Asparagus is a native of coastal areas and river banks of Europe and southern Russia. It has been taken from its natural habitat to the garden and slowly improved by selection. Seed savers have been at work! The Romans cultivated it and so did the Gauls, who used it as a medicinal plant. It has now reverted to its wild form in many wasteland areas and become bush tucker.

Plant Description:

Asparagus is a perennial and a Permaculture plant par excellence. It has both male plants and female plants (i.e. it is dioecious). The flowers on the male plants look like yellowish green bells and the female's flowers are smaller and quite inconspicuous. Asparagus plants are ferny and grow to one and a half metres.

Variety Notes:

In Geelong, Victoria a certain Monsieur Tournouer grew asparagus plants that he brought from France in 1866. Other French settlers introduced their plants to different parts of Australia, both before and after that time. Some of the original strains may well have survived and would be worth tracking down and tasting. Supermale produces only males which means there is no competition for the established plants from volunteer seedlings. Ask around for Grosse Blanche, Asperge Verte, Asperge d'Argenteuil, which bears even-sized spears until the season finishes, and Asperge de Vineuil which is suitable to cool, foggy areas. English-named varieties include Early Giant and Violet of Holland (the ancestor of many of today's varieties), which have pink or purple tips; Connover's Colossal, which has very thick spears, may not be as appetizing. California 500, which is an improvement on Mary Washington, is popular in New Zealand.

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