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Djordje Novakov via Shutterstock

'Sunflowers literally follow the sun across the horizon, only to turn back and face east by sunrise'

The sunflower is one of the most animated, optimistic and downright cheery flowers you can have in your garden, writes Michael Kelly.

I MET A guy who told me a story about the power of food growing to create an understanding in children about nutritious food and sustainable living (or food “empathy” as we’re fond of calling it in GIY).

His children sowed sunflower seeds in planting cups in school, and then brought them home where they were planted down the end of the garden, against a south-facing wall.

In this high-tech age, he’s been astonished by the interest the children have shown in their sunflowers – there are daily trips to the end of the garden to measure progress, which with sunflowers is a satisfying thing indeed since they grow so rapidly (and up to 10ft tall eventually).

Then a miraculous thing happens – the plants produce enormous, beautiful sunflowers. The sunflower is one of the most animated, optimistic and downright cheery flowers you can have in your garden – the flower literally follows the sun across the horizon by day, only to turn back and face east by sunrise.

Sunflower seeds

A joy to behold, but also the starting point in the sunflower’s demise –the flower eventually bows down and looks rather sad as it starts to die. But there’s time for one more miracle in which the dying plant suddenly becomes useful from a food perspective – the seeds in the flower head can be harvested for food.

So from this strange plant, you get an unlikely abundance of seeds that can be nibbled on (wonderfully nutty) or sprinkled in to yoghurt or on top of porridge.

If this direct connection between the act of sowing a seed and the act of food-consumption wasn’t eye-opening enough for his kids, consider what happened next. It occurred to them that the seeds they were about to eat looked the very same as the seeds sown in soil months back. And so, a light bulb moment occurred, where the full food lifecycle from seed to plant, plant to flower, flower to food, food to seed – was laid out before them.

Food empathy is a deeper understanding of seasonality and the life cycle of “growth-decay- growth” which is so central to life on this planet.

The Basics – Onions

shutterstock_210236569 Shutterstock / Alsu Shutterstock / Alsu / Alsu

Generally speaking onions are ready when the tops of the plants fall over. An old trick was to bend the stems yourself, but this is now frowned upon. Many GIYers then loosen the soil around the bulb with a fork to accelerate bulb ripening and allow them some more space to swell – a suggestion I once received was to turn the onion very gently and very slightly in the soil, which presumably achieves the same thing.

A week or so after the stems have bent over, the leaves will wither and yellow. Lift the onions and shake off the soil. If the weather is dry, place them on a wire rack outside to dry. If rain is forecast, keep them on a rack in the greenhouse or tunnel. Leave for 10 days to dry out or until the skin is paper thin.

The presence of moisture in the onions is what causes them to rot in storage so make sure all the moisture is gone from them (particularly in the neck) before you store. Store in net bags or make a braid by twisting the onion tops around some wire. Store somewhere cool and dry. Remove any shoots that form over the winter.

Incidentally, summer onions can be used as required (fresh) straight out of the ground while you wait on the rest of the crop to ripen. In other words you don’t have to dry them out before using – the drying process is only to enable storage.

Recipe of the Week – Sugarsnap Peas with Shallots and Thyme

shutterstock_334817027 Shutterstock / topotishka Shutterstock / topotishka / topotishka

This week we’ve been enjoying the first of our sugarsnap peas. Sugarsnap peas are like a hybrid between mangetout and regular peas – you can eat the delicious pods before they form peas, but leave them alone (if you can) and they will go on to produce lovely peas.

Ingredients

  • 250kg sugarsnap peas
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped shallots
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Preheat the oven to 230 degrees C. Spread sugar snap peas in a single layer on a medium baking sheet, and brush with olive oil.

Sprinkle with shallots, thyme, and season with plenty of rock salt and freshly ground pepper. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes in the preheated oven, until tender but firm.

Michael Kelly is founder of GIY and GROW HQ. 

Click here for more GIY tips and recipes.

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6 Comments
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    Mute Clodagh Carroll
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:15 AM

    Bye and thanks for the many laughs on here, Capt. Adebayo, you legend!!

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    Mute Lloyd Christmas
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    Oct 5th 2013, 12:54 PM

    He must have gotten himself a girlfriend and she’s off barking orders

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    Mute Gaius Gracchus
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:22 AM

    Apparently Capt Adebayo Flynn has run into a bit of bother, some people aren’t happy with his decision http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO12Ba5PwMA

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    Mute Suzanne Ní Dhúil
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:41 AM

    Hilarious!!

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    Mute Jodi Steel
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    Oct 5th 2013, 1:44 PM

    That’s brilliant!

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    Mute Dreana O'Gorman
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    Oct 5th 2013, 2:45 PM

    Love it! :)

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    Mute Patricia Mc Cann
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    Oct 5th 2013, 3:32 PM

    Ha ha. He will be missed.

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    Mute Deirdre Mac Mahon
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:17 AM

    ADEBAAAAAAAAAYOOOOOOO
    *sniff*
    well the Capt finally got me to open that twitter account.
    long life and prosper, Capt

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    Mute Nelly
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:24 AM

    The capt had the ladies wrapped around his finger

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    Mute Niall H
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:47 AM

    He’s some character. Pity there arent more like him on here. Its all cranky b******s now :)

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    Mute Abi Dennis
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    Oct 5th 2013, 12:11 PM

    I’m far more upset about Adebayo leaving than i should be…its worse than when Robbie left Take That!

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    Mute Abbi Cranky
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:32 AM

    Oh Captain, my captain?

    (Standing on chair, fist over heart, sigh)

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    Mute Donal O Neil
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    Oct 5th 2013, 2:19 PM

    Captain for president , let’s vote him in ….

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    Mute tmwtbc
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:41 AM

    Didn’t know the Captain had quit. Very funny guy and genuinely insightful.

    Good luck, Captain!

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    Mute Tigerisinthezoo
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    Oct 5th 2013, 12:21 PM

    After all the love from the women Adebayo is likely to come back in a new twitter life as Commander Adebayo Flynn!

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    Mute Michelle Mc Loughney
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    Oct 5th 2013, 12:05 PM

    Say it ain’t so captain. Say it ain’t so:( sobs.

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    Mute TheHassetthoff
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    Oct 5th 2013, 12:15 PM

    So long Captain, your posts are always top quality and good craic! Call back soon!

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    Mute Little Jim
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    Oct 5th 2013, 12:24 PM

    He’s not calling back, ever.
    He’s just too strong.
    *denial, tears, anger, acceptance, pride*

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    Mute Padraig Stapleton
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    Oct 5th 2013, 12:53 PM

    Farewell Adebayo, you legend! A great aul character…

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    Mute Marguerite Hoiby
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    Oct 5th 2013, 1:28 PM

    Why has he left?

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    Mute Mike Clinton
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    Oct 5th 2013, 3:08 PM

    So long Capt and your legacy will remain.
    Lelsie, lets ratchet it up a gear.

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    Mute Dave!
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    Oct 5th 2013, 4:27 PM

    You did good captain, consider yourself promoted to commandant.

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    Mute Tommy Hornblower
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    Oct 5th 2013, 1:46 PM

    I guess it’s up to Leslie Alan Rock to shepard the flock now…

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    Mute Beep Beep
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    Oct 5th 2013, 1:54 PM

    Oh god not Lesley Alan Moron, nobody wants his input

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    Mute Mike Clinton
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    Oct 5th 2013, 3:10 PM

    I disagree with you.
    I find Leslie’s posts quite good (and God knows I have had a few run in’s and don’t always agree)

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    Mute Leslie Alan Rock
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:29 PM

    Thank you michael. ..onwards and side wards I shall lead you

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    Mute Mike Clinton
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:37 PM

    Let’s Rock Leslie ;-). Take no prisoners.

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    Mute Dwickedchicken
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    Oct 5th 2013, 10:50 PM

    Personally I thought “capt” was an ass hole. :)

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    Mute Shane Hickey
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    Oct 11th 2013, 11:43 AM

    how do you quit an online forum? Surely it’s accessible from anywhere in the world (and on ISS)?

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