fall edibles

[jamie]

just researched the plant. its considered a nasty invasive i guess. was wondering if it had any medicinal properties or if it was edible but couldnt find anything. most of the nastiest invasives can be put to use in some way. even kudzu is edible. anybody have more info on the hyacinth?

[mullet]

  It is probally edible. Some people use it for cattle feed. And it is a nasty invasive. Try paddling a canoe or a power boat through Hyacinth jams in a river sometime.

[stickbender]

     Which is why they have put manatees, in some of the more navigable waterways, to eat them boogers.  Not sure if they were brought here, for their pretty blooms, or if they could be native, but I think they were brought here long ago, as an ornamental plant.  Anyway, they can clog a waterway real quick.  They do provide good homes for fresh water shrimp, and minnows, and bream, and specks.  We used to take a potato rake in the boat, and rake out a hole, in the hyacinths, along the banks, of the Kissimmee River, and jig for specks.  The rake was handy for smacking cottonmouths too.  Some of which liked to hang from the limbs of trees along the banks, over hanging the water.

                                                                               Wayne

[mullet]

  Yea, Wayne, used the rake too. They were brought here I believe back in the 20's, don't remember. If I remember right they came from the Amazon and it had something to do with a Worlds Fair.

[stickbender]

     Yeah, Eddie, I think you are right.  I remember something like that, being they were brought up from South America.  But I wasn't sure. 

                                                                       Wayne

[recurve shooter]

Some of which liked to hang from the limbs of trees along the banks, over hanging the water.

                                                                               Wayne

i had an ex girlfriend who's grandpa was in vietnam if im not mistakeing. he said that they were in a patroll boat one time when a python droped out of a limb into the boat. he was on the machine gun in the front and turned it around and shot several holes in the boat.

no clue if this is true or not, sounds kinda irresponsible, but thats what he said, and i believe id do the same.

[stickbender]

     Very possible he told the truth.  They were always, getting the Sh#@ shot out of them, so they were on pins and needles all the time.  You had to react instantly, you didn't get a second chance to.  The patrol boats were prime targets.  The cotton mouths would sometimes drop in the boat, if you were quick enough, you just ease it over the side with the rake, or oar, then smack it as it swam across the water.  I heard of a couple somewhat drunk guys, trying to smack one that had dropped in the boat, with a boat anchor, and sinking the boat.  These were old wooden boats back then.  I don't know if the it is true or not, but when I was a little kid, I remember hearing my Dad, talking with some people at the fish camp, where we rented the boat, and they were talking about it.

                                                                            Wayne

[Jude]

There was a group out of Woods Hole, MA, back in the 70s-80s, called the New Alchemy Institute.  They did a lot of pioneering work in sustainable living practices, until the members moved on to bigger and better things.  I believe they were the first to experiment with artificial marshes of cattail and water hyacinth for wastewater treatment.  That combo removed all the heavy metals from the wastewater, leaving fresh water at the outflow.  They were also among the first to mention farming tilapia, when there was still no american market for the fish.  Nowadays, you can't get away from the stuff.

[stickbender]

     Yeah, Jude, you're right about the Hyacinth removing heavy metals, they did a lot of research down here with it, and even were considering using it on the space station to recycle waste water, and then using the Hyacinth as fuel for producing electrical power, in addition to the solar power.  Haven't heard anymore on it since.  But is a big nuisance down here, and I am sure anywhere it grows. 

                                                                               Wayne

[jim l.]

I believe cat tail pollen can be used as a safron substitute.

Jim L.

[El Destructo]

You sure?? I love Saffron Buns...but that stuff is so damned Expensive...I quit making them...Been eating them all my Life...My Gram was from Cornwall...and Saffron is big over there....people will save all Year for some Saffron...just to bake them.

Wayne...I tried to get Hyacinth to grow in My Pond for Shade...and it all died.... ...the Water is so hard and Saline down here...it hates it...

[stickbender]

     Jim I, and El D.  Yeah, the spike when it blooms, produces a yellow pollen that is edible, and high in protein, and also has antibacterial properties.  Some people mix it with pan cake flour, and make pan cakes with it.  I wan to try that sometime.  I have cat tails in one of my ponds in Montana.  We have plenty of them down here!!!!  We used to make sleeping mats from the leaves when we were kids, and camping out.  El D, sorry to hear you couldn't grow the hyacinths in your pond.  The do have great blossoms, and like I said are great homes for shrimp, and minnows.  Saffron Buns?

                                                                      Wayne

[El Destructo]

                                                    Yeah Wayne Saffron Buns...they are deliscious!


                                                 http://www.cookstr.com/recipes/cornish-saffron-buns