Always Learning

[sheepdog 10]

I always like to try new things, and I also think it's important to realize that you never stop learning, no matter how old you are, or how smart you think you are. The brain is like any other muscle in your body, and if you don't use it you loose it! So in an effort to help ward off oldtimers disease, every year I try something new. One of the things I learned in this years growing season, is that while sunflowers are relatively easy to grow, getting them to harvest and processed is an entirely different situation. Since I am growing them for seed, the flower heads have to be completely mature before they are harvested, and there in lies the problem. It seems that EVERYTHING loves sunflower seeds. Even my own billy goat! Bugs, wild birds, the seed snacker list seemed endless this year. It is nearly impossible to get them completely mature before something else eats them. (on the positive side, I did see some very pretty wild cannaries and blue birds around the old flower bed this year, something you don't see too much of normally) Hulling is another problem. Oddly, if you can catch them just right, get them dryed, you can practically turn them upside down and shake out the seeds, but for the most part most of the flower heads have to have the seeds scratched out of them. It's really rough on the fingers. It required short stubby fingernails, which is fine, cause that's what I have anyway. And the things even after they are dry, leave a lot of stain on your fingers. Not to mention a really weird smell. My main reason for raising them was for some chicken feed, and in future years after I shell some out for seed I won't have to worry about hulling out the seeds anymore, I can just store the dryed flower heads and let the chickens peck them out for themselves. But for this year I needed a lot more seed, so I was stuck with hand hulling them. I should have about 3 quart jars full of seed by the time I'm done hulling all the rest of the flowers I have drying right now. That should make me a nice crop to plant next year. Providing of course, we manage to get the garden plowed.