Mustard

[biffvernon]

The BBC Food Programme http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01m9n2z has a fascinating story about the English mustard seed, how it almost went very wrong and how a better understanding of the seed saved an industry.

Selecting the biggest seeds for re-sowing each year seemed a smart idea but the farmers saw their yields dropping. Fortunately, Colemans had kept an archive of sample of previous years crops and when these old seeds were grown experimentally it was discovered, unexpectedly, that the small seeds produced plants that were vital for the cross-pollination of the plants that produced the larger seeds.

There's a moral in there.

[hardworkinghippy]

There is indeed.

It's a good reminder to let nature take its course rather than always trying to manage everything.

I was making cucumber pickle yesterday and thinking that I should really start growing our mustard (Just in case.) and this is a timely bit of info - so Biff, thanks for that.

[Mean Mr Mustard]

Somebody called?

[JavaScriptDonkey]

There is indeed.

It's a good reminder to let nature take its course rather than always trying to manage everything.

Nonsense. It's a good reminder to make very sure you understand all the science before you make an uninformed decision on what feels right or (worse) what is justified by appeals to 'common sense'.

Nature doesn't forgive stupidity.

[hardworkinghippy]

Nonsense eh ?

"All the science" will never come about in my lifetime.