I get asked a lot of questions about oca, but one is asked more commonly than all of the others combined: how does it taste? Most people don’t want a long answer, so it is easy to fall back on the standard descriptions like “lemony potato” or “potato with sour cream.” These answers satisfy those […]
We have been very lucky to find an artist who can translate my crude scribbling into a beautiful finished product. Here is a handy introduction to the major Andean root crops: Mashua, Oca, Potato, Ulluco, and Yacon. There is also a two page flier with the same information attached below. Click here for […]
Mashua (Tropaeolum tuberosum) is one of the few Andean root crops that is reportedly easy to grow from seed. It is happy self- or cross-pollinating and produces lots of flowers which grow into clusters of 3 to 4 seeds. The seeds are regarded as easy to germinate. They come up sometimes as volunteers in mild […]
Well, it appears that we have cracked the ulluco code. Since our first volunteer seedling last year, we have now sprouted three more seeds under controlled conditions. I couldn’t be more pleased. In addition to being one of my favorite plants, I’ve spent more time in the pursuit of ulluco seed than anything else that […]