So I’m just posting the final photos from last Saturday’s Seedy Saturday!  Remember this winnowing machine?  First one I’ve ever seen and it was fun to see it operating!

So I participated in the hands-on seed cleaning session.  And here are 2 of the framed screens that will be used to screen out chaff and any material that is not seeds.

The instructor used leek seed-heads for demonstration purposes .. I think that there were about a dozen of these used.   She rubbed these vigorously against the screens.  btw, these screens are made with stainless steel metal cloth and are at least 10 years old (maybe more!) They are well made and look new.  Here is a link that shows a variety of the metal cloth:  http://www.twpinc.com/wire-mesh-material/stainless-steel

The seeds are very sturdy and the resulting seedless flower heads look very brush-like and I believe that they could be used for making paper or something equally as useful and decorative.

Many hands reached in to separate the seeds from their husks.

Soon, there was a pile of the seeds and chaff ready to be sorted!  Someone operated the crank handle, which in turned, started the rotation of belts and the seeds fell through this opening and exited the winnower, sending the lighter, weaker seeds out one side and the heavier, more robust seeds out another!  This was repeated a few times ..until …

ta da ..the cleaner seeds remained!  I gained a lot of respect for all the organic seed producers who must go through this process to prepare the seeds that we buy from them.  Quite a difference from saving seed at home!

Back at home, a few days ago, we had the most beautiful skies!  Haven’t seen them for a few days, but I understand that they will return this weekend.  Yea!

Oh, I am so happy that I have this Sea Buckthorn ….. it will grow to 25 feet and how I would love to plant it now .. hmmm. .. perhaps I will !!!!

I understand that there is a male and a female plant.  The label doesn’t say so I don’t know which one I have.  The buds are quite strong.  I’d had this plant grouped in the shade last year and now that it is in the sun .. it seems much stronger.  We all need the sun, plants, animals, birds, humans!

Here are 3 types of willow cuttings starting to grow in this pot.  If I planted them, which I might, then they will grow to 10 feet tall in one season.  Perhaps I will plant them also!  And I have a lovely story to share about where I obtained them.  But that is for another day.

I have the most lovely coffee burlap bags to use in the garden.  They really are too beautiful to use .. each one has a history.   They are perfect for putting on the ground and on pathways.  They are organic and will break down, adding to the soil material.  I’ve also read that they are good for red wiggler composters, so I’ll cut up some sections and put them in my rw composter.

I am also going to use some of them for growing containers .. for potatoes, beans, peas …they will stay in one place for the whole growing season.  Perfect.  Although I was tempted to try to make shopping bags out of the burlap – after searching for information online, I decided to not go down that path.  I have enough with my glass totems and my soaps.  More about those two passions on another day.

And here is my little hard covered notebook where I have diligently scribbled when and what I have planted in my milk jug and salad containers for my “winter sown – summer seeds”   .. and here is a UK website about that:  http://theseedsite.co.uk/wintersowing.html

Also, I just had to take a photo of the latest batch of seeds that I recently purchased.  The Planting Project seeds are from the same business that held the winnowing session.Well, it has been an overcast past few days here .. and I’ve wanted to go outside, but it looks so gloomy that I’m not inspired  However, when I do go outside,then I realize that the weather isn’t that bad and I do some type of chore .. whether it is holding up gigantic stalks of bamboo, visualizing giant red runner beans growing aloft (and hiding ugly nearby buildings) or peeking into my containers of seeds to see what is growing .. there is always something to do.  Or just stand and gaze at the sky, stand motionless and watch the antics of the birds.

Retirement has given me the luxury of doing what I want when I want.  sigh.  I’ve spent, oh so many.. years .. rushing around 24/7 and it’s kinda nice to get off that merry-go-round and relax.