From fsfarm@mufn.org Fri Mar 13 23:19:38 1998 Date: Fri, 13 Mar 1998 09:19:02 -0500 From: Jim and Jo at Five Springs Farm To: CSA List Subject: Nitrates in Greens [The following text is in the "ISO-8859-1" character set] [Your display is set for the "US-ASCII" character set] [Some characters may be displayed incorrectly] At the Midwest Organic Farmers Conference in Wisconsin last month we heard some disturbing information about the build-up of nitrates in greens, including lettuce, other salad greens and cooking greens (especially Swiss chard). Specifically, we were advised that it is inappropriate to pick lettuce and other greens in the morning (that is when we like to pick , in the cool of the day) as nitrates can build up to serious levels over night; exposure to 4-6 hours of sun dissipates the nitrate concentration. Fall-grown greens are, according to the speaker, particularly vulnerable because of reduced sunshine and shorter days. There is also some risk of build up of nitrates if the greens are stored above 35 degrees or so for any length of time, we were told. While we are certainly interested in avoiding health risks this seemed to be alarmist. Does anyone have specific information on this? Jo and Jim at Five Springs Farm From igg@igg.com Fri Mar 13 23:23:36 1998 Date: Fri, 13 Mar 1998 13:17:00 -0500 From: Intergalactic Garage To: csa-l@prairienet.org Subject: Re: Nitrates in Greens Michelle / Suzy - This is something I've been concerned with for some time after running across the old New Alechemy information regarding dangerous levels of nitrates in winter greens. My own subsequent research revealed that actually a fair amount of literature has been written on this topic. I have a rather large stack of information here from Woods End (the lab which did the analysis for New Alchemy) which I have not had a chance to fully analyze. After I do, I'll put up a page on my findings, but I can pass on the paraphrase of the study: In the summer, eat salad, in the winter, drink soup or even natural people can't get away with fooling Mother Nature. It's these little quirks where logic fails and common sense is not realiable enough for us to be certain that our product is not detrimental to the people who eat it that draws to my attention how necessary it is for all of us who are working to produce healthy food for healthy families to find associations such as this one where we can share and discuss both the front and the backsides of novel, and seemingly harmless, methods of increasing our productivity and yields. -Allan Balliett =============== >I have heard this as well and don't pick/sell greens from Nov. til March, >but the March pickings are winter grown plants. I'd appreciate learning >more. > Suzy, are you out there? I have lost your address. Michelle > >Michelle Crawford, Pacific Potager, organic farm and nursery, >27918 Vashon Hwy SW Vashon, WA 98070 > On Fri, 13 Mar 1998, Jim and Jo at Five Springs Farm wrote: > At the Midwest Organic Farmers Conference in Wisconsin last month we heard > some disturbing information about the build-up of nitrates in greens, > including lettuce, other salad greens and cooking greens (especially Swiss > chard). Specifically, we were advised that it is inappropriate to pick > lettuce and other greens in the morning (that is when we like to pick , in > the cool of the day) as nitrates can build up to serious levels over night; > exposure to 4-6 hours of sun dissipates the nitrate concentration. > Fall-grown greens are, according to the speaker, particularly vulnerable > because of reduced sunshine and shorter days. There is also some risk of > build up of nitrates if the greens are stored above 35 degrees or so for > any length of time, we were told. > > While we are certainly interested in avoiding health risks this seemed to > be alarmist. Does anyone have specific information on this? > > Jo and Jim at Five Springs Farm > >>My Opinions are my own!!<< =========================================================================== To Post to the Bio-Dynamics Mailing list: bd-l@biodynamics.com =========================================================================== Subscribe to BIODYNAMICS: Farming and Gardening in the 21st Century the Bi-Monthly Magazine about Developments in the Art and Science of Biodyamics. Noted viticulturist, orchardist and Biodynamic growing consultant, Alan York, editor. 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