Nibbles

Nibbles: ICARDA genebank, Mexican honeys, NWFP news, Schisandra, Swimming camels, Barley genome, Silly video, Tasty breeders, Tall maize, Praying for the prairie, Rosaceous breeding, Millet fair, Sesame entrepreneurs, Thai gardens, Apple resistance, Native Californians

Latest on the ICARDA genebank from the author of The Profit of the Earth.
Honey diversity in Mexico.
Speaking of which, did we already point to the new, improved Non-wood Forest Products Newsletter?
The schisandra berry is apparently helping save the panda. Yeah, I never heard of it either, but more power to its elbow.
Make your day better by looking at pictures of aquatic camels.
Oh, here we go, cue the endless stream of stories about how genomics will save beer.
“In the last century, 94% of the world’s seed varieties have disappeared.” No, they bloody haven’t. Only linking to this for completeness.
Breeders get into flavour. Because celebrity chefs.
That’s one tall maize plant. No, but really tall.
The Great Plains are in Great Trouble: “Hundreds of species call the prairie home… A cornfield, on the other hand, is a field of corn.”
A project dedicated to the genetic improvement of US rosaceous crops. Love that word. Rosaceous.
Eat those millets!
Sesame opens doors in Tanzania. See what I did there?
WorldVeg empowers women through gardening. I know how they feel. Well, kinda.
Want a Forbidden Apple? You know you do. #resist
“Accustomed to seeing crops planted in straight rows featuring one or a few different varieties, Muir and his European predecessors were not prepared to recognize this subtler form of horticulture. And so they viewed California Indians as lazily gathering the fat of a landscape they had hardly touched.”

Psst, you have any examples of investments for healthy food systems? What do you mean, you don’t.
Paint it henna.
Pleading for pseudocereals. In Switzerland?
Mapping India’s trees. Among other things.
To save biodiversity, look on the bright side. Easy for you to say.
The genetic level of biodiversity makes important contribution to ecosystem services. In birds. Right.
Taste the forest. In cocktails.

The ITPGRFA and UPOV need to sort out their connection.
Bring back our millets.
And our sorghum and pigeonpeas too.
And the milpa.
And speaking of milpa crops, the real story of that large, old squash.
Since we’re at it, bring back the potato too. To the people.
Yet another interesting webinar which I missed. Wonder whether they talked about the above. Anyone?
Still have time to prepare for “Fascination of Plants Day” on 18 May 2017, though.
Repast: “the First-Ever Food History Magazine”. ‘Nuff said.
Gotta love those German purity laws.
A strategy for conserving coffee genetic resources takes shape. Now for the money…
New forages genebank opens at ILRI in Ethiopia.

The great Tim Johnson, (soon to be) formerly of the Seed Savers Exchange, on conserving heritage seeds.
“Peppy professor ponders a peck of pepper possibilities.”
Kelp will save us.
David Spooner: “Ever since I could remember all I ever wanted to be was a botanist.” From potatoes to carrots…
Veterans help save livestock breeds.
Agroforestry is a big hit in Vietnam.

Alexis Soyer was apparently the first celebrity chef.
EMBRAPA gets to grips with crop wild relatives, with a little help from their friends.
Did they serve brigaidero, though?
Take part in a crowd-sourced experiment on plant adaptation.
And then go and find out how the experts do it.
Will fonio‘s day ever come?
Celebrating the milpa.
Gotta eat your broccoli fresh for the full nutrient monty.
Putting (yet another) value on biodiversity. This one by adding or subtracting a species to a grassland plot and seeing what happens to C sequestration.
What price soybeans?