A4o—iancaster Farming, Saturday, May 31,1980
Discover an 8000 year-old ‘new’ vegetable
SELTSVILLE, Md. -
Amaranth as a cooked
vegetable tastes as good or
nearly as good as spinach,
say most of the 60 people
polled in recent tests here.
The tests are hardly
scientific proof that most
Americans would enjoy
eating amaranth greens as
much as spinach. However,
as part of a 2-year study of
vegetable amaranth in
USDA’s New Crops
Program, the tests point out
that amaranth may have
arrived as a hot-weather
spinach substitute to be
taken seriously.
Field tests last summer by
USDA research agronomist
Austin Campbell, funded in
part by USDA’s Small Farms
Program, indicate that
certain varieties of
amaranth would make
excellent greens crops
yielding at least three crops
a season. Unlike spinach,
which requires cool weather
for growing, amaranth does
best in mid-summer heat.
Leaves of spinach-like flavor
can be harvested about 30
days after planting
Proper
HARRISBURG - Proper
storage and handling are
important in maintaining
egg quality, according to
Vicky Wass, Egg Promo Lon
Specialist with the Penn
sylvania Department of
Agriculture.
“A high quality Grade AA
egg can rapidly lose its
quality and become a Grade
B egg unless properly
handled,” said Wass. “Eggs
kept at room temperature
(above 68 degrees F.) will
lose more quality in one day
than in one week under
refrigeration. Kept under
proper refrigeration, (40-45
degrees F.) eggs will retain
their quality for several
weeks.”
Wass explained that when
an egg loses quality, the
following changes occur- the
thick white becomes thin,
the yoke breaks easily when
the shell is opened, the air
cell increases in size and the
yolk may become off-center,
and the egg absorbs odors.
“By following just a few
simple guidelines, these
changes can be kept to a
minimum, ” said Wass
Fresh shell eggs should be
immediately refrigerated
after delivery. They can be
kept under refrigeration m
their carton with the large
end up for approximately
five weeks with insignificant
grade-quality loss.
Refrigerated hard cooked
eggs in the shell can be kept
at least that long.
A fresh shell egg only loses
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amaranth seeds, says
Campbell.
Amaranths, including 19
leafy types being tested by
Campbell and high-protein
grain types, have been
rediscovered by agricultural
scientists. Largely ignored
by modern agriculture,
amaranths are actually
among the oldest crops of the
New World, dating from 6000
B.C.
Today, faced with in
creasing world hunger and
malnutrition, scientists,
such as Campbell and others
with USDA’s Science and
Education Administration,
are focusing on such
forgotten crops in an effort
to “diversify our farming
systems.” Diverse systems,
with many crops of special
attributes, says Campbell,
are less vulnerable to plant
disease and insect epidemics
than large monoculture
cropping systems, and may
lead to a more productive
agriculture.
Amaranth’s special at
tributes include:
Good nutritive value.
Amaranth contains high
handling is important with eggs
moisture and carbon dioxide
with age, not nutrient value.
Sometimes eggs will be
treated with an odorless,
tasteless mineral oil to help
maintain freshness. This
process seals many of the
shell pores and slows down
the loss of carbon dioxide.
Eggs should be stored
away from foods such as
onions, apples and cabbage,
because eggs are susceptible
to strong odors. If either the
yoke or whites are leftover,
use them as soon as possible.
Leftover yolks should be
stored under milk or water
in a covered ontainer up to
five to seven days or, hard
cook the yolks and store for
four to five days. Whites
may be refrigerated in
tightly covered jars for five
to seven days. Freezing is
only recommended for
leftover eggs.
To- freeze whole eggs,
break them one at a time
into an airtight container
and gently mix, do not beat.
Freeze in appropriate
amounts for usage. Eggs can
also be put through a sieve to
blend yolks and whites.
To freeze yolks, press yolk
through sieve. If yolk will be
used for mam dishes, add Mt
teaspoon salt per cup. If they
are to be used for desserts,
add 1% teaspoons sugar for
each cup of yolks.
When freezing egg whites,
separate and press through
sieve Do not add anything
before freezing. Thaw whites
m refrigerator
-026- ■
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amounts of good quality
protein and essential
minerals. Amaranth gram
contains a better balance of
amino acids than com,
wheat, rice or other popular
grains. Foods with well
balanced amino acids the
building blocks of proteins
help the body produce
necessary proteins.
Efficient growth and
versatility. Amaranth is
very efficient in terms of
converting the raw
materials of sunlight, soil
and water into plant tissues,
proteins and vitamins.
Amaranth can be grown
anywhere spinach grows and
is adaptable to many dif
rerent climates.
Good potential for im
provement through plant
breeding. The large
Amaranthus plant family is
a rich pool of genetic traits.
Amaranths offer breeders
more genetic diversity in
their present undeveloped
state than do many widely
grown crops. Breeders
could, for example, raise
already high levels of leaf
proteins.
Frozen eggs and egg
products should be defrosted
quickly. This can be ac
complished in the
refrigerator or m a vat of
cold running water. Eggs
should never be allowed to
thaw at room temperature.
Defrosting at temperatures
higher than 45 degrees F.
can cause curdling and off
flavor.
Defrosted eggs should be
used promptly. The unused
portion should be
refrigerated and used within
three days.
Fresh eggs, protected by
the shell and two shell
membranes are wholesome
foods. However, if stored m a
soiled condition, become
cracked, are not
refrigerated or are other-
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Serious study of amaranth
as a potential U.S. crop
began seven years ago when
Rodale Press’ Organic
Gardening and Fanning
Research Center in Em
maus, PA started what has
become an extensive project
on amaranth cultivation,
breeding, and nutritive
value. Research gained
momentum in the last couple
of years and interest in
amaranths is high among
home gardeners. Current
research includes studies by
USDA’s Cereal Research
Unit in Berkeley, Ca., on the
potential of amaranth
grains.
Amaranth’s long
association with man is
probably due to the plant’s
ability to readily adapt to
new environments created
by people. Just as the North
American pigweed a wild
amaranth quickly invades
a freshly turned home
garden, ancestor plants of
the amaranth probably kept
close to early tribes of
Central America by gaming
hold on disturbed soil.
wise mishandled, they may
become contaminated with
bacteria that are ordinarily
stopped by the shell mem
branes. Once through the
membranes, bacteria can
thrive in the egg meat. Since
eggs are highly nutritious for
bacteria as well as man,
mishandled eggs and ftfods
containing mishandled eggs
will support bacteria
growth.
If an egg is broken,
cracked or leaking, cooking
it until the yolk is hard
makes it safe to eat. Only
when a broken egg is eaten
raw or partially cooked, can
it cause illness. Cracked or
cooked eggs should be used
at once, and only in foods
that are to be thoroughly
cooked.
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g centers report
$303.5 million receipts
LITITZ Gross receipts
of 3,472 agricultural service
establishments totaled $303.5
million for Pennsylvania in
1978, according to
preliminary data from the
1878 Census of Agricultural
Services.
The data published by the
U.S. Department of Com
merce’s Bureau of the
Census are shown by
selected kinds of business on
the back of this release.
Establishments mcluded
m the census were defined as
economic units primarily
engaged in performing for
others on a fee or contract
basis the following: Soil
preparation services, crop
services, veterinary ser
Train for nursery
management
UNIVERSITY PARK -
People trained in the
propagation, field produc
tion, use and maintenance of
trees, shrubs, and flowers
are in demand.
Both landscape and
production nursery persons
as well as garden center
operators need hor
ticulturists. The increased
emphasis on beautification
LONG JOHN
BALMER
INSULATION
R.D.5, Box 369
Manheim, PA
(717) 665-4132
WEDNESDAY JUNE 4
thru SATURDAY JUNE 7
* Nttt* * ® otn *
* vC E CBt XOO UI«
Samples; 3 to 9 P.M. evenings
and all day Saturday
Courtesy of
» Pine View Acres • Oregon Dairy
• Kreider Dairy Farms . Maple Hoff Dairy Farm
• Shenk Cheese Company
, U S DAIRY PRINCESSES
"MAGIC COW”
WEDNESDAY JUNE 4 6:00 P.M
County Commissioner James Huber
officially declares June dairy month for
Lancaster County
c East Rou,e 30
H £MalI
3PEK 10 ?«,5 '?;30 Doily
vices, other animal services,
farm labor and management
services, and landscape and
horticultural services.
Final data for agricultural
service establishments will
be published in Volume 3 of
the 1978 Census of
Agriculture, and will contain
more detailed data for
States, as well as for
counties.
Announcements con
taining descriptions and
publication datt. of all
reports from the 1978 Census
of Agriculture, as well as an
order form, can be obtained
from the Subscriber Ser
vices Section (Publications),
Bureau of the Census,
Washington, D.C. 20233.
of buildings and highways
would indicate that teamed
ornamental plant persons
will continue to be in
demand.
For more information
contact William L. Sipple,
306 Agricultural Admin.
Bldg., University Park, PA
16802, Phone 814/865-6301.
Insulation For Life Of
Structure
• Fully Insured
• Free Estimates
We Can Do The Job Now
East,
Lcmcaster