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  • From: "Tradingpost" <tradingpost AT gilanet.com>
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Orange Cauliflower
  • Date: Sun, 27 Jun 2004 16:18:28 -0600

I'd love to get my hands on some seeds, but Johnny's is sold out! ;-(
If you can find any please let me know where-I REALLY want some! Here's their
info on it below:


Barb


http://www.johnnyseeds.com/catalog/resultdetails.html?edit_id=2342&name=Citrus%20%20(F1)&cat_id=537&topcatid=1&subcatid=17&subcatid2=537&subcatid3=0&search_keywords=cauliflower&ct=comm&pagename=resultdetails.html

Item # 2954 (Out of stock)
Vegetables: Cauliflower: Orange
Maturity: 58 Days

New! Bright orange!
An early, very orange cauliflower that holds well in the garden. It becomes
an even brighter orange when lightly cooked. Grow this fantastic variety
along side purple Graffiti for an irresistible color combination. Mini: 85
seeds.

Cultural Information
Open Folder Icon Back to: Search Results for: cauliflower :: Details for:
Citrus (F1)

CULTURE: In general, cauliflower is grown like cabbage. High fertility, an
abundant supply of moisture throughout the season, and "sweet" soil (pH
6.4-7.4) are important. PLANTING: Sow 1/4" apart indoors or in outdoor
seedbeds or cold frames from early March through June. If possible, keep soil
at least 70°F (21°C) until germination, and 60°F (16°C) thereafter.
Transplant small seedlings to 1 1/2-2" plug trays. Transplant outdoors when 4
to 5 weeks old; older plants are generally too checked in growth for good
performance! For early spring planting, harden plants carefully by gradually
increasing cold before transplanting, 18" between plants and 24-36" between
rows. DISEASES and INSECT PESTS, IMPORTANT NOTES: See under "Cabbage."
BLANCHING: When small white heads become visible through leaves, gather outer
leaves over head and tie with string or large rubber band to preserve white
curd color. Although tying is not necessary to grow cauliflower, the practice
helps prevent yellowing of the curd due to exposure to sunlight and results
in better head quality when curd develops during hot weather. HARVEST: Keep
an eye on development, cutting heads when desired size is obtained but before
curd becomes loose. STORAGE: Store at 32°F (0°C) and 95% humidity for 2-3
weeks. DAYS TO MATURITY: From transplanting; add about 20 days if crop is to
be direct-seeded. AVG. PRECISION SEEDING RATE: 4,000'/oz., 4 oz./acre at 2
seeds/ft. in rows 36" apart. TRANSPLANTS: Avg. 5,600 plants/oz. SIZED SEEDS:
Standard except where noted. SEED SPECS: SEEDS/LB.: 90,000-170,000 (avg.
128,000). MINI: 0.3 gm. unless otherwise noted (avg. 85 seeds, sows avg. 21').

================
http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/pubs/press/2004/040412caulif.html

Orange Cauliflower Developed at Cornell's Experiment Station is High in
Vitamin A
by John Zakour and Linda McCandless

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: APRIL 12, 2004
For more information, contact:
Linda McCandless, llm3 AT cornell.edu , 607-254-5137
Pictures are linked to hi-res scans
Suggested caption: Rick Pedersen grew orange cauliflower on the Pedersen Farm
in Seneca Castle, NY, last fall. Consumer interest was good, he said. People
like the color and the flavor.

GENEVA, NY: Cornell University crucifer breeder Michael Dickson has
transformed cauliflower from broccoli's pale cousin into a new orange variety
that started appearing in supermarkets and farmers' markets last fall, and is
available in garden catalogs this spring.

"White cauliflower lacks the dark green pigments that give broccoli the
nutritional advantage that health-conscious people are interested in," says
Dickson, who led the bean and crucifer breeding programs at the New York
State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, NY, from 1964 to 1995, and
is now a professor emeritus. "This is an alternative. I'm delighted to hear
that it is finally going on the market."

The florets of the new cauliflower look like those of its white cousin, but
are orange. More importantly, the vitamin content of orange cauliflower is
higher because it contains 320 micrograms of beta-carotene per 100 grams, or
approximately 25 times more vitamin A than white cauliflower.

It has been a 30-year journey from the farm to the fork for the orange
cauliflower, which was first found in the Bradford Marsh in Canada in 1970.
The mutant was smaller and less tasty than a white cauliflower, but the
orange color was alluring. An extension agent sent it to the University of
British Columbia for tissue culture, and, from there, to the National
Vegetable Research Center in England. Researchers who were familiar with
Dickson's work forwarded it to him in 1981.

Using conventional breeding techniques, Dickson crossbred the orange
cauliflower and selected successive generations until he had a larger, more
market friendly variety. The trick was crossing the orange cauliflower with
the right white cauliflower. "If we used one that was too white, the end
result was too pale," says Dickson.

It took eight years for Dickson to develop the right germplasm. While he was
working on the horticultural aspects, food chemists at the Experiment Station
were evaluating the nutritional value of the new vegetable. In 1988, food
scientist Cy Lee published his findings: orange cauliflower had 54 retinol
equivalents (RE) per 100 grams of vitamin A. As a comparison, green peas are
at 64 RE, lima beans are 30 RE, sweet corn is 28 RE, and cabbage is 13 RE.

Further Development by Seed Companies
Dickson released the germplasm to seed companies in 1989. Companies such as
Stokes worked to further improve the germplasm, and released it as a numbered
variety to commercial growers like Rick and Laura Pedersen of Pedersen Farms
in Seneca Castle, NY. They grew the orange cauliflower last summer and sold
it to Wegmans. "It has a narrow harvest window, but it was fairly well
received," says Rick. He plans to plant three acres of the colorful vegetable
this July, and will harvest it from September to November.

The vegetable is available to commercial growers and home gardeners. Johnny's
Selected Seeds markets an orange cauliflower called "Citrus," and is limiting
orders to 5000 seeds for 2004. "I sell most of it to producers in NY, NY and
Long Island who grow it for upscale restaurants and farmers' markets," said
seed representative Di Cody, at the Empire Fruit & Vegetable Expo in
February. "Growers like the color it brings to fall harvest markets because
it looks good with pumpkins. Restaurateurs like the color and interest it
brings to vegetable trays." Seminis expects to have their variety named and
ready for commercial sales by mid-summer.

# # # #

Related Web Sites:
Pedersen Farms: http://www.pedersenfarms.com/
Johnny's Selected Seeds: http://www.johnnyseeds.com

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