North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Jwlehman@aol.com]

In a message dated 9/28/2010 9:41:19 AM Eastern Daylight Time, qazingulaza@gmail.com writes:

> Cleaning seeds looks like it'll be quite challenging, I seem to
> remember someone posting that they use some kind of caustic like
> baking soda to get the mucilaginous seed casing off.
>
> The newest batch of seedlings I'm growing out is a mix of all of John
> Gordon's varieties, so in 8-9 years I'll let you all know if I find
> any more possibilities for the northern tier of pawpaw culture.

I purchased a commercial restaurant blender off Ebay. The grinding blade comes off with a screw. I made a blade from a piece of rubber belting about 3/8 inch thick and carved it like a blade. I have an AC voltage control and reduce the AC to about 60 volts. I can load a quart of seed with the mucilaginous seed casing on (persimmon or pawpaw) and water then turn the blender on. In about 2 minutes the seeds are free of their casings while the seeds are in tact. The seeds are heavier than water while the casings tend to float. Add more water, simply pour off the casings. Rinsing about twice more and you have seed ready to be put to bed in the frig. (stratify).

I'm getting ready to clean about 10 pounds of persimmon seed and casings yet this afternoon, having put up 21 pints of pulp last night. Then will do the pawpaw seeds from making 2 gallon pawpaw pulp this forenoon. 

Jerry