[CH] Our Peruvian Housemates RE:V8 #793
Cameron Begg (begg@ceof.ohio-state.edu)
Fri, 14 Jan 2005 14:11:19 -0500
Hi C-H's,
>Jim C wrote: Rocotos seem to be in demand, everyone believing that they can't be
>grown first year :-)
Further to what John T wrote, I would like to add that rocotos bear fruit in relation to the size of their established root systems. This can be readily demonstrated by watching the yield of pods fall as the plants become root bound in containers. First year plants grown in the highly non-ideal conditions of the Central Midwest can certainly bear fruit, but with much less abundance than they are capable of in future years, if given the root space. For the few of you who took some plants from Jim's fields last year, it would be very interesting for you to plant them out this year and compare the yields with the ones that Jim starts this year.
Now a little trivia for you:
"In any event, Peruvian archaeologists contend that domestication of the guinea pig may have begun as early as 5000 BCE in the Altiplano region of southern Peru and Bolivia. It is in this region that wild cavy (Cavia tschudii) populations can still be found to this day. Investigations at Chavin de Huantar in the north-central highlands of Peru clearly documents cavy exploitation at least by 900 BCE."
Guess what boys and girls? This is rocoto country! Now many of you met Gavin's pet guinea pig Angus (named for lead singer in AC/DC) at the last open fields. One of you even expressed disappointment that we had missed an opportunity to cook a truly Peruvian meal! Anyway, guess what is Angus' favorite food? Bell peppers, apples, carrots are all good, but the number one fav. is the trimmings from my over wintered rocotos. Can the little piggy thing have an ancient lust for his homeland trapped in his genes? And if so - I think I know who will be providing the fertilizer for the 2005 rocoto crop :-)
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Regards, Cameron.