Posted on 07/12/2013 1:19:48 PM PDT by greeneyes
I know you have designed that fancy contraption to “blow up” your Sunflower seeds to get rid of the husk. You can do that fast.
I found a way on the net to get rid of the husk if I ever manage to grow Sunflowers to the point I have seeds.
Spread them out on a working surface and use a rolling pin to roll over them and that will break the husks. Then, you can use two ways to get rid of the light weight husks. Either put them in a bowl and cover with water and scoop off the husks that rise to the top, or use a fan to blow off the husks.
I have a chimney bellows and think if I take them outside and use the bellows to blow air over them, the husks will fly out. See, I’m thinking “no power”. I have battery fans I could also use to blow off the husks.
One has to adjust the amount of pressure you put on the rolling pin so you don’t crush the seeds. I have a marble rolling pin and its weight should perhaps be enough on its own to pop the husks. I’ll know about that if I ever grow the seeds. Actually, I’ll buy some to try that method to see how it works.
Have you ever done it that way?
I winnowed the seeds today to blow off any trash and empty husks. Part of them I winnowed in front of a fan, part of them, with the breeze through the shop, before I went and got the fan.
/johnny
So you’re not trashing the rolling pin method? I don’t know jack about Sunflower seeds.
It is going to be hard to beat the Seed Discombobulator(tm) though. ;)
/johnny
“I suspect it will be slow.”
I know it will be slow, but I don’t have a “blow up” machine (Seed Discombobulator(tm)). I just need to know if the rolling pin works.
First... you must have a way to control them when you try to roll them. I wound up putting the seeds between newsprint to keep them from flying everywhere.
Second, they crack, but the meats don't separate well enough to either winnow them with air, or float the hulls away from the meats.
That's my experience. Maybe you can get it to work better.
/johnny
I read about that rolling pin method in two places. One of them said put the nuts on a working surface and another said put them in a zip lock bag. The bag would keep them together. Maybe put the seeds in a gallon bag all spread out in there. And, one method was use wind to blow the hulls and another was put them in water.
Tomorrow, I’ll be buying a little wire fence to keep the dog out of the garden and I’ll get Sunflower seeds somewhere and try the rolling pin.
johnny
“Wow. First batch I dried had 30% moisture content.”
What did you want it to be or what is normal? Is there something you can do to eliminate the moisture? Bake them?
/johnny
“I use a food dryer set on low temp to dry them.”
Oh, I didn’t think about using that. I don’t have one.
/johnny
“If you get one, get one with a variable heat control.”
I had picked out a good one, but you sort of turned me off those when you said where I live is too humid for it to dry food.
/johnny
They all look great to me. I’ll be lucky to get one of any size this year.
Depending on the moisture content of the dried food, you might fine that putting into a plastic bag will lead to mold. In reading through my old time preservation book, they advise storing lots of dried foods in paper bags.
When I put anything in a plastic bag, I also throw in a dessicant packet. If I don’t have one, I improvise with a little rice wrapped in a scrap of cloth and secured with a trash bag wire twisted together.
Nice berries, too bad about the plants. Hope you figure out how to fix it.
Wow! That’s some tasty looking food. Amost makes me hungry for zukes.LOL
Could you tell me a little more about your recipe for zuchinni chips and casserole? Also curious about the green beans. Do you put any spices on them before dehydrating?
I have used a little artistic type paint brush like comes in the kid’s water colors with good results for pollination.
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