My Yacon Had Babies

Yacon, also called "Bolivian Sunroot" or "Earth Apple" is a wondrous tuber that tastes like a delicate jicama - refreshing! It grows well in California, including in the foggy outer Richmond district of San Francisco. After a harvest, the bulbs left in the ground can easily be separated and given to friends to start new plants.

My friend Noah Miller, who lives in the East Bay, just sent word about the progress of the Yacon bulb I gave him:
I decided to go digging for yacon today. Here it is, my first crunchy sweet little tuber, nestled among peas & other friends!

Pocket Seed Library may have a yacon celebration in Spring - if you have yacon stories or want to attend, let us know!


Harvest photo by Noah Miller. Yacon resembles a sweet-potato and is shown in the upper left side of the photo. More pictures of yacon are here: Life Cycle of a Yacon Plant

Report from the Frankenart Mart

Our evening at the Frankenart Mart was fantastic.

Some veteran PSL members came by (Yay for Vanessa, Lily, Megan, Michele, Kat & Redwood!) and lots of new people joined. Han and Elocin brought great seeds to share and Leslie, Zeke, and Reuben were perfect hosts.

We used the evening to make seed packets, organize our collection and . . . . reveal our newest gardening tool: a vegetable planting calendar.

It's still in prototype form and specifically for the Outer Richmond. We're refining it and can't wait to share it (and make calendars for other Bay Area micro-climates).

The planting calendar and the Tall Telephone Pea seed packet are both part of the PSL Tool Collection. Stay tuned for more information about this aspect of the library--it's crucial.


Photo by Leslie Henslee

Dream Job at the Frankenart Mart, November 21, 6-9pm

Frankenart Mart is one of our top favorite places.

It's an art-play-gallery-store invented and run by Leslie Henslee. The Mart has quarterly themes for the exhibits and all the art is created by the public. Everyone is invited to go to the Mart, make some art, buy some art, sell some art (50/50 split with the Mart), buy a t-shirt, hang-out, or have a free hot dog (on monthly Free Hot Dog Days). The Frankenart Mart is, as Leslie says, "A playground that earnestly celebrates creation." It is a super fun place.

The Mart's current theme is "Dream Job."

Our dream job is to be the PSL Librarians.

So, on Friday November 21 from 6-9pm we'll be the PSL Librarians at the Frankenart Mart. We'll be making seed envelopes, trading seeds, and designing the seed cataloging system. It's going to be really fun. Join us!

Picnic Photos, Round 2

Southern Exposure graciously hosted Pocket Seed Library's first-ever

picnic,
planting party,
& seed swap

We all had so much fun! Here are photos by gingham-adorned photographer Lily (Vistalux)


Molly & Choco-Chip Banana Bread;
Fiona & Watermelon

Tree (from the Free Farm Stand) & permaculturist Kevin Bayuk


Cari Campbell with Mt. Diablo Deviled Eggs; Michelle & Paul; Gabe & his homemade mini-pizza

Picnic Photos, round 1

Seeds, potato salad, more seeds,
the Librarians, Farmer Kroll &
The Chief Collections Officer.











Photos by LissaIvy Tiegel

PSL Seed Collection Tour!

Pocket Seed Library: Seed CollectionSeeds contributed at the first Pocket Seed Library picnic and potluck

We look forward to bringing seeds to an event near you. Let us know of fun events! (We're catching up on library-school homework, so we may be hibernating & focusing on the blog for the next few weeks....)