Re: Buckwheat warning... eek!

[Guest guest]

Before you purchase kilos of seed you may want to try a smaller amount. It can

also be used as a green manure in your regular garden; it grows so thickly that

understory weeds won't be able to take hold and it adds lots of carbon to the

soil. I personally think that calling it " lettuce " is a serious misnomer since I

can't stand the taste of the plant. I have a hard time imagining anyone eating

enough to experience a toxic overdose.

Lee

> This seems to clear my last post up. The author is very intelligent and has

done his homework well.

>

> I am 'on the fence' about trying any further buckwheat lettuce crops.

>

> Charlotte

[Guest guest]

I was hoping that you'd reply Lee, thanks. I had intended buckwheat as an

additional green. I doubt I'd consume such hefty quantities to cause this

photosensitivity, but then again, I have extremely pale skin that doesn't tan so

I am in the at-risk group, and I do suffer from skin sensitivity to chemicals.

If the flavour isn't overly pleasant either, then I doubt I'll persue buckwheat

as a green, and instead focus on the groats.

The green manure use I'd heard of but never read up about. I haven't tried it

but I have a friend with bindweed problems so I might suggest this as a cheap

green solution. It's the worst weed around roses.

Thanks

Charlotte

>

> > This seems to clear my last post up. The author is very intelligent and has

done his homework well.

> >

> > I am 'on the fence' about trying any further buckwheat lettuce crops.

> >

> > Charlotte

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Yes, I have read that about buckwheat. I've never grown it (not for that reason)

but I've never grown it.

Melody

>

> Well, I found my cheap buckwheat from UK Brow Farm. I got the initial link

from a raw vegan site so I'm pretty sure they're good, and they advertise them

for sprouting. The price is amazing, it's 11 lbs for $30ish, delivered.

>

> THEN I read this on their webpage:

> Please remember buckwheat greens contain fagopyrin, a naturally occurring

substance in the buckwheat plant. When ingested in sufficient quantity,

fagopyrin is known to cause the skin of animals and people to become phototoxic,

which is to say hypersensitive to sunlight.

>

> So, I have two blocks to buckwheat greens. This warning, and my last two fails

(which could be the seed and not me).

>

> Any advice is appreciated please! How much is 'sufficient quantity'?!

>

> Charlotte

>