"Thomas E. Billings" wrote:

> I agree that the soak water from seeds should not be consumed by humans.

Yeah!  I bet you've seen exactly what I was warning about: people come up with
ingenious way to utilize what can only be termed 'toxic'.

>
> However, it is great for plants. Instead of pouring it down the drain,
> give it to your plants - they love it (it may contain plant growth
> hormones like gibberelic acid).
>

I'm not so inclined to agree with this.  My understanding of allelopathy makes me
wary of using any soak water on plants.  For instance, I assume you know how
rigorously the chemicals given off by seed grains can block any germination
whatsoever around them.  It's just another little survival trick by Mother Nature
that the farmers know and the scientists are beginning to suspect.   I wonder if
any readers have noticed that the soak water off wheat seed wallops other plants.

However, if you're saying that you know for sure 'string-bean' soak water is not
particularly harmful to other plants, I'll take your word for it as I've never
experimented with that.

BTW, can you give a lead on the statement that dry land seeds may contain
measurable gibberelic acid?  My thought is that gibberelic acid is contained
naturally in seaweeds.


> As one who tried fruitarianism under nearly ideal conditions: warm
> climate, regular sunshine and exercise, and food of incredibly high
> quality (most organic, the rest unsprayed, most food grown in the high mineral
> content soil of Merritt Island, Florida), the serious problems I experienced on
> the fruitarian regime suggest that the currently popular "low quality food"
> excuse is nothing more than a weak rationalization advanced by folks who will
> grasp at anything to retain their idealistic (and false) fruitarian dogma...

If that last is pointed at me, I'll have to decline the honor: I'm not a fruitarian
and I was speaking about "all-raw."  My true point was that I feel time will
reveal, for the whole world to see, that lower quality = higher toxicity.

However, the part about Merritt Island is interesting.  I'm going to take a chance
here and reveal a few details even though it may make me subject to arrest.

There are probably a few readers on this list who are unaware that Florida has a
stringently enforced agricultural 'anti disparagement' law.  I.e., if you get
caught saying that Florida agricultural products are not high quality, you can be
fined (the first time) and imprisoned (contempt of court, should you do it a second
time).  I'd love to think that if the ag-cops do nab me, Oprah Winfrey will come
and bail me out.

Anyway, at personal risk, I'm going to say that in 1995 I checked 10 to 12 of the
citrus groves on Merritt Island (from the spaceport gates all the way down to Cocoa
Beach and then 15-20 miles south of Cocoa on U.S. 1).   I found junk (my term for
tasteless, minerally-poor produce).  I was not working blindly and had arrived on
Merritt with tips that certain groves had the 'good stuff'.  Sorry, but the truth
was that they had junk, too.  I then asked around for "who has the best oranges"
and got various pointers.  All the leads led me to junk.

Lest anyone think I am being judgmental, I will simply say that the very best Brix
I found was 14.  That was in a grove where the owner was desperately ill with
neurological poisoning from more than one body-soak while spraying without his full
never-leave-the-earth 'space' suit.  However, during the interview he pointed out
that he was one of the few growers who applied any trace minerals.  He made it very
clear that he knew the land was depleted.  He was also quite proud of his
pounds-solids and Brix reports from the State of Florida.

As I say, his fruit was 14 Brix and decidedly better tasting than any of his
competitors but, I suspect, somewhat risky to eat.  Most of the readers here know
from prior discussions that 16 is 'good' and 20 is 'excellent', with 14  certainly
a bit above 'average'.

My plans are to re-visit Merritt Island soon.  I'll be checking to see if my
poisoned friend is alive.  Tom, if you, or any others, would care to share the
names of any groves you think have superior fruit, I'd be glad to anonymously check
them and report back here.  I don't make scenes: I simply buy fruit and quietly
test it back at the car.

And, hey---no fair telling them I'm coming!

Regards,
Rex Harrill