I found a 25 lb bag American grown for $150 on Stony Brook but that's a a lot of pumpkin seeds!

I don't have anyone to split a bag either.

May or may not have anything to do with quality of pumpkin seed production.

Latest covid-19 new infections per day, 7 day average.:

Mexico - 13,217 per 127,600,000 population.

China - 27 per 1,400,000,000 population.

dcarch

What do you use the pumpkin seeds for? 🤔

StonyBrook Link, HERE

Thank you so much for the hunting. I have no issues paying the 5 lb price. I can use some in holiday gifting ideas i'm working on. I bet they are very fresh. I find the quality is all over the place. At the moment i have two bags nearing the end. One is organic local NY but from the farmers market. The other is WholeFoods365 organic but from China bagged in Canada. I roasted some last night and rather bland. (i keep in the freezer)

I know how they should be since i grow a hulless variety. Trying a new to me variety this year. Amazing fresh roasted right out of the pumpkin. The problem is i only get 1/2-3/4 cup out of one. Not enough garden space for a full winter supply.

If i had to choose it would be Mexico.

Thank you all, I appreciate your comments and thoughts. I roast the seeds and sprinkle them over everything, mainly red pepper hummus. I go through 2 pounds a month so I might get the 25 lb bag. I freeze what is not currently roasted.

I go through about a 1/2 pound a month but i make a mixed seed blend. Last night just a quick pepita, sesame and suflower. Slow roasted cast iron on the small back burner. For last nights dinner salad, todays lunches...avocado white bean salad over leafy greens. Added some to the last of the humus. Making a coarse grind in the cuisinart for a salmon crusted recipe tonight.

Pepitas, sesame, sunflower, chia, hemp hearts, flax combo go into my granola and a few flatbread crackers i make.

Just noticed they have non-organic as well.

I have no issues with that in this case. Many farms have plant leaf issues. Many farms know, depending on crops, seeking 'organic' status is less necessary when a vegetal shell exists like melons, avocado, citrus, to name a few. These seeds are deep inside. The issue is how they are processed, dried and treated, once removed from the pulp.

A shame Bob'sRedMill now sources China for their sesame seed.

Another good use for seeds/nuts is what i call 'power bombs'. Not great if you have 'pig out' snack issues. High in calories but a good mid-morning or afternoon snack from the freezer. (one!)

I'm settling on a few new-to-me spice blends for holiday gifting. Flat-packed envelopes in 4oz bags. (flat-breads and crackers a few years ago cost a shipping fortune in boxes).

They will expect an out-of-the-box treat so maybe 9 of these, three different flavors?....and the spice blends with recipes....

I have all the packaging and labeling and small flat boxes, foils left over from some caramels one year....

Anywho, thank you again for the searching leg-work. I've managed some good local and US sourcing the past few years. Nice to add another. 👍❤️

For constructed foods, I agree that the food culture in China can be iffy. Going back centuries, they've been known to do whatever to make tests come out right. They're also not as environmentally aware as we are, just as we're generally behind Western Europe. For growing crops, however, you really have to go grower by grower. There are good and bad everywhere. The biggest issue is transportation. Local is local (or in California, within a couple hundred miles), Mexico is a neighbor and the food comes by trucks, and anything from China comes in containers on a ship.

" ---- They're also not as environmentally aware as we are, just as we're generally behind Western Europe---"

China is about the same size as the US in area, but more than four times the population.

Are we as environmentally clean as China if we put four times more people in the US?

dcarch

Transparency and trust is what i care about most. What is consistent in my diet i want to source and know where it comes from. First, as close to home as possible. Second, US soils or our neighbors north and south. Organic where it matters---clean 15.

Plenty of globaly produced foods organically and fair trade including China.

All over the souther states sesame seed is being grown as a rotation crop with wheat as both crops use the same equipment. Rotating crops requires less or no pesticides.

The more we support local, the prices come down.

"...Hong Kong food writer and organic and local foods advocate Janice Leung Hayes says the best hope farmers have for alleviating the existing trust issues is via “transparent supply chains, where people can trace exactly how the produce got to them and where it was from, how it was produced, and so on.” ..."

"...China requires a three-year rest period for organic certification to ensure that the land in question is unmarred by heavy metals and other contaminants that take time to dissipate or sink below the surface of the soil..."

Article link, HERE

On top of C19, the recent investigations and recalls are disturbing---kale, parsley, bagged salad kits, Aldi poppy seed salad dressing, and the worst is the cooked chicken and shrimp---usually end up in institutions, hospitals, elderly care, schools for chicken salads and such....cooked frozen shrimp going straight to a cold shrimp cocktail after a thaw.

The FDA is getting pretty agressive about pre-cut fruits in containers and salad kits/sprouts, salad greens. Field sourcing on packaging for tracing, etc.

Buy whole fruit and seeds and spices. Wash your melons and fruit---avocados at home. Cut it at home. Toast your whole spices, seeds, nuts.

Many of the global cultures that provide produce, seeds, etc.--- never eat raw foods like salads. Never sprinkle spices at the table. All cooked/heat toasted. Stews, stir-fry,---probably starts with boiling the less than potable water.

Mexico, for sure. Neighbors and all that.

- John Liu

I ordered from StonyBrook---NYState organic.

I'm making spice rubs for gifting this holiday season and will include a mixed roasted seed blend. Pepitas, sunflower, sesame.

Using up 2 bags different suppliers now.

I should add to Bummblebees---if you see this. If you want to wait until i get mine for quality beore you commit...i'll post when received. I care most about sourcing local but they need to good and quality first. Confident it is fresh stock.