Today (Monday 15th November), the sunflower seeds arrive for the Cubs and Joeys to grow. I have already taken one and planted it this afternoon, with help from Akela of course! We added the water and some growing stuff to help it on it’s journey. Now we just need to sit and wait for it to grow. We know it is meant to be in a flower bed, but we don’t really have one at home just yet. So what we have done is plant it in a spare container. We are simply being good scouts and making the most of our resources.
We have also found the following information as well about Sunflowers that we thought we would share with everyone (http://juniorlandcarechallenge.com/Sunflower/Facts)
• The sunflower originated in Mexico and Peru and is believed to be one of the first plants ever grown as a crop in the United States of America
• Spanish explorers collected the sunflower in North America and brought it to it Europe where it was first grown during the 15th century
• In Peru, the sunflower was revered by the Aztecs and in their Temples of the Sun, the priestesses were crowned with sunflowers
• The sunflower is the state flower of Kansas
• The botanical name of the sunflower is helianthus, derived from the Greek ‘Helios’ meaning sun and ‘anthos’ meaning flower
• Every part of the sunflower plant can be used for economic purposes. The leaves can be used to make cattle food, the stems can be used to make paper and the seeds are edible and are also rich in oil
• Sunflower seeds are one of nature’s most nutritious foods. They are packed full of healthy unsaturated oils, protein and fibre, plus essential nutrients that help keep your body in peak health
• Sunflower oil is pressed from the seeds of the flower and is yellow in colour with a sweet taste. It is considered equal to olive oil or almond oil for table use
• Sunflowers are annuals which means they only flower once, then die off and new seed must be planted each season
• The town of Emerald in Queensland is a major centre for the growing of sunflowers in Australia and holds a Sunflower Festival around Easter each year
• According to the 2004 Guinness World Records the tallest sunflower in the world was grown in the Netherlands and measured 7.8 metres and the largest sunflower head was recorded in British Columbia and measured 82cm
• Sunflower seeds are high in energy and full of nutrients and therefore make excellent food for birds. You will find sunflower seeds in birdseed mixes, crushed into pig and poultry feed and fed to horses as an energy and coat gloss supplement
• In the 2008/2009 season 56,000 hectares of sunflowers were planted in Australia resulting in 33,000 tonnes of sunflower oil being produced (Australian Oilseeds Federation annual report 08/09)
• Sunflowers have many agronomic advantages. They improve the condition of the soil and are an effective break crop for diseases in winter cereals
• To protect the industry from imported pests and diseases, quarantine laws prohibit the import of sunflower seeds into Australia
• If you suffer from dry skin, try grinding 500g of sunflower seeds with milk until a paste is formed. Apply and leave on your face for about 20 minutes and then remove with warm water
So, we will end this entry here and hope everyone has a great week. We will update as soon as something starts to grow, so you can see the journey of our Sunflower.
