I'm a new member of the society and wanted some guidance on how best to harvest our first crop of Latiflorus this summer. In particular, how to know when they're ready to crop, packaging care, and any leads on a suitable outlet, ie: Agents or Merchants in NSW or QLD.
I'd be grateful of any advice. Regards Mark

Hi Mark
we harvest shoots here in W A, we cut them as soon as we see them pop out of the ground as the sun will make them hard and stringy, lots of mulch helps to get more size before you need to cut, a clean sharp cut is good as if you brake part of the shoot off it hard to clean and it damages it and you lose quite a lot when you cut it back.
As soon as you can after cutting you should try to get it in to cold or Ice water as the shoot starts to get hot from the centre out and this shortens the shelf life of the shoot
We pack them with ice when transporting.
I hope this is of some help maybe some other members have something to add.

Mark,

Kevin talks about harvesting shoots as soon as they pop out of the ground and that is true enough for running bamboos. However, Latiflorus is a clumper and so the procedure is a bit different. I usually harvest a shoot when its length is around 1.5 to maybe 3 tines its diameter. As Kevin implies, the earlier the better as shoots tend to get stringier and more bitter as they elongate. But it does depend a bit on the species and who you are selling to. Different cultures have different ideas on what is an ideal shoot. I haven’t tried to sell any Latiflorus as I only have one clump

I use a sharpened spade to harvest shoots. Try to push it in as low on the shoot as possible. If it won’t go in easily then move it up a bit and try again.

After harvesting, use a sharp knife to trim just enough off the cut end to git rid of any dirt and peel off any cut culm sheaths to make the shoot look tidy. Pack the shoots neatly. Presentation is important. A broccoli box works well for small to medium shoots but I am not sure what I would use for the really big shoots my Latiflorus produces.

I have heard about shoots getting hot after harvesting but haven’t noticed it myself. Still, they do keep much better if refrigerated as soon as possible. I also pack shoots with some ice (often a frozen milk or juice bottle full of water) for transporting.

As for where to sell them, it depends a lot on how much you have. For Earthcare Farm, it is not economic to take the small quantities we produce to the Brisbane markets. We try to sell direct to restaurants and to some Asian grocers. Farmers markets and your local fruit shop are worth a try. It is a good idea to have leaflets explaining how to prepare the shoot and a recipe or two. Cooked samples for people to taste are also a good aid to selling at markets.


Barry, O’Connell

Thanks Barry, have a great Chrissy !

Hi, we were wondering if theres any web links to preparation & recipes for shoots, ie: we have Oldhamii, Latiflorus, & Brandisii, among others.
Would be interested in tasting our own produce.
Thanks
Dave & Steph

Hi Dave and Steph
if you go to my web site http:// bamboosprings.mysouthwest.com.au we have two recipes there one for bamboo soup and one for spring rolls
cheers Kevin.

Try this link for recipies http://tinyurl.com/yar37nj

bamboosprings wrote:
G'day Kevin,

just had a look at your site, very nice, will definitely try those recipes.

Thanks
Dave

Kevin and Hans have given you links to recipes; some of which will probably have something to say about preparation. However, to someone new to the game, as you would appear to be, it can be a bit daunting. Don’t be put off. Just give it a go. The best way to learn is by experience.

A few tips to get you going:

First look at the previous posts on harvesting to ensure that you are starting with a shoot at the right stage of development.

• Then cut the shoot in half lengthwise and remove the outer “leaves”
• Peel away the outer portion of the remaining shoot (much the same as you would peel a carrot)
• Slice into stir-fry size strips or whatever size suits what you are cooking
• Cook in boiling water long enough to remove any bitterness
• Drain and use as directed in your recipe.

I find that Oldhamii and Latiflorus require very little cooking; only around 5 to 10 minutes or so. I have not cooked Brandisii but unless it is more bitter than the others it should require about the same time. I understand that bitter shoots can require longer boiling and even a change of water.

As well as looking for bamboo shoot recipes, you can substitute shoots for any similar vegetable or just serve then on their own with butter and pepper or lemon juice or whatever you like.