GREEN SEED FROM RAY & WENDY LOWE

[BluJay]

@GregH, thanks for the information, but it seemed more of the seed sprouted, after freezing. Anyway, don't want to ruin this wonderful topic, with this bait. More interested on if this seed can be gotten shipped overnight to area close to my location?

[gouldianpaul]

Hi Bluejay,

I have shipped frozen green seed to both Orange and Broken Hill during the week....I took the seed out of the freezer at 6:30AM and it took up to 4:30PM to arrive in Broken Hill....after 10 hours out of the freezer it was fine....so yes it can be shipped to Newcastle....unfortunately I don't have any left for this year....you might be best to contact Ray and Wendy Lowe to see if there is another group shipping the seed to Sydney.

I believe the next crop will be ready in about 4 weeks time....PM me if you want the Lowe's phone number....cheers, Paul

[E Orix]

The seed was available through the Hunter Finch Club which is in your area.
Correspondence to The Secretary 20 Wollombi Street Broke 2330

[Brooksy]

Has anyone got a clue what the bigger seeds in the middle are? they have fine white hairs on them and the inside is black & soft like tar when you squash them between your fingers. Are they safe for the birds? They are in all my containers and also in Craig's

[Misso]

Hi Brooksy, they are in all the tubs, its either a remnant of a bug from the crop fields or a part of a plant is my guess, no harm to my finches and iv been feeding it out since we got it, also found the odd lady bug in their, one defrosted and flew off lol

[Tiaris]

Its a type of smut. A fungal infestation which occurs in grass seed in humid weather (common on green panic but will affect most seeding grasses in humid areas). Before frozen they appear purple inside but when frozen goes black.

[gouldianpaul]

will it cause any harm to our birds....or does the freezing process ensure the fungal disease is dormant

[Tiaris]

I'm only guessing, but I'd say freezing would make it fairly benign. Even as fresh nodules I don't think they hold any attraction for birds. I don't even know if, like ergot it poses any health hazard for birds. Its just something I try to avoid when collecting panic heads each summer & seems to be worst later in Summer when its been humid for a while. I have noticed some in the frozen green seed for the past 5 or 6 years but I certainly won't be stopping offering milk seed to my birds because its there. I actually feel a bit comforted by the odd bit of this plus various beetles, grubs & grasshoppers amongst the milk seed as it shows the crop hasn't been hit with too much/any harsh chemicals. I regard it like a few spots on organic fruit for human consumption.

[gouldianpaul]

good point Tiaris....yes we are conditioned to having our food look perfect....a few natural elements demonstrating that it is chemical free is a good think...thanks, Paul

[GregH]

It does look like a smutt or bunt affected grain. These plant diseases in grain crops are responsible for yield loss and off-taints in products where the grain was contaminated but there are probably many fungal species that also produce mycotoxins which have subtle negative effects with long term ingestion so I would be avoiding contaminated seed. The most famous of these mycotoxins is produced by the ergot fungus in rye and paspalum which makes a mycotoxin that hippies know as acid or LSD. Other fungi that can contaminate poorly stored grain can be deadly or even carcinogenic. The deadlyist is made by Apergillis flavis and like certain Fusarium species these will actually grow in the birds respiratory system and kill them so as a general rule assume all contamination is potentially hazardous.

If you want to read more about smutts and bunts try the USDA's Grain Fungal Diseases & Mycotoxin Reference