How to Process Sunflower Seeds: Harvest, Brine, and Roast with Wisdom Preserved

[@TheBeast0253]

thanks! definitely will try this once my sunflower is ready to harvest

[@WisdomPreserved]

Wonderful! We love our sunflowers.

[@TheBeast0253]

@@WisdomPreservedmade them about a month ago. Just forgot to reply, they turned out amazing! Thanks for this recipe

[@ryanallthewiser]

Thanks so much for this info video. Harvested our fall giant sunflowers and let dry out over winter. Needed this video for the brine and baking. Thank y’all so much !!

[@WisdomPreserved]

Glad it was helpful!

[@renendaw8969]

Alors

[@nardamock]

Fantastic video. I really hope to put your lessons into practice in the fall. This is the third year I have tried to grow mammoth sunflowers. The first two years my sunflowers were knocked down and uprooted by strong winds. This year my mammoth sunflowers are fastened to a wire trellis.

[@WisdomPreserved]

Thank you. Each area is so different. We have had some massive winds this year but I have had more damage from my pooch than inclement weather.

[@lindaminor1985]

Best instructions, thanks!

[@WisdomPreserved]

Glad it was helpful!

[@mandyhahn4507]

I wonder if cookie sheets would work better? Have you tried that and if so, was there any disadvantages? Thank you.

[@WisdomPreserved]

Cookie sheets work very well for small quantities. The problem is the low sides. They make it hard to stir without spilling.

[@romeobroce8405]

Wow I like that

[@WisdomPreserved]

Me too. We are just getting ready to do this years batch.

[@wuffothewonderdog]

Do you not crack the hard outer shell to get at the seed inside? Do you really eat the outside shell of the seed?

[@WisdomPreserved]

Some of my family will eat the outside but others will shell it in their mouth and dispose of the shell. This is really more of a way to make a sunflower snack like they sell at the store. If I wanted to put it in my salad etc. I would need to shell them.

[@bettyhines1259]

Thank you for the video. It is august 29 2022. I live along the coast of California. Planted 2 mammoths one is drooping some leaves drying. Weather in 70s here for this past week. Nites are 50-60s. The seeds R still not ready to harvest. Back of flower istill green. Hopefully the end of September I canharvest. How long can i wait until harvesting.Blessing s toyou both n happy gardening

[@WisdomPreserved]

I usually wait until the back of the head is yellow and then I let it dry out in my greenhouse on a wire rack for a couple of weeks. It should be soon. If you notice the birds are starting to snack on it then it is probably ready. (They usually have a better sense for it than we do.)

[@SwtTrisha8]

Just grew my first sunflower circle and the flowers are drooping over and look like they are ready to harvest. Thanks for the info. On harvesting. Hope mine comes out ok. I grew 5 diff kinds so I’m curious to see diff in the seeds. Is there a certain kind of sunflower that is best for eating?

[@WisdomPreserved]

My favorite sunflower is the mammoth but that is mostly due to the size of the seeds being so large. Wait until the back of the heads turns yellow before cutting them off the stalk. Good job on the new harvest.

[@SwtTrisha8]

@@WisdomPreserved Ok- thank you so very much

[@WisdomPreserved]

@@dnthrx This can be a normal variation for sunflower seeds. As long as they look healthy they should be good to eat.

[@marktoldgardengnome4110]

Two questions, 1) Would hanging the heads in the house work ok? We are in a rural area, and have LOTS of squirrels and birds. Also many times have storms that knock the flowers over before it's time to harvest. If they hit the ground, it's game over. 2) Seems like roasting on a sheet pan might be quicker. Is there a reason you used a roasting pan? Interesting video. TYFS, Mark and Rosa

[@WisdomPreserved]

1) You could hang the heads in your house. I have them on wire racks in my greenhouse. The important thing is to wait until the back of the head is yellow to be sure the seeds have matured. Some people will place bags over the head to protect it as they are waiting for the seeds to mature before they have picked it. If you are using plastic bags, be sure it is not resting against the seeds or moisture will be held against them and they will mold. 2) You could use a shallow pan and it would go faster but you would have to do multiple batches. For me, it is just easier to do one batch and stir it multiple times throughout the day as I am multitasking with other things. Thanks for the inquiries, Marie

[@melindaannromesburg3854]

Thank you! So interesting ,I want to know about sunflower butter?

[@WisdomPreserved]

I have plans to play with sunflower butter in the future but haven't gotten around to it yet. It's on my list but not at the top of my list yet.

[@marekbartas6021]

Thank you for beautiful video. You can eat it without taking seed out of shell? Love and Peace.

[@WisdomPreserved]

You can eat the shell. But, I generally will open the shell with my teeth, eat the seed and dispose of the shell. (It is pretty fibrous.)

[@evermore4487]

Can the tiny flowers be fed to chickens?

[@WisdomPreserved]

Yes. The nutrients in them are actually really good for chickens. We always have a few smaller volunteer sunflowers around our place. I just wait until the seeds are mature and harvest for them.

[@BeFree-BeFrugal]

I’ve grown dwarf sunflowers 🌻 for the first time this year , I know the seeds will be small but I’m going to try to save some to eat and some to plant next year. HOW DO YOU PRESERVE THEM WITHOUT ROASTING OR BRINED DO YOU JUST LET THEM DRY? Thanks great video really helpful

[@WisdomPreserved]

If I want to use them for planting next year, I place them in a thin layer on a baking sheet in a warm, sunny location like a window ledge. The important thing is to keep them dry so they don't mold. After they are 100% dry (a few days to a week), you can place them in an envelope or bag and store them in a cool, dark place to wait for the next season.

[@BeFree-BeFrugal]

@@WisdomPreserved thank you 🌻

[@meganstocker2096]

So I have a random question…I completely forgot about my brine *mom brain* for three day 😬 can I still roast them or is this a no go?

[@WisdomPreserved]

I think it will be fine. The worst that could happen in that time is it will absorb a lot of the brine and be salty.

[@nicolenew1708]

❤❤❤❤

[@cajuncraftysue]

First time watching your channel!! I am a lover of “lost arts” too!! New subscriber!! Have you ever roasted a sunflower head or made sunflower butter?

[@WisdomPreserved]

We are so glad you found us. I have never tried either of those but I am intrigued. I will have to look into it. Thanks for sharing!

[@yolandafuller1975]

About how many hours did it take to roast this batch?

[@WisdomPreserved]

I just went back to our video footage and check the timestamps and it looks like we roasted the sunflowers for about 4 hours.

[@steveguyett384]

Roast black oil bird sunflower seeds with garlic salt& white pepper

[@WisdomPreserved]

That sounds good.