1 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:10,520 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Savor production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:12,880 Speaker 1: I'm Any Reese and I'm Lauren vocal Bom, and today 3 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:15,840 Speaker 1: we have an episode for you about some flowers and 4 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:22,000 Speaker 1: their seeds and oil. Yes, was there any particular inspiration 5 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:27,160 Speaker 1: for this topic, Lauren? It was in our ideas sheet. 6 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 1: I don't know how long it's been. Specifically we had 7 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:33,160 Speaker 1: sunflower oil in there. Maybe it was a listener suggestion. 8 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:36,839 Speaker 1: So I suggested sunflower oil a while back. Actually I 9 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:40,120 Speaker 1: would have been anti suggestion. Well, I mean you also 10 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:48,880 Speaker 1: technically listen to the show. Sure, I do. Well. Any 11 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:54,600 Speaker 1: reason why why you suggested it? Yes? Yes, Actually, um, 12 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:57,640 Speaker 1: I my mom and I a few years back. She 13 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:01,240 Speaker 1: took me to a sunflower farm um and it was 14 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:05,039 Speaker 1: so so lovely and she loved some flowers, um and 15 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:09,400 Speaker 1: they were just so pretty, and we like bought chopstick 16 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:12,679 Speaker 1: and sunflower oil and some flower seeds. And I actually 17 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 1: hadn't heard about sunflower oil. I didn't know that was 18 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:17,360 Speaker 1: a thing. We took one of the cutest pictures together 19 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 1: I think we've ever taken with all these sunflowers in 20 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 1: the background. It was just such a lovely day and 21 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 1: I was like, we should talk about that. And I 22 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:27,280 Speaker 1: do love a good sunflower seed. My older brother that 23 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:30,039 Speaker 1: used to be like a sign he'd been around was 24 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 1: a bag of something. Uh yeah, yeah. I growing up 25 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 1: my grandparents in Ohio. My mom's parents had a few 26 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:43,560 Speaker 1: sunflowers in their little garden out back, and so so 27 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 1: I always remember right having some of the blooms from that. 28 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 1: They were the type that that has like one large 29 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 1: head at the top and then maybe a few smaller ones, 30 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:53,880 Speaker 1: and so we would have the smaller ones as blooms 31 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:56,720 Speaker 1: around the house and um and yeah, and as the 32 00:01:56,760 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 1: seeds would come in, we would eat the seeds. Uh 33 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 1: so good. Um. Also, I feel like it should be 34 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:08,360 Speaker 1: obvious as I am uh, as I've said before, a 35 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:11,640 Speaker 1: goth of a certain age. Um. I was really into 36 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 1: The X Files when it came out. I was in 37 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:19,440 Speaker 1: like like late elementary, early middle school and uh and 38 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 1: Fox Mulder, one of the main characters, eats sunflower seeds 39 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:29,080 Speaker 1: like kind of continually for a few seasons there, like 40 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:34,520 Speaker 1: it's a very frequent snack from I can't believe I 41 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:36,960 Speaker 1: forgot that because I loved The X Files too, although 42 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:40,040 Speaker 1: I was forbidden from watching it for a few years. 43 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:46,520 Speaker 1: I happened to miss the sunflower seed time. Yeah. Yeah, 44 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:49,639 Speaker 1: so I definitely went through like a like a molder 45 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 1: sympathetic related sunflower seed eating period of my lies. I 46 00:02:56,600 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 1: love that. Apparently for the show, um they I didn't 47 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:07,280 Speaker 1: know this off the top of my head, but I 48 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 1: found it while I was doing reading. Um, the bags 49 00:03:11,919 --> 00:03:15,560 Speaker 1: that he was eating from were just bags of David 50 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 1: brand sunflower seeds, but they had like put a sticker 51 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:23,240 Speaker 1: over the actual brand name, um, and the sticker red 52 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:27,080 Speaker 1: spits s p I t z UM. But otherwise it 53 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:29,959 Speaker 1: was just it was just a David's bag. So yeah, 54 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 1: that's funny. I wonder if it has anything to do 55 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 1: with the whole baseball thing, which I didn't know about, 56 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 1: but chewing sun flower seeds for baseball, like spitting them out, 57 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 1: I don't know. I don't know m mysteries. I mean, 58 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 1: spitting in the sunflower seed shell is definitely a thing 59 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 1: that some humans do. It is it is? Uh And yeah, 60 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:56,880 Speaker 1: I guess a final culture note before I'm sure we 61 00:03:56,920 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 1: have we'll have others throughout, but I have had a 62 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:06,360 Speaker 1: post Malone song Sunflower in my head since I'm not 63 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 1: really I have no idea of what that is I 64 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 1: you've seen into the spider verse, right, yeah, yeah, it's 65 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:18,040 Speaker 1: it's it's in it's it starts, it's in there twice, 66 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:20,239 Speaker 1: so it's kind of like, okay, but it's a coffee 67 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 1: song he's listening to when he's like drawing. Oh cute, alright, 68 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 1: alright yeah yeah, well I guess this brings us do 69 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 1: our question. Sure, sunflowers what are they? Well? Sunflowers are beautiful, 70 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:44,719 Speaker 1: bright flowers that happened to produce hundreds or even thousands 71 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:47,680 Speaker 1: of tiny fruits which we ignore, um and eat the 72 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:52,719 Speaker 1: single seeds inside of those fruits. Um. Sunflowers are an 73 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 1: art and a science. They are pretty much the greasiest 74 00:04:57,320 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 1: flower out there, but in like the best way post 75 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:05,239 Speaker 1: bole um. They're like, they're like a slow blooming snack machine. 76 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:12,159 Speaker 1: Oh it's lovely, and they are beautiful. They are so 77 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:20,560 Speaker 1: pretty heck yes. Botanical name Helianthus annis or an us um, 78 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 1: sunflowers are an annual plant that grows tall but remains 79 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:28,480 Speaker 1: relatively herbaceous that is soft and not not woody. Um. 80 00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:31,400 Speaker 1: They commonly reach a six to twelve feet in height 81 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:34,719 Speaker 1: or about two to four meters, with a sturdy central 82 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:38,360 Speaker 1: stem putting off these these broad dark green leaves and 83 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:42,760 Speaker 1: flowering heads um sometimes multiple flowering heads, or sometimes just 84 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:46,440 Speaker 1: one at the very top, and those heads will grow 85 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:50,120 Speaker 1: into these big discs like a like sort of platter 86 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 1: shaped about four in diameter that's about ten to fifty 87 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:58,760 Speaker 1: centimeters um, with a with the ring of these colorful 88 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 1: petals around the outer rim of the platter in in 89 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:07,040 Speaker 1: hues of bright yellow to gold to reddish, and then 90 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:10,440 Speaker 1: on on the inside making up the dish of the platter. 91 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:16,520 Speaker 1: Hundreds or yes, thousands of these tiny florets that can 92 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:21,000 Speaker 1: each develop into a single dry husky fruit that each 93 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:24,839 Speaker 1: contains a single seed um. And these fruits are, yes, 94 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:34,760 Speaker 1: what we call sunflower seeds. Confusing, yes, but so uh. 95 00:06:34,839 --> 00:06:38,839 Speaker 1: Those seeds grow in a spiral patterns out from the 96 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:42,520 Speaker 1: center of the flower head, and most commonly, if you 97 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 1: count the spiraling rows of seeds, each rill will contain 98 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:50,520 Speaker 1: a number of seeds from the Fibonacci sequence um, in 99 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 1: which each number is the sum of the previous two 100 00:06:52,839 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 1: so one, two, three, five, eight, one etcetera. Yeah, um 101 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 1: needs in the center will still be developing, while the 102 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 1: ones towards the outer edges mature and the husks of 103 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:11,560 Speaker 1: those fruits or seeds, yeah, can can come in colors 104 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:14,520 Speaker 1: from white to brown to black. When they're mature, um, 105 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:18,000 Speaker 1: they're often dark with with white or cream colored stripes. 106 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 1: They're oblong, slightly flattened ovals that are pointed at one end, 107 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:25,080 Speaker 1: and those inner seeds are cream colored and about the 108 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:29,520 Speaker 1: same shape. The seeds are consumed by themselves as a snack, 109 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:33,680 Speaker 1: sold either hold or still in their shells, usually roasted 110 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 1: um seasoned, either just with salt or with any number 111 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:41,480 Speaker 1: of flavoring sweet or savory. I mean, you know all 112 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:45,160 Speaker 1: all that, like like dill, pickle and bacon, ranch and 113 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:48,640 Speaker 1: whatever the whatever the flavorings of the day are. Yeah, 114 00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:52,960 Speaker 1: to eat them in their shells, right, People generally crack 115 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 1: the shells with their teeth, like put the whole thing 116 00:07:55,400 --> 00:07:57,160 Speaker 1: in their mouth and crack the shell open with their 117 00:07:57,160 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 1: teeth and then split the shell out. The seeds can 118 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:03,960 Speaker 1: also be used as an ingredient in baked goods um 119 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:07,280 Speaker 1: or like a sprinkling on top of fresh salads, maybe 120 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:10,360 Speaker 1: in a in a pala for granola, or a trail 121 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 1: mix or a candy um anything where you might want 122 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:15,520 Speaker 1: a bit of crunch and then kind of like nutty 123 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 1: buttery flavor, because yeah, they can have a little bit 124 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:21,080 Speaker 1: of a crunch to them, but they're sort of creamy 125 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:25,760 Speaker 1: and sweet saunets. They can also be processed into a 126 00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:28,120 Speaker 1: nut butter to be used as a spread or an 127 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 1: ingredient in a savory or sweet dishes. And they are 128 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 1: a fairly oily type of seed about protein and oil, 129 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:39,400 Speaker 1: though that can it can go up or down depending 130 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 1: on the varietal being grown. UM the oil from the 131 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:45,439 Speaker 1: seeds is popular in cooking and baking because it's pretty 132 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:48,760 Speaker 1: shelf stable. UM. It doesn't need to be hydrogenated in 133 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:51,960 Speaker 1: order to get it to keep for any length of time. UM, 134 00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 1: and hydrogen eating oils tends to make them less healthy, 135 00:08:54,920 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 1: so that's cool. UM the oil also with stands fairly 136 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:02,079 Speaker 1: high temperatures. It's got a high smoke point, and it's 137 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:06,559 Speaker 1: also used in the making and manufacture of vegan alternatives 138 00:09:06,559 --> 00:09:10,440 Speaker 1: to conventional animal products like a margarine or mayo or 139 00:09:10,600 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 1: various UM nut cheeses and spreads stuff like that. M 140 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:17,960 Speaker 1: the oil is a little bit expensive to produce, even 141 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:20,560 Speaker 1: though the seeds contain a lot of it UM, and 142 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 1: that's because they're also a little bit waxy. UM which 143 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 1: requires more filtration and processing. But nonetheless, the oil is 144 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:34,080 Speaker 1: also used in various industries um as biofuels, cosmetics, paints, lubricants, 145 00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 1: and uh and in drug preparations, and the seed hulls 146 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:45,559 Speaker 1: are used as animal feed supplements. WHOA, what about the nutrition? Uh, 147 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:48,280 Speaker 1: Sunflower seeds are pretty good for you. Um. They are 148 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:51,280 Speaker 1: a source of protein and fiber and like those good 149 00:09:51,679 --> 00:09:55,000 Speaker 1: unsaturated fats, plus a whole spread of vitamins and minerals 150 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 1: and other micronutrients. They are calorically dense, so you know, 151 00:09:58,040 --> 00:10:01,720 Speaker 1: like watch your portion sizes and of vegetable hydrate, especially 152 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:04,120 Speaker 1: if you've got that bacon ranch flavor or whatever it is. 153 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:06,560 Speaker 1: I did have a good time looking at all the 154 00:10:06,559 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 1: flavors that were available. Oh yeah, Oh man, I didn't 155 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:10,880 Speaker 1: do I didn't do a list. I kind of meant 156 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:13,120 Speaker 1: to and then didn't get around to it before we 157 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:16,360 Speaker 1: started recording. Yeah, because I don't think I've ever had 158 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 1: anything other than you know, your straight salted salted. Yeah. Yeah, 159 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:24,040 Speaker 1: but of course, of course we've added bacon flavoring to it. 160 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:29,920 Speaker 1: Why not? Why not? Well, we do have someone numbers 161 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:33,280 Speaker 1: for you, oh we do. Um, all right, so I 162 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:35,640 Speaker 1: know that I said that thing about the Fibonacci sequence, 163 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:39,240 Speaker 1: about the seeds being um coming in Fibonacci sequence numbers. 164 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:42,480 Speaker 1: But UM, that was kind of one of those things. 165 00:10:42,520 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 1: It was like, oh, yeah, they grow in Fibonacci sequences. Uh. 166 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:51,480 Speaker 1: Some researchers did some crowdsourced science. UM. They collected UH 167 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:57,439 Speaker 1: samples of six hundred and fifty seven reported sunflowers over 168 00:10:57,480 --> 00:11:00,040 Speaker 1: the course of four years and then published into a 169 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:03,199 Speaker 1: sixteen The study that found, UM that as many as 170 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:07,760 Speaker 1: one in five sunflowers will grow seeds that are not 171 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:11,440 Speaker 1: in the Fibonacci sequence, and some in patterns that are 172 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:18,319 Speaker 1: much more complicated. Right. That's interesting. Yeah, I love it. 173 00:11:18,679 --> 00:11:21,840 Speaker 1: I do too. UM. I have kind of some dated 174 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:26,559 Speaker 1: numbers here, but in nine of the sunflower crops value 175 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 1: is due to the oil, and at the time this 176 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:33,559 Speaker 1: oil accounted for around fourteen cent of global seed oil production. 177 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:37,200 Speaker 1: As sunflower seeds are right high in oils. Um, you 178 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:41,760 Speaker 1: can get more oil from sunflowers than soybeans acre for acre, 179 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:47,160 Speaker 1: UM almost six hundred pounds of oil per acre from sunflowers. Dang, yeah, 180 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 1: I know, right, I don't know, but that sounds like 181 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:53,320 Speaker 1: a lot UM, and and it is a big market, 182 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:59,000 Speaker 1: especially after pretty steady growth for the past few decades. UM. 183 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:02,319 Speaker 1: As of twenty any, the sunflower oil market was worth 184 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:06,439 Speaker 1: some eighteen point five billion dollars and it was the 185 00:12:06,520 --> 00:12:11,800 Speaker 1: fourth most consumed vegetable oil in the world. Yeah, more 186 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 1: sunflowers are being grown and more oil is being produced 187 00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:19,560 Speaker 1: as as possible. UM. Numbers do vary, but the estimates 188 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 1: for for last year one where that oil production was 189 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:28,160 Speaker 1: going to increase four percent to thirty nine million metric 190 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:31,520 Speaker 1: tons thanks to a bunch of new cultivation efforts around 191 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:35,880 Speaker 1: the world. UM, and that exports of that we're going 192 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:39,079 Speaker 1: to increase fourteen percent to twelve point six million metric 193 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:43,760 Speaker 1: tons thanks to these growing markets in places like the EU, China, India, 194 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:51,360 Speaker 1: Iraq and Turkey. Wow. Yeah UM. As of Russia and 195 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:55,480 Speaker 1: India were the largest producers of sunflower oil with around 196 00:12:55,520 --> 00:12:58,600 Speaker 1: three million metric tons each. Ukraine is also a major player, 197 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:02,480 Speaker 1: Belgium and the Netherland. Meanwhile, we're consuming the most per 198 00:13:02,520 --> 00:13:06,320 Speaker 1: capita UM thirty nine and twenty six kilos per person 199 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:13,360 Speaker 1: per year, with Russia just behind them. Dang, I know, right, UM. 200 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:16,920 Speaker 1: Although these numbers are tied to safflower oil as well. So, 201 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:23,240 Speaker 1: but yes, lots of it. Um. Meanwhile, a few world 202 00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:27,840 Speaker 1: records for you. Uh, the most heads on a single 203 00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 1: sunflower plant clocks in at eight hundred and thirty seven. 204 00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:41,800 Speaker 1: I know that that plant was grown in Michigan. Um. 205 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:44,600 Speaker 1: I think the record is from like two thousand one. Um. 206 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:46,280 Speaker 1: I didn't write it down, but that's that's what my 207 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:49,600 Speaker 1: brain is telling me. Um. Meanwhile, the tallest sunflower on 208 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:55,400 Speaker 1: record was nine point one seven meters that's thirty ft 209 00:13:55,440 --> 00:14:01,800 Speaker 1: one inch. Wow. That was grown in Germany by a 210 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:06,000 Speaker 1: dude who has been leap frogging a few other people 211 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:09,160 Speaker 1: for the tallest sunflower title for the past like couple 212 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:15,559 Speaker 1: of decades. Um. He used this this multi tier scaffolding 213 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:19,720 Speaker 1: to help support it. Um. The local fire brigade came 214 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:24,240 Speaker 1: to help measure it. It's the whole thing, the whole thing. 215 00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:27,800 Speaker 1: Love it. Yeah, what a thing to decide, you know what? 216 00:14:28,040 --> 00:14:30,520 Speaker 1: I'm going to be known for this? Yeah, I don't 217 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:32,440 Speaker 1: care what I've got to do, and no one is 218 00:14:32,440 --> 00:14:35,400 Speaker 1: going to take it from me. Who do they think 219 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 1: they are? I love it? Yes, Well, We've got a 220 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:45,480 Speaker 1: lot of We've got a lot of interesting history on 221 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:49,960 Speaker 1: this one. Some art, all kinds of things we do, 222 00:14:50,040 --> 00:14:51,840 Speaker 1: and we are going to get into that as soon 223 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:53,600 Speaker 1: as we get back from a quick break forward from 224 00:14:53,600 --> 00:15:07,000 Speaker 1: our sponsors. We're back, thank you sponsor, Yes, thank you. So, yes, 225 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:09,720 Speaker 1: we are focusing on the seed. Um, we're gonna be 226 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:12,800 Speaker 1: talking about the oil too. It's just so closely intertwined. 227 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:15,600 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, yeah, it's it's the oil comes from the seeds. 228 00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 1: It's so it's difficult to separate out. Yeah. Yes. So 229 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:24,200 Speaker 1: historians think that sunflowers originated in North America, perhaps specifically 230 00:15:24,240 --> 00:15:28,680 Speaker 1: in western North America, but that the sunflowers migrated east 231 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:31,240 Speaker 1: along with some of the tribes from that area. As 232 00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:33,880 Speaker 1: they migrated, they took the sunflowers with them, where they 233 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:38,200 Speaker 1: were first investigated somewhere around four thousand years ago. Um. Yeah, 234 00:15:38,280 --> 00:15:42,479 Speaker 1: it's thought to be the only crop that was domesticated 235 00:15:42,640 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 1: in what's now the United States to have reached global importance. Wow. 236 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:53,440 Speaker 1: Okay uh. Native Americans selected for sunflowers that grew a large, 237 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:57,080 Speaker 1: single head and produced edible seeds that were hiring protein, 238 00:15:57,160 --> 00:16:00,680 Speaker 1: a larger and more resistant to pest. The seeds were 239 00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:05,800 Speaker 1: used as food, but also in art, medicine, and rituals. Yeah. 240 00:16:05,880 --> 00:16:08,800 Speaker 1: Just just for example, sunflowers were used by um by 241 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:13,680 Speaker 1: the Aztecss offerings to the god of sun and war. 242 00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:19,640 Speaker 1: Makes sense. For a while, sunflowers were widely cultivated and 243 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 1: grown alongside crops like squash, But when Mayze came onto 244 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:27,920 Speaker 1: the scene, that changed. By the time Europeans started showing up, 245 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 1: May's had replaced sunflowers as the dominant crop. Those sunflowers 246 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:36,160 Speaker 1: were still grown, um. Some records include observations of sunflowers 247 00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:40,520 Speaker 1: from southern Canada all the way down to Mexico. In 248 00:16:40,680 --> 00:16:44,160 Speaker 1: the hundreds, the Spanish took sunflower seeds back to Europe 249 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:49,440 Speaker 1: with them, where they quickly spread. At first, Europeans it seems, 250 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:53,520 Speaker 1: mainly admired them for their size and beauty. Yeah, not 251 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:56,120 Speaker 1: as a food source quite yet. Um. Yeah, they were 252 00:16:56,160 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 1: like really posh. At one point with the Italian Medici dynasty, 253 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:03,400 Speaker 1: they garnered a few nicknames like the marigold or chrysanthemum 254 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:07,399 Speaker 1: of peru Um. By the mid six hundreds, the sunflower 255 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:13,399 Speaker 1: even came to replace traditional European flowers in retellings of 256 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:17,680 Speaker 1: um Greek myths. Where where prior tellings of these stories 257 00:17:17,720 --> 00:17:21,320 Speaker 1: about Helios or Apollo Um, you know, the god of 258 00:17:21,320 --> 00:17:25,720 Speaker 1: the sun had had used heliotrope um, folks started using 259 00:17:26,320 --> 00:17:31,119 Speaker 1: this new Helios anthos, this this flower of Helios, the 260 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:34,640 Speaker 1: sunflower um in these tellings um or or in artistic 261 00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:37,840 Speaker 1: works depicting the stories like um. Like in one myth, 262 00:17:38,440 --> 00:17:41,280 Speaker 1: the gods take pity on this water dymph who has 263 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:46,840 Speaker 1: fallen head over heels for Helios and is just pining away, 264 00:17:47,560 --> 00:17:51,080 Speaker 1: her face always always watching him as he flies across 265 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:54,600 Speaker 1: the heavens and his chariot, the sun. Um and uh. 266 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:57,199 Speaker 1: And they turn her so that she can quit pining, 267 00:17:57,200 --> 00:17:59,360 Speaker 1: I guess, into a sunflower. And I'm not sure why 268 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:02,360 Speaker 1: that makes it better, but that's the math. That's one 269 00:18:02,359 --> 00:18:06,800 Speaker 1: way to go about it. And the sunflower will um uh. 270 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:09,320 Speaker 1: And it's and it's a little bit dramatic too, um 271 00:18:09,359 --> 00:18:12,000 Speaker 1: because it's such a large flower. But if you watch 272 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:14,760 Speaker 1: a sunflower throughout the day, it will follow the sun 273 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:22,000 Speaker 1: across the sky. Yeah it's pretty cool, yeah cool yeah uh. 274 00:18:22,119 --> 00:18:26,119 Speaker 1: As time passed, Europeans did come to realize the culinary 275 00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:28,960 Speaker 1: potential of the sunflower as well, and a lot of 276 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:33,359 Speaker 1: that has to do with Russia, because yes, eventually sunflowers 277 00:18:33,359 --> 00:18:37,919 Speaker 1: reached Russia, where they transformed the flower into cooking oil. 278 00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:40,360 Speaker 1: And if you're like me, and you're like, huh, well, 279 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:42,640 Speaker 1: why did that happen? And why did this sunflower take 280 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:45,600 Speaker 1: off in Russia and its oil in particular? Some stories 281 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:48,000 Speaker 1: suggest it might have been due to religion, or at 282 00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:52,760 Speaker 1: least partly. So okay, yes, because during Lent, the Russian 283 00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:55,919 Speaker 1: Orthodox Church had a list of forbidden foods, foods that 284 00:18:56,000 --> 00:19:00,000 Speaker 1: included things like butter and lard. But because the sunflower 285 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:02,920 Speaker 1: was a new crop, new to Russia anyway, it wasn't 286 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 1: included on the list, and people figured out they could 287 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:09,120 Speaker 1: use sunflower oil, causing the crop to really take off. 288 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:15,919 Speaker 1: It's kind of a loophole. Uh. I am continually startled 289 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:20,200 Speaker 1: by what a gigantic impact the Catholic Church in its 290 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:27,159 Speaker 1: various forms across Europe had on on oil, on on 291 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:32,440 Speaker 1: the types of fats that were eaten around continents. Wild 292 00:19:32,520 --> 00:19:35,679 Speaker 1: to me, anyway, I'm sorry, please continue? Huh No, I agree. 293 00:19:35,920 --> 00:19:37,840 Speaker 1: The matter of time, the number of times we bought 294 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:42,600 Speaker 1: lint and lintz impact in particulars pretty like amazing to me. 295 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:46,960 Speaker 1: But yes, okay, so the high protein content was a 296 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:48,840 Speaker 1: plus of all this. Two people were a fan of that. 297 00:19:49,280 --> 00:19:52,720 Speaker 1: By the eighteen hundreds, both Russia and Ukraine had fields 298 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:57,720 Speaker 1: of sunflowers from accounts that read huge fields. Soviet plant 299 00:19:57,720 --> 00:20:00,760 Speaker 1: breeders selected for varieties of sunflowers that can almost fifty 300 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:04,760 Speaker 1: oil in their seeds under Stalin's rule, and over time 301 00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:08,760 Speaker 1: European grocery shelves started stalking sunflower oil, and the oil 302 00:20:08,840 --> 00:20:14,920 Speaker 1: and seeds spread across Asia as well. Meanwhile, European artists 303 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:19,439 Speaker 1: were still just enchanted with the flowers. Um. Impressionists like 304 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:22,840 Speaker 1: Money depicted them in the mid to late eighteen hundreds. 305 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:27,000 Speaker 1: Oscar Wilde wrote about them. Um. This one tour that 306 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:30,080 Speaker 1: he did of the United States in eighteen eighty two 307 00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:35,159 Speaker 1: featured sunflowers depicted on the stage backdrop and um on 308 00:20:35,280 --> 00:20:39,920 Speaker 1: hand fans for the audience. Yeah. And of course of 309 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:43,639 Speaker 1: van Go did a two series of sunflower paintings, the 310 00:20:43,760 --> 00:20:48,320 Speaker 1: first from eighteen eighty seven featuring these dead flowers, and 311 00:20:48,359 --> 00:20:52,360 Speaker 1: then the second the following year with these vibrant blooms. UM. 312 00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:56,800 Speaker 1: And they appear in paintings by Climpton and Diego Rivera 313 00:20:57,200 --> 00:21:01,600 Speaker 1: just all over the place. It's really it's very interesting. 314 00:21:01,920 --> 00:21:03,959 Speaker 1: It's a very I mean like they're real pretty, but 315 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:07,080 Speaker 1: like it's it's you can get really, really really into 316 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:11,000 Speaker 1: um the different theories about what they were symbolizing to 317 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:14,200 Speaker 1: all of these different artists and how they became such 318 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:18,680 Speaker 1: a trope. Yeah. Yeah. And you and I were discussing 319 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:22,679 Speaker 1: before we started recording how fun it is when sabor 320 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:26,760 Speaker 1: gets to do like a little art history. Yeah. Yeah. 321 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:29,680 Speaker 1: I Like, I was like running out of time before 322 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:31,399 Speaker 1: the recording and I was like, oh, I still need 323 00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:36,000 Speaker 1: to talk about botany heck um yeah. Yeah. Also just 324 00:21:36,119 --> 00:21:38,600 Speaker 1: side note, as I think I have also mentioned on 325 00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:40,720 Speaker 1: the show before, if you ever really want to make 326 00:21:40,720 --> 00:21:44,320 Speaker 1: me cry, show me the Van Go episode of Doctor Who. 327 00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:46,719 Speaker 1: And that's I don't know why you want to that 328 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:51,880 Speaker 1: seems mean, but um but heck, that's a tough one. 329 00:21:52,200 --> 00:21:56,520 Speaker 1: That's a tough one. I mean, I and some of 330 00:21:56,560 --> 00:21:59,320 Speaker 1: my friends just enjoyed crying. Sometimes a good cry can 331 00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:02,320 Speaker 1: be it can be nice. It's it's cathartic. You're right, 332 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:05,280 Speaker 1: You're right. Maybe maybe people are just out there looking 333 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:09,080 Speaker 1: for catharsis for me. That's yeah. Let's well put the 334 00:22:09,119 --> 00:22:16,199 Speaker 1: sunflower spin on it, the sunny one. Yes. Meanwhile, meanwhile, 335 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:19,760 Speaker 1: plant breeders continue to have success in creating varieties of 336 00:22:19,760 --> 00:22:23,920 Speaker 1: sunflowers that became we're more commercially viable, which in turn 337 00:22:24,119 --> 00:22:26,800 Speaker 1: let to more farmers growing them in the Great Plains 338 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:29,280 Speaker 1: region here in the United States. After World War Two. 339 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:33,200 Speaker 1: These farmers could sell the oil and the seeds either 340 00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:35,600 Speaker 1: as bird seeds and side note, my mom said, my 341 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:38,720 Speaker 1: mom is a big she's got like the binoculars, she's 342 00:22:38,760 --> 00:22:42,080 Speaker 1: got the books. She's a birdwatcher. Okay, cool, cool, and 343 00:22:42,119 --> 00:22:44,360 Speaker 1: she has a pretty decent sized backyard. But there's all 344 00:22:44,359 --> 00:22:47,360 Speaker 1: these different types of birdhouses and bird feeters she has, 345 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:50,640 Speaker 1: and she says, they love the sunflower seeds are their favorite, 346 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:53,760 Speaker 1: maybe tied with the peanuts, but those are the ones 347 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:56,080 Speaker 1: that go down the fastest. And they fight over them. 348 00:22:56,119 --> 00:23:00,040 Speaker 1: I've seen them out there, like all right, okay, and 349 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:05,320 Speaker 1: be your nightmare, Lauren, birds fighting all over the place. 350 00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:08,800 Speaker 1: They're fighting over there, and not like on my face, 351 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:12,800 Speaker 1: I'm pretty compay with it. Okay, that's fair. Uh yeah, 352 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:15,400 Speaker 1: but also yeah, they these farmers were able to sell 353 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:19,040 Speaker 1: the seeds as a human snack, not just for birds. However, 354 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:22,720 Speaker 1: the production declined in the eighties due to things like price, pest, 355 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:28,479 Speaker 1: and disease. Since the nineteen thirties, production has increased by 356 00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:32,200 Speaker 1: six times, though, and the sunflower seed was the third 357 00:23:32,280 --> 00:23:36,600 Speaker 1: highest source of vegetable oil from eighty six, very specific 358 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:41,520 Speaker 1: after palm and soybean. However, during our more modern era, 359 00:23:41,640 --> 00:23:45,639 Speaker 1: sunflower oil has typically been eclipsed by corn or soy oil, 360 00:23:45,720 --> 00:23:48,399 Speaker 1: behind olive oil. Of course here in the United States anyway, 361 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:51,879 Speaker 1: that's not the case everywhere, but some flower oil did 362 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:54,360 Speaker 1: see a bump in the nineteen nineties things to potato 363 00:23:54,440 --> 00:23:58,960 Speaker 1: chips and the Mediterranean diet. Both those things, people were 364 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:01,960 Speaker 1: swopping out trans that's for things like olive oil, leaving 365 00:24:01,960 --> 00:24:05,119 Speaker 1: companies that use trans fats in their products scrambling for 366 00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:08,240 Speaker 1: an alternative, including companies like Freedo Lay who fried their 367 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:13,560 Speaker 1: chips in trans fat heavy partially hydrogenated soybean oil that 368 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:16,960 Speaker 1: that's what they were using at the time. Well, sunflower 369 00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:20,320 Speaker 1: breader Jerry Miller told them about the high oil producing 370 00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:24,119 Speaker 1: sunflower seeds that the Soviets had created, resulting in an 371 00:24:24,119 --> 00:24:26,879 Speaker 1: oil that it was good for you, and his words 372 00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:31,040 Speaker 1: didn't go bad when frank chips and had no trans fats. 373 00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:34,760 Speaker 1: Miller recalled Frieda Lay had a chemist named minog Groupta 374 00:24:34,800 --> 00:24:37,240 Speaker 1: who recognized immediately what it could do for his company, 375 00:24:37,400 --> 00:24:41,240 Speaker 1: and he said, let's go, let's do this. And I 376 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:44,920 Speaker 1: hope I didn't butcher that name. I couldn't find a pronunciation. Yes. Uh. 377 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:49,320 Speaker 1: And in two thousand three UH, based on Gupta's work, 378 00:24:49,560 --> 00:24:53,600 Speaker 1: Freedoa switched to sunflower oil for the manufacture of its snacks. 379 00:24:54,760 --> 00:24:59,040 Speaker 1: And these days farmers have entire fields of these new 380 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:02,080 Speaker 1: UH sunfl hours in order to meet the demand from 381 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:06,399 Speaker 1: potato chip companies, stack companies. Yeah, demand for the oil 382 00:25:06,520 --> 00:25:10,520 Speaker 1: is also tied up in research into another alternative to 383 00:25:10,680 --> 00:25:13,280 Speaker 1: conventional products that was coming up during the same time. 384 00:25:13,720 --> 00:25:18,680 Speaker 1: Biofuel research with the oil is ongoing. Breeders are attempting 385 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:21,800 Speaker 1: to lower the saturated fat in the seeds, and if 386 00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:25,119 Speaker 1: they succeed, sunflower oil might become the vegetable oil with 387 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:27,359 Speaker 1: the lowest levels of saturated fat. And what I've loved 388 00:25:27,359 --> 00:25:32,440 Speaker 1: about that story was that it was an accidental kind 389 00:25:32,440 --> 00:25:36,560 Speaker 1: of discovery. Yeah, this sunflower that did this. It was 390 00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:39,480 Speaker 1: sort of a people didn't know some flowers did that, 391 00:25:40,560 --> 00:25:42,480 Speaker 1: and the I think it might have been Miller, but 392 00:25:42,520 --> 00:25:45,159 Speaker 1: it was somebody who worked at the Sunflower research station, 393 00:25:45,680 --> 00:25:49,479 Speaker 1: Which I love that that exists. Um. He was like, 394 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:51,960 Speaker 1: that's so exciting. He goes around and collect sunflowers. He's like, 395 00:25:52,040 --> 00:25:54,119 Speaker 1: so exciting. There could be something out there that we 396 00:25:54,200 --> 00:26:01,920 Speaker 1: just don't know yet. His enthusiasm was very, very infectious cool. Yes, Uh, 397 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:04,480 Speaker 1: And the oil isn't the only thing to be more 398 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:08,480 Speaker 1: widely adopted because of perceived health benefits. In recent decades, 399 00:26:08,520 --> 00:26:11,520 Speaker 1: the seeds have been viewed as a healthy snack and frequently, 400 00:26:12,080 --> 00:26:14,760 Speaker 1: uh they pop up in articles about health, some more 401 00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:17,520 Speaker 1: reputable than others, but a lot of my early search 402 00:26:17,560 --> 00:26:21,680 Speaker 1: results were all about the health of some flowers eats. Yeah, 403 00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:24,359 Speaker 1: it's it's one of those things that, especially the ones 404 00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:28,440 Speaker 1: that are sold in their shells, are talked about as 405 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:31,199 Speaker 1: a UM as a good way to you know, like 406 00:26:31,320 --> 00:26:34,480 Speaker 1: get that crunchy snack that you're looking for that also 407 00:26:34,520 --> 00:26:39,200 Speaker 1: has a good amount of protein and healthier fats, and furthermore, 408 00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:41,040 Speaker 1: that will slow you down a little bit as you're 409 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:45,200 Speaker 1: eating UM, letting your your stomach have time to contact 410 00:26:45,240 --> 00:26:47,280 Speaker 1: your brain and be like, hey dude, you're getting full 411 00:26:47,720 --> 00:26:51,600 Speaker 1: UM and so therefore leading to less overall consumption or 412 00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:57,560 Speaker 1: less like accidental consumption. Yes. Uh. Skipping ahead though to 413 00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:03,399 Speaker 1: UM to like nap ish cooking oils in general, have 414 00:27:03,560 --> 00:27:08,719 Speaker 1: seen price increases during the COVID nineteen pandemic as supply 415 00:27:08,800 --> 00:27:13,679 Speaker 1: chain issues have decreased supply in In the case of 416 00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:17,920 Speaker 1: sunflower oil, like many crops um, this is exacerbated by 417 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:25,200 Speaker 1: recent climate change issues causing more problems with the supply um. 418 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:29,320 Speaker 1: But research is going into um wild species in the 419 00:27:29,359 --> 00:27:33,040 Speaker 1: sunflower genus, which contains like over a hundred species, including 420 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:36,400 Speaker 1: the domesticated sunflower, in the hopes that hybrids could help 421 00:27:36,440 --> 00:27:38,800 Speaker 1: create sturdier plants. And yeah, I read a couple of 422 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:43,080 Speaker 1: articles that were that were really dear about these researchers 423 00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:47,040 Speaker 1: going out and looking for these these wild sunflower types 424 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:50,320 Speaker 1: that grow in unexpected like just right up out of 425 00:27:50,359 --> 00:27:53,800 Speaker 1: the sand, out of the southwestern United States and stuff 426 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:56,600 Speaker 1: like that. And I'm like, oh man, that's so cool. 427 00:27:56,960 --> 00:28:01,439 Speaker 1: It is. Well, stepping back a bit, we have some 428 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:05,480 Speaker 1: more kind of arts cultural notes. Yeah, yeah, I wanted 429 00:28:05,520 --> 00:28:10,720 Speaker 1: to end on like not climate change, so um right. Um. 430 00:28:10,720 --> 00:28:16,840 Speaker 1: The X Files debut Ine uh Molder snacked on sunflower 431 00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:20,879 Speaker 1: seeds and that first pilot episode. Um. He later discusses 432 00:28:20,920 --> 00:28:25,320 Speaker 1: having a particular nostalgia for sunflower seeds because when he 433 00:28:25,359 --> 00:28:28,959 Speaker 1: was growing up, he says that he would wake up 434 00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:30,879 Speaker 1: in the middle of the night convinced that he was 435 00:28:30,920 --> 00:28:34,560 Speaker 1: the only person on the planet, that he was totally alone. Um. 436 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:36,760 Speaker 1: But then he would hear from the other room his 437 00:28:36,880 --> 00:28:41,400 Speaker 1: dad snacking on sunflower seeds and be comforted by by 438 00:28:41,440 --> 00:28:48,040 Speaker 1: that human connection. Yeah. He also uses sunflower seeds to 439 00:28:48,800 --> 00:28:54,520 Speaker 1: uh to temporarily stop a vampire in season five, in 440 00:28:54,560 --> 00:28:59,760 Speaker 1: the episode Oh Bad Blood, because in in some vampire lore, 441 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:03,280 Speaker 1: and for these vampires in question, if you, um, if 442 00:29:03,280 --> 00:29:08,160 Speaker 1: you spill uh seeds or coins or something on on 443 00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:12,440 Speaker 1: the ground, then they will compulsively stop and pick them 444 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:17,080 Speaker 1: up or count them or whatever the mythology says. And 445 00:29:17,240 --> 00:29:20,360 Speaker 1: so and so the kid from sand Lot is this vampire. 446 00:29:20,640 --> 00:29:22,920 Speaker 1: This might be a spoiler. I'm sorry, and he and 447 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:26,320 Speaker 1: he spills the sunflower seeds everywhere, and and Molder spills 448 00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:28,080 Speaker 1: the sunflower seeds and then the kid has to stop 449 00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:32,800 Speaker 1: and pick him up. I would be so annoyed. Oh yeah, 450 00:29:32,840 --> 00:29:38,080 Speaker 1: this kid is mad. I consider. I agree, I'd be furious. 451 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:42,760 Speaker 1: And I count these sunflowers seeds. I have to say, 452 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:44,320 Speaker 1: that's not as silly as what I thought it was 453 00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:47,600 Speaker 1: going to be, which is something like because sun is 454 00:29:47,640 --> 00:29:53,960 Speaker 1: in the name, never with the X files never never 455 00:29:54,040 --> 00:29:59,960 Speaker 1: never not silly. And then on kind of the other side. 456 00:30:00,160 --> 00:30:02,760 Speaker 1: Hi way Way debuted his seminal piece of art called 457 00:30:02,760 --> 00:30:05,680 Speaker 1: Sunflower Seeds in two thousand nine. For the piece, he 458 00:30:05,800 --> 00:30:10,520 Speaker 1: handcrafted sunflower seeds in porcelain and filled the exhibition hall 459 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:12,640 Speaker 1: with him. A bunch of people worked on it. Actually, 460 00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:21,000 Speaker 1: one hundred million seeds fifty tons been exhibited in nine countries. Yeah, 461 00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:23,760 Speaker 1: there's a whole secumentary about the making of it. Uh, 462 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:30,520 Speaker 1: it was intense. Oh that's so cool. Mm hmmm, hmmm, dude, Okay, 463 00:30:30,560 --> 00:30:34,560 Speaker 1: that's a lot, it is, Oh it is. I think 464 00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:36,880 Speaker 1: some of them have either gotten lost or like, not 465 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:40,480 Speaker 1: all exhibition halls can have the size to display it 466 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:44,239 Speaker 1: at its share beauty. So I think the number might 467 00:30:44,280 --> 00:30:47,440 Speaker 1: have gone down from when he first debuted it, but 468 00:30:47,600 --> 00:30:49,959 Speaker 1: it's still a lot. Yeah, a hundred million is like 469 00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:57,680 Speaker 1: a bunch that m m m ah sunflowers. This has 470 00:30:57,760 --> 00:31:00,400 Speaker 1: made me think this isn't a question, and I get 471 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:03,440 Speaker 1: is often anymore, but like, I think the sunflower might 472 00:31:03,440 --> 00:31:07,480 Speaker 1: be one of my favorite flowers. Yes, I love them, 473 00:31:07,600 --> 00:31:11,840 Speaker 1: I love him. I'm getting like always ful dis imaginy. 474 00:31:14,520 --> 00:31:16,280 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I've never I've never been out to a 475 00:31:16,400 --> 00:31:18,760 Speaker 1: to a farm with with that many of them. But 476 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:22,600 Speaker 1: it sounds really really really beautiful. Um, I guess, I 477 00:31:22,600 --> 00:31:24,240 Speaker 1: I guess I never think about them as like a 478 00:31:24,320 --> 00:31:28,480 Speaker 1: flower when I'm thinking about flowers. But yeah, they're they're pretty, 479 00:31:28,800 --> 00:31:32,720 Speaker 1: They're pretty Okay, they're pretty nice. Yeah. Yeah, they've got 480 00:31:32,720 --> 00:31:36,680 Speaker 1: some fun math going on. It's lots of cool. Sense 481 00:31:37,120 --> 00:31:39,800 Speaker 1: are we really got to go all over the place 482 00:31:39,840 --> 00:31:43,840 Speaker 1: with this one? We did vampires who knew vampires? I know. 483 00:31:44,280 --> 00:31:46,240 Speaker 1: The only thing is I've just realized every now and then, 484 00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:49,840 Speaker 1: when I'm doing like all my pun title ideas to 485 00:31:49,920 --> 00:31:53,600 Speaker 1: send to Lauren, I'm like, she will not get this one, 486 00:31:53,640 --> 00:31:55,360 Speaker 1: but I have to put it in any way. I'm 487 00:31:55,360 --> 00:32:00,040 Speaker 1: not gonna get my post full Alan, that's all I 488 00:32:00,120 --> 00:32:04,360 Speaker 1: look look up, I look up the song. It's okay, 489 00:32:05,480 --> 00:32:07,920 Speaker 1: You've got to understand my puns along and it's part 490 00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:19,840 Speaker 1: of my artistic process. Well, I know, like half of 491 00:32:19,880 --> 00:32:22,840 Speaker 1: them probably only makes sense to me and one other person, 492 00:32:22,960 --> 00:32:26,640 Speaker 1: So it's okay, it's okay. I feel like I don't know, 493 00:32:26,680 --> 00:32:29,360 Speaker 1: I mean, maybe maybe if maybe, if I'm not getting 494 00:32:29,400 --> 00:32:31,800 Speaker 1: your original intention. Maybe they're vibing for me on a 495 00:32:31,880 --> 00:32:34,280 Speaker 1: different level. I feel like I'm not. I feel like 496 00:32:34,320 --> 00:32:38,200 Speaker 1: I'm not blatantly confused by your puns most of the time. 497 00:32:39,280 --> 00:32:42,040 Speaker 1: Yeah that's fair, because some of them, I'm like, this 498 00:32:42,120 --> 00:32:46,400 Speaker 1: is such a deep cut and probably only me, but 499 00:32:46,440 --> 00:32:47,880 Speaker 1: I have to make it anyway. I have to get 500 00:32:47,880 --> 00:32:53,880 Speaker 1: out of my system. I understand. I see you and 501 00:32:53,920 --> 00:32:57,440 Speaker 1: I and I suspect that anyone who is listening to 502 00:32:57,440 --> 00:33:03,600 Speaker 1: this show probably probably sees you as well. Oh, thank you, 503 00:33:05,080 --> 00:33:09,360 Speaker 1: Sunflowers for all. That's about what we have to say 504 00:33:09,360 --> 00:33:13,920 Speaker 1: about Sunflowers for now, though. Yes, um, but speaking of 505 00:33:14,040 --> 00:33:16,200 Speaker 1: y'all listeners, we do have some listener mail for you, 506 00:33:16,320 --> 00:33:17,959 Speaker 1: and we are going to get into that as soon 507 00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:19,640 Speaker 1: as we get back from one more quick break for 508 00:33:19,640 --> 00:33:31,640 Speaker 1: a word from our sponsors. We're back Thank you, sponsor, Yes, 509 00:33:31,720 --> 00:33:46,760 Speaker 1: thank you. We're back with listen. Yes, all right. Kathleen 510 00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:49,800 Speaker 1: wrote today, I finally went to the fancy grocery store 511 00:33:49,880 --> 00:33:53,920 Speaker 1: in the rich neighborhood. I saw kumquats and was like, yes, 512 00:33:54,440 --> 00:33:56,640 Speaker 1: Laurence says these are the best, and it's been forever 513 00:33:56,680 --> 00:33:59,080 Speaker 1: since I had one. Don't even remember the taste. Gotta 514 00:33:59,120 --> 00:34:01,800 Speaker 1: get him. No price tag to be seen, but that's 515 00:34:01,800 --> 00:34:05,680 Speaker 1: all fine. I'll only get a few. I get to 516 00:34:05,720 --> 00:34:09,440 Speaker 1: the cash register. Two grams a half pound was almost 517 00:34:09,440 --> 00:34:13,840 Speaker 1: ten dollars. Yeah, I finally see the price on the screen. 518 00:34:14,120 --> 00:34:18,799 Speaker 1: It's thirty three dollars and nineties cents per kilogram. So 519 00:34:18,920 --> 00:34:21,319 Speaker 1: I'm half afraid to try them now for fear I life. 520 00:34:23,719 --> 00:34:26,560 Speaker 1: Please eat lots of kumquats and other tropical things. For 521 00:34:26,600 --> 00:34:30,000 Speaker 1: those of us in more northern remote areas, take care 522 00:34:30,040 --> 00:34:33,800 Speaker 1: of yourselves. Cheers. Ps. I recommend your podcast of Friends 523 00:34:33,840 --> 00:34:37,160 Speaker 1: all the time, most recently under the description of it's 524 00:34:37,200 --> 00:34:43,880 Speaker 1: the listening equivalent of the feeling of a hug. Please wite, 525 00:34:47,480 --> 00:34:52,000 Speaker 1: Are you warm, and don't worry. I don't think we 526 00:34:52,000 --> 00:34:55,840 Speaker 1: could change if we wanted to. Nope, nope, nope, nope. 527 00:34:56,920 --> 00:35:02,000 Speaker 1: What you get yep? Yep. I still have not seen kumquats, 528 00:35:02,000 --> 00:35:06,720 Speaker 1: but that is quite steepid price. Uh yeah, that's high. Yeah, 529 00:35:06,960 --> 00:35:09,080 Speaker 1: I'm I'm looking out, but I've I've also been in 530 00:35:09,080 --> 00:35:11,960 Speaker 1: this position where you're like, surely it can't be that bad, 531 00:35:12,040 --> 00:35:18,120 Speaker 1: and you go to check out, like, oh yeah, they 532 00:35:18,160 --> 00:35:21,480 Speaker 1: I mean they are pricey here as well, But goodness, 533 00:35:21,520 --> 00:35:23,440 Speaker 1: I'm not sure if they're that pricey. Yeah, that's a 534 00:35:23,719 --> 00:35:26,360 Speaker 1: there there. There are a number of things that I'm like, well, 535 00:35:26,600 --> 00:35:29,800 Speaker 1: this piece of fruit is going to be my treat 536 00:35:29,840 --> 00:35:38,240 Speaker 1: for the week. It's usually worth it. Yeah. Um. Vicky wrote, 537 00:35:38,680 --> 00:35:41,359 Speaker 1: I love your show and its predecessor and have been 538 00:35:41,400 --> 00:35:45,880 Speaker 1: meaning to write for ages that in botany only genera 539 00:35:46,200 --> 00:35:50,040 Speaker 1: is used as the plural of genus, never genuses, so 540 00:35:50,160 --> 00:35:52,360 Speaker 1: much so that it sounds really wrong to those of 541 00:35:52,440 --> 00:35:55,239 Speaker 1: us in the plant realm Um. I do speak from 542 00:35:55,239 --> 00:35:57,799 Speaker 1: a British and Australian perspective, so maybe in the US 543 00:35:57,880 --> 00:36:01,759 Speaker 1: botanical field genuses is why used. In typing this though 544 00:36:01,760 --> 00:36:04,759 Speaker 1: it has come up as a spelling error. Anyway, I 545 00:36:04,840 --> 00:36:10,600 Speaker 1: look forward to your always entertaining dives into foods. Huh. 546 00:36:10,880 --> 00:36:15,359 Speaker 1: I've never heard heard of that word generally. Um, yeah, 547 00:36:15,400 --> 00:36:17,720 Speaker 1: I've I've only ever Okay, so I've only ever seen 548 00:36:18,000 --> 00:36:23,640 Speaker 1: the plural of genus written as genera in um in 549 00:36:23,840 --> 00:36:28,920 Speaker 1: botanical uh. Contexts Um. I use the word genuses because 550 00:36:29,480 --> 00:36:32,160 Speaker 1: I always forget, and I in fact looked it up 551 00:36:32,160 --> 00:36:35,000 Speaker 1: before I started reading this listener meal to double check. 552 00:36:35,160 --> 00:36:37,880 Speaker 1: I always forget how to say genera. Um, I'm like 553 00:36:38,000 --> 00:36:42,120 Speaker 1: is it gener a? Is it? What are we doing? Um? 554 00:36:42,160 --> 00:36:46,520 Speaker 1: But but when I looked it up according it will 555 00:36:46,560 --> 00:36:50,640 Speaker 1: well a, um, it is not squiggly read underlined as 556 00:36:50,680 --> 00:36:56,640 Speaker 1: being an incorrect spelling genuses UM in an our American 557 00:36:57,120 --> 00:37:00,600 Speaker 1: Google doc over here UM and B. When I looked 558 00:37:00,640 --> 00:37:03,759 Speaker 1: it up a Merriam Webster, it says that you can 559 00:37:03,960 --> 00:37:08,799 Speaker 1: pluralize it as genuss. Mm hmmm. It's like saying it 560 00:37:08,840 --> 00:37:10,840 Speaker 1: in that way that Mary Webster says things when it's like, 561 00:37:10,840 --> 00:37:15,239 Speaker 1: well people do this, but yeah, it's kind of like 562 00:37:15,239 --> 00:37:17,759 Speaker 1: when the French deliverate on whether or not they'll moord 563 00:37:17,800 --> 00:37:25,439 Speaker 1: like email. Well, I guess people are doing it so 564 00:37:25,560 --> 00:37:29,799 Speaker 1: we can't stop them. Yeah, I guess that you say 565 00:37:29,840 --> 00:37:34,720 Speaker 1: that I have seen kind of those old timey botanical illustrations, 566 00:37:34,760 --> 00:37:37,560 Speaker 1: and I think I have seen genera in that sense. 567 00:37:37,920 --> 00:37:44,040 Speaker 1: But either way interesting note yeah, oh yeah, and I 568 00:37:44,040 --> 00:37:47,880 Speaker 1: mean and and um. Also a good reminder that that 569 00:37:47,960 --> 00:37:51,799 Speaker 1: we're just we're just podcasters. Um, We're not. We We 570 00:37:51,840 --> 00:37:57,520 Speaker 1: do not have science or history um backgrounds. Um. We 571 00:37:57,600 --> 00:38:02,040 Speaker 1: are just curious humans who are out here out here 572 00:38:02,080 --> 00:38:12,480 Speaker 1: reporting what we what we read. We are very curious. Indeed, yes, yes, yes, 573 00:38:12,840 --> 00:38:15,799 Speaker 1: well thanks to both of those listeners to writing. If 574 00:38:15,840 --> 00:38:17,359 Speaker 1: you would like to write to us that you can 575 00:38:17,960 --> 00:38:20,839 Speaker 1: our emails Hello at savor pod dot com. We are 576 00:38:20,880 --> 00:38:23,240 Speaker 1: also on social media. You can find us on Twitter, 577 00:38:23,360 --> 00:38:26,560 Speaker 1: Facebook and Instagram at savor pod and we do hope 578 00:38:26,600 --> 00:38:29,280 Speaker 1: to hear from you. Savor is Productions by Heart Radio. 579 00:38:29,440 --> 00:38:31,640 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, you can visit 580 00:38:31,680 --> 00:38:34,480 Speaker 1: the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 581 00:38:34,520 --> 00:38:37,080 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows. Thanks as always to our 582 00:38:37,120 --> 00:38:40,440 Speaker 1: superproducers Dylan Fagin and Andrew Howard. Thanks to you for listening, 583 00:38:40,440 --> 00:38:42,160 Speaker 1: and we hope that lots more good things are coming 584 00:38:42,200 --> 00:38:42,560 Speaker 1: your way