Topic: the world in veg

[aquilegia]

another idea for a school project I'm working on...

I'm trying to do a map of from where veg originates. Probably by continent, so as not to complicate matters being as the children are only 4-7 years old! I'm a bit stuck for some continents, especially considering we want to grow the crops in the UK!

So:

south america: potatoes, tomatoes, corn? (or is that north america?)
north america - I'm stuck!
africa - ditto
middle east - carrots (afghanistan)
europe - Calabrase broccoli, might need something else too
asia - chinese greens
australasia - ????

I'm starting to think I could learn a lot from this too as my knowledge of geography and horticulture are pretty ropey here too it seems!

help!

[Palustris]

Spinach of a kind from New Zealand.
Maize(Corn) is South American.
I have a feeling that there are no Vegetables which originate in North America. Even Squash is from Central/Southern America.
Quamash was eaten in N.A., but is not one which has made it into general Veg growing.

[Palustris]

This makes interesting reading
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_food_origins

[alkanet]

french beans, runner bean, lima beans S America

modern strawberry cross between S American and N American plants

europe, Mediterranean, Near East, lost in the mists of time - broad bean, lentil, pea, chickpea, cucumber

the only native British veg I can think of - parsnip, sea kale (? any more)

[aquilegia]

Thanks that's very useful!

Not sure we can grow yams or watermelons though! Africa might be a bit tricky!

[Jayb]

Another one from South America - Cape Gooseberies  the dwarf types might be better and are ready for harvest sooner, I think called  Golden berry or pineapple berry. Something they can taste at school. 
French beans for shelling, an assortment of some pretty ones might be nice, as long as the don't try and eat them!

I've some Highland/Ethiopian Kale, not the most fancy looking of veg for children, but widely used edible leaves and sprouts, seeds I think are also used for oil.

[Jayb]

Chick peas? http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=75997.0

[alkanet]

it's interesting how chilis (S America) spread around the world after Europeans went to South America, so they're now the dominant spice in lots of Asian cuisine, thanks to the Portuguese.

[aquilegia]

This is turning out to be very interesting! How I'm going to turn into a lesson for 4-7-year-olds, I do not know! I'll have to talk to the teachers about that!

It's interesting that an awful lot comes from the middle east (where I know agriculture started) and south america (as alkanet says due to world exploration and trade routes). There's a bit of history that can be thrown into this lesson as well as geography and horticulture!

[antipodes]

The ancient Romans were already eating leeks, onions and lettuce...

Yep New Zealand spinach (tetragone) is native to New Zealand. trying to think of plants native to Australia - the macadamia nut?  Which we call a Queensland Nut. Also the Bunya nut which was eaten by the Aboriginal populations http://tasteaustralia.biz/bushfood/native-fruit/bunya-nuts/
Most of the native Australian foods are not readily edible in their raw form which is I guess why they never caught on. There are a variety of small native fruits and gum nuts but not much to write home about!

[Digeroo]

I am finding this very interesting.  I am not sure that 4-7 years olds have much of a concept of the wide world.

[galina]

All white flowering squashes (Sicilian snakes, gourds etc) are old World and I am pretty sure they are African.  but how practical they are for a school garden is another matter.

Lablab beans are African.  They are a bit marginal although in recent years seeds have become available.

Millet can be grown in the UK.  We only know it as birdseed, but it is one of the staple crops for Africans.

Just remember seeing a tv programme that showed from midden ash analysis that stoneage people in Britain ate hazelnuts.  Not strictly veg, but there may be a bush already on school grounds.

Radish and turnip for Northern Europe/Britain perhaps?

[Big Gee]

The one that intrigued me when I found out about it years ago was rhubarb.

It originates in Siberia & grows wild on the banks of the Volga! So there's no need to worry about how cold it gets in this country! In fact it grows far better here the season after a hard frost in winter.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Apples and garlic from Central Asia.