Maca

This page is an open source resource guide for maca. It is for growing and maintaining the most bio-diverse, delicious, and broadly applicable maca selection possible. It contains cultural considerations, planting guidelines, descriptions, and the best places we’ve found for purchasing the species we’ve listed. As part of the One Community Highest Good food component of global transformation, this page will continue to evolve indefinitely to contain maintenance and care tips, accessioning and plant breeding and sharing information as part of the One Community open source botanical garden model, and even recipe’s, preparations, and preservation methods used on the property.

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Click these links to be taken directly to the relevant sections on this page:

• Maca Overview
• Cultural Considerations
• Planting Guidelines
• Specific Varieties
• Plant Material/Seed Providers
• Other Maca Resources
• Maca as Part of the Botanical Garden Model
• Maca Preparation, Preservation, and Recipes
• Links to Other Edible Plant Pages

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MACA

(Click here for maca purchase details)

Maca (Lepidium meyenii)

Maca is a traditional root crop from high elevations in the Andes mountains and adapted to cold dry climates. It requires a 7-9 month growing season, so autumn/winter protection is essential. Maca varies greatly in root size and shape. Native Peruvians traditionally have utilized maca since pre-Incan times for both nutritional and medicinal purposes. It is an important staple in the diets of these people, as it has the highest nutritional value of any food crop grown there.

CULTURAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Maca has been cultivated up to 14,000 ft. elevation
• Maca may not be adaptable to high summer temperatures
• Maca grows in poor soil and withstands dry cold conditions
• Little work has been done on growing maca outside the Andes
• Some studies suggest planting in and overwintering with protection

PLANTING GUIDELINES

Given the scarcity of data on the plants cultivation, we will start the seed indoors in a cool (but frost free) greenhouse in early spring. We will set some plants out in garden beds, and plant some in the hoop house structures for comparison.

VIDEO COMING: Planting tutorial followed by timelapse growth videos

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Wikipedia – Maca

GMa#1 :: Yellow Maca Yellow Maca description coming soon

We will also be growing the following additional maca:

Maca (Lepidium meyenii) :: GMa#2 -GMa#3

2. Red 3. La Paz

Maca Plant Material/Seed Providers:

• • • Sacred Succulents http://sacredsucculents.com

Maca Purchase Details

OTHER MACA RESOURCES

We are seeking awesome maca resources. If you know of one, please click here to share it with us so we can make this page better.

• Article: Maca Powder: “The Ultimate Health Guide”
• Use this page (click here) if you have a resource you’d like to suggest be added here

MACA AS PART OF THE BOTANICAL GARDEN MODEL

This section will evolve to include accessioning and plant breeding and sharing information as part of the One Community open source botanical garden model.

MACA PREPARATION, PRESERVATION, AND RECIPES

This section will evolve to include testimonials, recipe’s, preparations, and preservation methods used on the property first, and then later with additional information from other Highest Good collaborators and teacher/demonstration hubs.

• Click here to go to SuperFoodLiving.com for a maca energy bar recipe

Courtesy of Wikipedia & PTNSA

Most Maca is dried and used in the powder form which can be stored for several years. This type of maca is grown mainly for its nutritional value. Freshly harvested, it can be roasted in a pit and is considered a delicacy in Peru. The root can be boiled and mashed to make a sweet liquid that can be mixed with milk for something like a porridge.  Also, the cooked roots can be mixed with other vegetables to make soups, jams, or empanadas. The root can also be ground up to make flour to create pancakes, bread, or even cakes. If maca is fermented it will make a weak beer. The first company to produce maca beer is called the Andean Brewing Company. Maca smoothies are created with pureed maca, water, milk, cinnamon, and honey. The leaves which are edible can be used as animal fodder but also work well served raw in salads or cooked.

LINKS TO OTHER EDIBLE PLANT PAGES