I have been thinking some about incorporating OSSI genes into Grexes.
I have everything Joseph pledged except the okra.
I also have some of the following:
Dakota bumble bean
Beefy Resilient Grex bean
Lofthouse Landrace Bean
I had some WI-OSC carrots I planted them into a Grex years back now not sure if they survived and or have any viable descendants or not
Dakota Black Popcorn but it is probably getting old
Lofthouse Astronomy corn but I encorporated it into a Grex
Yukon Supreme corn but encorporated into same Grex
Harmony Synthetic Composite- planted into a Grex
Lofthouse Landrace Cucumbers- grew out a few years back. Probably have some more seed and some saved Grex seed.
Lofthouse Sunchoke - I just got this year, no seeds from it or Oikos strains yet
I think my Russian kale is Wild Garden Mix kale both the original and a new packet I got to reintroduce variety.
I grew farthest north galia melon and saved some seed also grew Lofthouse in the same patch.
Also grew Lofthouse oliverson musk melon as a seed crop isolated.
Have added both Aurora and Triple Purple Orach to my Orach patch but it is mostly this reddish Orach from the first packet I ever planted- founder effect!
Lofthouse buttercup I have both added to my maxima Grex and grown as an isolated seed crop.
Uncle Davids Dakota Dessert I added to my maxima/buttercup Grex
Lofthouse Landrace Moschata I added to a Moschata Grex but have some pure seed still
Also have Tetsukabuto descendents from Lofthouse buttercup etc.
Have had Blacktail Mountain watermelon and Egusi papershell. Not sure when or if I have any descended seed still for sure or if it's viable.
Are you sure all Joseph Lofthouse seeds are OSSI ?
Only the 11 or so he pledged and any descendents. Moschata, muskmelon, buttercup, beans, two corns, sunchokes, two tomatoes, okra, and cucumber. Those are the ones I'm talking about here.
https://osseeds.org/ossi-varieties/?breeder-last-first=Lofthouse%2C%20Joseph
Also talking about OSSI varieties from other breeders like the Podols Prairie Road in North Dakota.
Well in continuation of my OSSI genes to grexes project I just received a package from adaptive seeds. Cascade Ruby-Gold corn. Aprovecho hardy turnip. British Pop runner bean, and fast lady northern southern pea.
That and eight dwarf tomatoes and two regular tomatoes increases my OSSI collection some.
I guess I have some OSSI varieties:
My cowpeas include Carol's First Lady
My corn has genetics from Carol's Cascade flints and from Joseph's Harmony grain and Astronomy sweet
My beans could have a little from Joseph's but probably not enough I'd be comfortable saying so
My muskmelons definitely have considerable influence from Joseph's
So, three varieties for sure and one maybe.
I played fast and loose with my adding OSSI to grexes project this year. It was hmm, interesting and hard to say if it worked. I may have to buy some more packets and be more deliberate next time on a few things. Tiger teddy is still blooming- might make seed it is a crazy late fall.
British pop- not sure where I planted it but if I remember right it is on the west end and those made zero seed. In fact I only have five seeds saved so far of runner beans. A black seeded one that has produced some in past years from Joseph Lofthouse.
Fast Lady- mixed it in.
Aprovecho hardy- mixed it in
Beefy resilient grex- mixed it in- maybe got a few back
Joseph's beans- mixed them in- got some back- but patch is dominated by Emy Lou's Golden because of founder effect and maybe because the local farmers have done trials well and found a bean that grows well here.
Cascade Ruby Gold- mixed them in- got some back for sure.
Joseph's corns- mixed them in. Definitely having some influence. I find it interesting how well Nuetta is doing though in both my flint and sweet.
Tomatoes- I definitely have crossed in Joseph's HX-9 Big Hill. I have now made a cross with it two years in a row. I attempted some crosses with some of the other OSSI tomatoes but am unsure if I got anything yet. Will know more at seed starting time.
Definitely going to keep getting OSSI varieties and adding them to grexes though, but I don't know if I will try as hard as I did last winter. I was sort of hungry for more seed diversity last winter- maybe got bored or something. I feel like I should cut back my garden size for next year.