{"title":"Andean Collection","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"huacatay-1","title":"Huacatay","description":"\u003cp\u003eHuacatay is a Marigold that stands taller than me or you with very very small pale yellow flowers. The leaves are called \"Black Mint.\" Peruvians use this herb to make a green sauce called Black Mint Paste, which is an essential ingredient in the potato, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/trueloveseeds.sbs\/products\/aji-amarillo-peruvian-pepper\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eají amarillo\u003c\/a\u003e, peanut, cheese, and egg dish called \u003cem\u003eocopa\u003c\/em\u003e. Many Peruvians, Ecuadorians, Chileans, and Bolivians in North America often look for this fresh herb - for a limited time, you can buy the seed from Truelove Seeds and grow your own! Also called Quinchihue, Chinchilla, and C\u003cspan\u003ehincho\u003c\/span\u003e. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 110\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 200\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate: \u003c\/strong\u003e97% on 06\/17\/2026\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDirect sow after last frost when soil is warm. Sow every 2-4\", 1\/8-1\/4\" deep, and thin to 12-24\" per plant. In one part of our garden this year, we grew 12 plants that filled in a 30-foot row like a solid hedge. Water regularly until germination. Our past experience shows that germination can be spotty in the soil. We oversow and then move thinnings to other parts of the garden. This plant is resistant to deer, groundhogs, and insect pests, so can be grown as a perimeter plant outside of your fences. It will grow much taller with irrigation, but does great without irrigation as well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWait until the flowers start to dry out and until you can hear the seeds shaking in their seedheads. At this point, cut branches and whack in a bucket allowing the seeds to fall. Sift through strainers and use wind, breath, or fans to clean off smaller chaff.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":3455653314600,"sku":"HERB-012","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/huacatayleaves_3b7c48d7-47fc-4de9-8bd5-33dc75b7b481.JPG?v=1571609433"},{"product_id":"cape-gooseberry","title":"Uvilla (Aguaymanto)","description":"\u003cp\u003eUvillas taste incredible: tart, sweet, so bright and tropical like citrus. Unlike Ground Cherries, their fruit does not fall on the ground when ripe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOriginally from Brazil, they long ago naturalized in high-altitude, tropical Peru and Chile. Back home in the Andes, it is known by many names, including \"Aguaymanto,\" \"Uvilla,\" and \"Uchuva.\" In English-speaking places it is often called \"Cape Gooseberry\" (named for the Cape of Good Hope) or “Goldenberry.” In France, it is sometimes marketed as \"Amour en Cage\" meaning \"love in a cage.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt Truelove, while we love Ground Cherries we prefer eating Uvillas. However, while their plants are much more sprawling, they are a bit slower to ripen and less productive. A delicious late summer treat!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlso known as: Cape Gooseberry, Coztomate, Coztomatl, Pogapoga, Topotopo, Peruvian Ground Cherry, Wild Tomato, Goldenberry, Uchuva, Aguaymanto.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 90-120\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 40\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cspan\u003e91% on 06\/22\/2026\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSow indoors 1\/4\" deep around 6 weeks before the last frost date. Germination can take as long as 20 days, but can be sooner if set on a heat mat with a temperature between 75 and 80 degrees F. Transplant in the garden in rows about every 18\"-24\". Plants will form blousy bushes like tomatillos. Keep well weeded until they fill in the space. Harvest when the husks turn brown and the fruits are yellow\/gold. For winter use, store the fruits unhusked in a dry, airy place (like a basket). To eat, remove the husk and eat the yellow fruit raw or bake in pies or stew with sugar for jam.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeeds are ready for harvest when fruit is ripe. You can remove seeds by hand, rinse, and dry. We use a blender on the lowest setting with plenty of water. When the fruits have been broken open, pour the mixture into a large container and add water. Allow the fruits to float and the seeds to sink. Pour off everything except the seed (you may have to add more water and repeat this process a few times) and then strain and rinse the seeds, and dry.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":3562172874792,"sku":"PHYS-002","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/capegooseberryarrangedfruitSQUARE.jpg?v=1568680323"},{"product_id":"aji-amarillo-peruvian-pepper","title":"Ají Amarillo (Peruvian Chile)","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis pepper is native to the Andes (Bolivia or Peru) and has been called the most important ingredient in Peruvian cuisine as it is the cornerstone to many essential traditional dishes. While Peru has the largest diversity of peppers in the world, this species (\u003cem\u003eCapsicum baccatum\u003c\/em\u003e), and this variety in particular, is the most popular. It is hot, sweet, and fruity. When dried, it is called Ají Mirasol or Cusqueno. On the plants, the young fruits start out green, turn yellow, and ripen this fiery orange. When cooked, the fruit turns yellow, hence the name. Consider pairing with our Huacatay (Peruvian Marigold leaves) for a delicious flavor combination in sauces, ceviche, and dishes like \u003cem\u003ePapas al Huancaína\u003c\/em\u003e!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 90-100\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 25\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate: \u003c\/strong\u003e93% on 01\/20\/2026\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStart seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost and transplant into garden well after the danger of frost. Keep seedlings moist but do not overwater. Transplants should be initially watered in well, and plants will be most productive with regular irrigation and full sun. These abundant, lanky plants may have to be staked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeppers are generally self-pollinating, though we isolate different varieties of the same species by at least 50 feet, in hopes that flying insects will not cross pollinate them unexpectedly. There are several important species of peppers, so check your scientific names! Pepper seeds are ripe when the fruits have turned their final fiery color - in this case, fiery-orange. Cut the fruit, scrape out seeds, and lay them out to dry on a labeled screen or paper product in a ventilated place away from direct sunlight for a week or two. Consider wearing gloves for your protection! Drying the peppers before seed extraction can slightly lower your germination rates, but works fine for home seed saving as long as the peppers do not rot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOther names: Aji Amarillo, Aji Mirasol, Peruvian Yellow Pepper, Aji Escabeche, Cusqueno, Cusqueño, Huancaína.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":21343226626128,"sku":"CAP-012","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/aji_amarillo_arrangement_square.JPG?v=1571609438"},{"product_id":"quillquina-bolivian-coriander","title":"Quillquiña (Bolivian Coriander)","description":"\u003cp\u003eQuillquiña is a lesser known variety of Papalo that is more widely grown in the Andes - particularly in Bolivia and Peru. Unlike the larger and greener Mexican Papalo, they have thinner, purpler leaves, and they flower much earlier. It is interesting how the two herbs I've met from this region - Huacatay and Quillquiña - are both intensely fragrant, providing strength and character to the garden and the salsa. Satchels of our Quillquiña seeds were given to me (and Katherine Chiu!) by a nice guy named Joe Hiscott at a seed swap this winter in upstate NY after he heard us talk about our community seed stewardship (see last photo). We grew it by the Andean Lupine (Chochos) and Ecuadorian Peanuts lovingly tended by our coworker Maebh Aguilar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlso known as Bolivian coriander, this cilantro-like herb from South America traveled to Mexico thousands of years before the unrelated cilantro\/coriander came from the Middle East and the Mediterranean. People have also said it tastes like arugula, rue, and citrus. The flavor bursts in your mouth, and even brushing past the plant can fill the air with essential oils. See the neatly arranged holes on the underside of the leaf in the last plant photo? Those aromatic oil glands keep away chewing insects, and give the leaf a powerful punch for us humans.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKnown as: Bolivian coriander, quillquiña (also spelled quirquiña or quilquiña), yerba porosa, killi, pápalo, tepegua, mampuritu, and pápaloquelite.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 70-80\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 40\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 93% on 02\/02\/2026\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStart seeds indoors, barely covered with soil, and heated from the bottom, if possible. Transplant when seedlings are at least 3-4\" tall at 12-18\" apart. Plants grow up to 5'-tall. Alternatively, direct seed about 1\/4\" deep 1-3\" apart, and thin to 12-18\" apart. Harvest individual leaves or sprigs when plant is at least 6-12\" tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAllow flowers to completely dry out until they fluff like dandelions. Check the seed maturity under the fluff. When\u003cspan\u003e the\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e needles of the seeds are darker in color (more black than light grey), in the fully opened puff, they are at their most mature \u003c\/span\u003eWhen the seed pod has opened fully (even further than as seen in our second to final photo) and it is very easy to pull out the seeds, they are ready for harvest. Harvest the seeds and allow them to dry further in a well-ventilated place away from direct sunlight.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":32850007294087,"sku":"HERB-051","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/64883374_10220068341401816_6635921701513199616_o.jpg?v=1582735393"},{"product_id":"aji-limo-pepper","title":"Ají Limón Pepper","description":"\u003cp\u003eOften sold in the United States as Lemon Drop Pepper, this pepper originates in Peru where it is also known as \u003ci\u003eqillu uchu\u003c\/i\u003e and is similar to Ají Mochero, which is grown widely in La Libertad—almost exclusively in the district of Moche, the area it is named for. Pretty hot with a citrusy aroma, it is used traditionally in ceviche and crab dishes. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 100\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 25\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 79% on 07\/14\/2026\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStart seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost and transplant into the garden well after the danger of frost. Keep seedlings moist but do not overwater. Transplants should be initially watered in well, and plants will be most productive with regular irrigation and full sun. These abundant, lanky plants may have to be staked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeppers are generally self-pollinating, though we isolate different varieties of the same species by at least 50 feet, in hopes that flying insects will not cross pollinate them unexpectedly. There are several important species of peppers, so check your scientific names! Pepper seeds are ripe when the fruits have turned their final fiery color - in this case, fiery-orange. Cut the fruit, scrape out seeds, and lay them out to dry on a labeled screen or paper product in a ventilated place away from direct sunlight for a week or two. Consider wearing gloves for your protection! Drying the peppers before seed extraction can slightly lower your germination rates, but works fine for home seed saving as long as the peppers do not rot.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":37662487347358,"sku":"CAP-020","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/AjiLimo2sm.jpg?v=1613518368"},{"product_id":"transkutuku-peanuts","title":"Transkutukú Peanuts","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Transkutukú Peanut is mesmerizingly beautiful, with remarkable striped coloring ranging from pale pink to deep fuschia. Its pods are curved, and more crescent shaped than other varieties of peanut I've seen. Its shells are deeply ridged, with pronounced alligator-skin-patterning, and are tougher to crack. It grows as a small bush, with lots of sprawling runners, which in our experience were the most heavily laden with peanuts. This peanut comes from the Shuar and Achuar communities of the Morona Santiago jungle, Ecuador. \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/issuu.com\/senadiecuador\/docs\/gaceta_646\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eShuar people are recognized as the ancestral keepers of these seeds\u003c\/a\u003e. They are indigenous to Ecuador and Peru in the Condor Range and the Transkutukú Amazon region in the lowlands of the Zamora and Upano river basins.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese peanuts are considered important to this region both because of their unique beauty, their sweet and salty flavor when roasted, and because of the ancestral cultivation techniques practiced for hundreds of years by the Shuar of this jungle area.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the Shuar and Achuar languages, peanuts are called Nuse. In Spanish, this variety is called Maní De Transkutukú. In English, these seeds are sometimes called Fastigiata Pin Stripe Peanut and Jungle Peanut.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor more information about the traditional growing of this particular peanut, please see this video at 8:34: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/2QCK0jNWcMc?t=514\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ehttps:\/\/youtu.be\/2QCK0jNWcMc\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur Truelove Seeds coworker Maebh Aguilar, whose father is from Ecuador, tended to these peanuts with special care in our field, and has this to add to the description:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Peanuts are a staple in Andean cooking, and the Ecuadorian dishes I grew up eating are no different. Whether it's salsa de maní atop our llapingachos (cheese-stuffed potato patties) or as a thickener in our celebratory fanesca (delicious, robust soup served at the end of Semana Santa to celebrate Easter and break the Lenten fast), peanuts are everywhere in Andean cuisine. Even before meals, the standard hors d'oeuvres at my tias' and abuela's houses were dishes of salted, roasted peanuts and olives. Growing up in the states, I saw peanuts mostly in West African and Southeast Asian dishes and restaurants, where they have become indispensable cultural ingredients over time -- it never occurred to me that peanuts could be a pre-colonial food native to South America. Once I learned that peanuts were first domesticated by Indigenous peoples within the Amazonian region, I felt fireworks go off in my head, a key entering and unlocking in my heart and gut memory. Although my family are serranos, from the mountainous Andean highlands, not the Amazonian region of Ecuador -- I have been humbled to grow, tend and learn more about this precious Shuar and Achuar heirloom peanut.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"We've been growing these peanuts out for 3 seasons, and are still working with them to find what they prefer in our mid Atlantic climate. Growers south of our zone 7B may have more luck with abundant, mature harvests, as the peanuts seem to want a bit longer season than our early November harvest allows. Pro tip: in late season, watch out for burrowing rodents. Seriously. We're honored to share the Transkutukú Peanut with you.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe plan to send 25% of the sales of this peanut with food sovereignty or farming projects in the Shuar or Achuar communities. This will be set aside until a meaningful relationship is established.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDays to maturity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 120\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeeds per pack:\u003c\/strong\u003e 10\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 78% on 02\/18\/2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting \/ harvesting notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRemove from shells and sow 1\" deep indoors 3-4 weeks before planting. Transplant one month after last frost - these babies love heat! Space plants by 8-12\". When the tiny yellow flowers are pollinated, they will form \"pegs\" that dig under the soil and create your peanut fruits. Harvest when soil is dry and evening temperatures dip below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Some peanuts may fall off the plants and remain in the soil during harvest. Do a second check with a fork or rake to find any you left behind. Let the plants dry in the sun for a few days before removing peanuts. Allow peanuts to cure for up to a week before storing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeed keeping notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIsolate your different peanut varieties by 50 feet to avoid unwanted cross pollination.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Truelove Seeds Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42412020957422,"sku":"PNUT-002","price":6.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2406\/3467\/products\/TranskutukuPeanuts10-2.jpg?v=1643832029"}],"url":"https:\/\/trueloveseeds.sbs\/collections\/andean-collection.oembed","provider":"Truelove Seeds","version":"1.0","type":"link"}