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Free Info on
Growing & Culinary uses of Mirlitons (Sechium edule)
Mirlitons.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to
promoting the conservation and innovative uses of Louisiana
heirloom mirlitons. “Mirliton” is the Louisiana name for the
iconic perennial climbing squash (botanical name: Sechium
edule) better known as “chayote” in the Western
Hemisphere. Mirlitons.org was founded by Dr. Lance Hill in New
Orleans, Louisiana USA and is a volunteer organization.
Mirlitons.org identifies,distributes, and preserves traditional
heirloom mirlitons that have been naturally grown for decades
in Louisiana. The organization also collects and disseminates
information on cultivating mirlitons and international
culinary uses.
Once a backyard staple in
South Louisiana, heirloom mirlitons were nearly destroyed by
Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Gustav. Mirlitons.org seeks to
restore this culturally significant and sustainable backyard
food source.
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Dr. Lance Hill, Executive
Director of Tulane University’s Southern Institute for
Education and Research, offers a
free comprehensive guide
to growing mirlitons.
In 2008, Hill initiated the
Adopt-A-Mirliton project in partnership with the
Crescent City Farmers Market as a vehicle to
distribute hundreds of free heirloom mirliton plants
to growers throughout Louisiana, Mississippi, and
Texas. Plant recipients are asked to donate half their
crop to re-establish the Louisiana heirloom mirliton.
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The Adopt-A-Mirliton
project has been transplanted into the broader Mirlitons.org
which has taken over the work of distributing heirloom
mirlitons to growers and will expand the mission of promoting
heirloom mirliton conservation and the development of the
horticultural science of mirliton growing.
In addition to mirliton
cultivation methods, this website includes:
To post a question on the
blog or to sign up for the Mirlitons.Org newsletter, contact
Lance Hill at
Lance@mirlitons.org.
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