DCHP-3

spit

DCHP-2 (Apr 2013)
n. — somewhat rare, Alberta, Saskatchewan

a sunflower seed (see Image 1).

Type: 3. Semantic Change — Spit may have originally been a proprietary name; "Spitz" is the brand name for salted unhulled sunflower seeds produced as a snack food by a company originally from Alberta. The earliest trademark for Spitz sunflower seeds was filed in 1987 (see Canadian Trade-marks Database reference). It remains unclear whether the brand took the name from a preexisting form, though this seems certainly possible if not likely. It is indeed probable that spit originated as a reference to the action of spitting out the hull of the sunflower seed while consuming the seed itself, so the term may be older than the trade name.
See also COD-2, s.v. "spit" n.(4), which is marked "Cdn (West)."
Because of excessive noise, frequency chart are not possible at this point (SD 4 Aug. 2016).

Quotations

1994
In fact, spits are so high in fat that half a cup of them has about eight teaspoons. That's over a third of the daily requirement. Now you know why sunflower seeds are so popular with small birds trying to survive frigid Alberta winters. Spits are also good sources of vitamin B and zinc, which helps metabolize energy and form tissue.
2004
The Canadian Oxford Dictionary, which has just come out in a second, updated edition, not only reflects Canadians' particular use of the English language but regional differences as well. Offer an Ontarian some spits and he may think you're bloody rude, unless you explain it's a common term for sunflower seeds.
2010
For years, we have driven past fields of annual sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) destined for oil or "spits", and marveled at their height and ability to "follow the sun." We occasionally planted them in rural gardens as windbreaks, to provide living bird feed, or simply as a burst of colour. Things changed in the 1990s. Suddenly, sunflowers were "in." New hybrids with vibrant colours and a shorter stature, often pollen-less (no mess) took the gardening world by storm. And it hasn't stopped yet. There are a plethora of cultivars!
2016
2. SUNFLOWER or pumpkin seeds (SPITS), chewing gum and chewing tobacco are not allowed on the Turf or the players' bench areas. Cleanup costs will be charged back to the offending organization. MINIMUM $100.00.

References

Images

Image 1: A dehulled and hulled <i>spit</i> or sunflower seed (Source: Wikimedia Commons. Photo: Kaldari)

Image 1: A dehulled and hulled spit or sunflower seed (Source: Wikimedia Commons. Photo: Kaldari)