Just a quick post, some of you may have seen this list, it is a list of seeds that are owned by Monsanto/Seminis, don't purchase or grow these!
The list is most likely not complete so we are always responsible for doing our own research. I know that most of us only give business to reputable Seed Companies, but beginning gardeners are always in need of this info - find a Safe Seed Pledge seed company and go with their varieties if you are unsure. I personally will not do business with any company that sells both varieties as you cannot tell where their loyalties are. (or maybe you can... $$$ !)
Forewarned is Forearmed: Veggies Owned by Monsanto
*Of note here is the Marketmore 76 Cucumber - Monsanto does NOT have complete control of this one, this is a very old variety, so as long as yours were sourced from a Safe Seed Pledge/non-GMO etc trusted company, you are ok!
The list also appears to be lengthening as we speak, "Cheddar" Broccoli has also made this list.
Happy Seed Planting :)
** I linked this through Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co. news/updates section...
ReplyDeleteThanks for this, Erin! I, too, blogged about this as it's critical to get this information out to gardener, farmers and eaters! Join the grassroots revolution and say 'no' to Monsanto! Boy do I love a good rabble-rouse!
Delete(Just FYI -- I'm having trouble posting comments again, which is why I'm tagged onto yours. It's also why I've been so quiet lately!)
Ack!!! NOT my beloved Packman Broccoli???????
ReplyDeleteOh dear.
And RATS!
Great link, Erin-I'll be using that myself....
Sue,
DeleteSee now I know why you were so successful at broccoli LOL!!!!!
If when you go to Hard Work Homestead,see if you can find the health sleuth[ who follows Jane ]-he has a lot about Monsanto-he's got good info,just scares the hell out of me tho-I share a lot of his stuff to my face book pages. we won't even have a basket in this country left to go to hell in!
ReplyDeleteJudy, there is so much info out there and so many knowledgeable bloggers it's a wonder the public is still in the dark, or just don't care...
DeleteGreat post and link, Erin. It's so important to get this out. For another excellent source of this kind of info, check out http://www.organicconsumers.org
ReplyDeleteIt concerns me that I am not able to easily find the seeds that our grandparents used to grow. In my particular case, my grandmother's favorite broccoli was nowhere to be found this year--not even in Canadian seed catalogues. I called one of the last seed companies that carried it on a regular basis. They said that they were concerned and couldn't find much of it either! That's scary, and frankly it sounds like the global seedhouses are rationing/controlling the reliable OP varieties. That's to force us to rely on their hybrids.
I do remember the day when EVERY catalogue carried Grandma's popular open pollinated broccoli. (I guess that dates me as old!) So, this year, I am going to try to grow-out the broccoli seed myself. It will be lots of work considering the number of plants needed for genetic viability plus isolation, pasteurization and longterm storage techniques.
It is shameful that, in these times, if you want to plant a garden the way that your grandparents did, it's becoming a radical, subversive act.-"M"
M,
Deleteyou are right! Our ancestors would be mystified at what an ordeal gardening has become. We have so much more to worry about now other than amount of space and weather!
Thanks for helping get the word on this out, Erin. Yes, the "controllers" are steadily moving forward in being able to dictate to us what we can and can't do. Unfortunately, this doesn't pertain exclusively to our gardens. What really bothers me is thinking about the people who not only own these evil companies, but the people who work for them. Are they uneducated? Stupid? Greedy? Lacking moral sensibility? Are they all childless? Must be, otherwise the thought would cross their minds that they are condemning their children to a hellish life.
ReplyDeleteMama Pea, I usually stay away from these posts and leave them to the other bloggers that do this stuff exclusively, but coming across a nice easy list was too good not to pass up. Just reading it and being able to recognize so many varieties we come across was a reminder to always trust our sources! There are new gardeners following our adventures all the time and some didn't come from famish type upbringings and they can easily get overwhelmed by all the politics of this stuff. I just hope that if they can just pay attention to their own space and family, that's all they need to do to start and not get discouraged!
DeleteIf you can buy heirloom varieties and save your own seed. I've started to do this and hopefully this year I'll have some beans and tomatoes that I saved seeds from last year.
ReplyDeleteSparkless, I have saved seed before so I know how to do it, but don't really use the seed since I have no way of isolating it. You have to be several hundred yards away from any other variety and even if I only grew one type of a vegetable, I can't control what my neighbors are growing so even though I could technically do it, the results 5 years down the road would probably be tasteless!
DeleteThanks for the link, it was very informative. I have heard that Monsanto is trying to buy the rights to one of my favorite onion seeds (Copra's)... I hope that the deal falls through!
ReplyDelete