Howdy!
I am a positive person and don’t want to come across all negative and focus on the bad things. I work hard to see the good in people and life in all situations. I think it’s wise to choose your battles. To basically not get worked up and fight for everything you don’t like. Some things are just not worth your energy. However, some things are. It’s setting boundaries for yourself and having a back bone for what you deem acceptable.
The sunny morning of Saturday May 25, 2013 I really wanted to drive to Sacramento and join the local March Against Monsanto. I thought it would be good to see some friends at the march and get out to support the movement.
Then I realized, geez Sue I have so much work to do in the garden here with my cucumbers, blueberries and chard. Plus I wanted to start more organic seeds. My Poppa says, corn should be “knee high by the 4th of July” and I need to start the Zea Mays seeds I got from Seeds of Change.
Some GMO Free Seeds
Focus on what you want – your own homegrown food – and don’t focus on what you don’t want – resisting a huge corporation with a monopoly over the seed supply.
However, I have something to say something to protect the seeds. I need to share this blog post to honor my voice. And honor every organic farmer who has ever collected seed and grown nourishing food with sustainable practices.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the
world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead
It appears we as people, have a massive threat against our food supply here in the United States.
Did you know that people have been sued for saving seed? Honest farmers, not able to collect seed for the next generation harvest.
Hear me ****ROAR**** like a pissed off mountain lion.
"Anyone caught saving seeds can be investigated for patent infringement" Quote from Food Inc.
One person I am sure you have seen on TV spent over a million dollars to protect her freedom of free speech about what is on her dinner plate.
It is time we really ask, what ARE WE PUTTING IN our foods and our bodies?
In the video below, I take you outside with me to the Mulberry Tree and share my praise for the documentary Food Inc. and share some action steps to avoid GMO’s. Click Play to Enjoy the Video!
GMOs are genetically modified organisms. Do we need or want to be test subjects of genetic roulette?
And “Big M” stands for the BIG MOVEMENT 😉
Here is a freaky personal story from my gardening experience that really made me question my seed supply.
A couple years ago I was feeling like a tight ass and thought I would save money and buy my summer garden seeds from a big box store.
I got 3 different packages of tomato seeds. They said guarantee to grow. One package was labeled Hybrid, the other Disease Resistant and the third mentioned nothing special. So there I was with my Roma, Cherry, and Grape Tomatoes seeds and I happily tended to their growth. The plants produced like crazy and we add tons of fresh tomatoes. I did indeed notice that the skins would stay hard and tight for a long time, up to 3 weeks after I picked them which is odd, but I was okay with the fact the tomatoes stayed fresh for an extended period after harvest.
Now fast forward to last week when I am turning the compost pile and observe a tomato skin still intact.
Faded from the sun, but the skin was surely not decomposing like the rest of the organic matter in the compost pile.
FREAKY..The perfect compost, gold dirt, rich soil with this awkward foreign object sticking out that is a near perfect tomato skin from well over 11 months ago. It is enough to make me question,
“what is up?? that is not normal from my past gardening experience”
When the tomato skin does not decompose normally, what is does that mean about the tomato digesting inside me?
Makes ya wonder? What are the undisclosed costs of GMO compared to organic?
3 Things You Can Do To Take Action Against GMOs
1. Grow Your Own GMO Free Food
Homegrown Baby Roots: Daikon Radish, Beet, Red Potato
Below is a list of companies I found called “The Monsanto-Free Seed Company List”
Buy Seeds From Them and PLANT!!
USA:
Backyard Beans and Grains Project
*Baker Creek Seed Co. (MW)
Beauty Beyond Belief (BBB Seeds)
Diane’s Flower Seeds (she has veggies now, too)
Farm Direct Seed (Hobb’s Family Farm)
Native Seeds for the Arid Southwest
Organic Sanctuary (SE)
Siskiyou Seeds (NW)
*Sow True (SE)
*Wood Prairie Farm (NE)
Canadian Seed Companies:
Annapolis Valley Heritage Seed Company
Heritage Harvest Seeds (ships to Canada only)
Europe:
Garden Organic (UK)
Seed Site (Italy)
The list above to source GMO Free seeds came from Eat Local Grown, its a cool website you might like.
Here a link to the article I referenced:
http://eatlocalgrown.com/article/11360-monsanto-free-seed-companies.html
If you see a company on the list above that is local to your area, support them!!!
2.Buy Organic Food in Season and Collect Wild Food
If you don’t have the desire to grow your own garden, you can always enjoy the fruits from others.
By shopping at farmers markets you support local business and ensure fresh food in season.
Over the past few years I have been actively gardening & foraging wild food. Hands down, my favorite wild food is wild raspberry, followed by blackberry. Collecting wild food is a great way to connect with the land.
3. Share This Post With Your Friends and Family. Join The “Big M”
We need each other in this Movement. Call it slow food, farm to fork, seed to supermarket – it does not matter.
At the end of day we need to eat. And we need each other to be aware that not all seeds are equal. The food we eat is critical to our health.
Ann Wigmore Quote
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>>>>It ‘s Time to Grow & Get Your Own<<<<
To sign off, here some live music to enjoy from Michael Franti & Spearhead – Hey World (Remote Control)
Thanks for stopping by today! Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know your thoughts regarding GMO’s and what you are doing to ensure quality food is on your table.
Your seed loving friend,
Sue Thomas
