In our January 2006 Newsletter, we asked you how you felt about seeds. Specifically, we asked:

How green are you are when it comes to seeds? Do you pay attention to who owns whom in the seed world? Do you favor heirlooms over hybrids? Saving your own over buying? Do you only use/buy seeds that have been organically produced? Are you concerned about genetic pollution in our seed stock? Do you only buy seeds from companies that have taken the "Safe Seed Pledge"?

Here's what you had to say:

I found your topic most intriguing. I do in fact try to pay attention to what is going on in the seed world and am concerned about it. I have to say though that I do not keep up on it as much as I would like to.

I try to buy my seeds from companies I respect (the first two on the list below). I prefer heirloom over hybrid. I have just begun trying to save seeds, although I also want to support those companies who do so much for supporting our seed heritage. I have also found a blog on Organic Magazine with many very friendly people willing to share seeds.
-Kate Bodmann

I really enjoy this email newsletter. After reading the safe seed pledge, I located a company in my state of Pa. that goes by this rule and also has organic seed. I was drawing up plans for this years vegetable garden when I read your newsletter. With the info, I decided to buy from a different company, all my vegetable garden seeds. This makes you think about our planet, what is safe, what is best.

Your link to buying organic, when it pays and when it doesn't was also interesting. I must say I learned a lot from this but do not agree on the cosmetics issue. I buy organic shampoo, soap, etc. Even cosmetics. Your skin is your largest organ and I do believe what you put on it can effect your health. I do believe organic products are better and safer. Most do not contain the chemicals shown to cause cancer, etc. Propylene glycol is an example of an ingredient that a lot of lotions contain, but that is shown to be unsafe. When there are so many safe, organic ingredients why settle for chemicals? Most plants contain ingredients that are safe for the skin and when they are organically grown, it seems that would make them even safer. Breast cancer studies show that only 15% is genetic, that leaves a huge 85% to environmental issues, diet, smoking, etc.

All in all, I feel anything you can grow or buy that is organic is 100 times better then it's chemical, pesticide, hormone based cousin.

Thanks for a wonderful newsletter. I enjoy the recipes and all the info and all the gardening ideas.
-Debby McKissic

First, I want to thank you for the great news letter, brought some laughs, in-site and great to mull over in the winter.
As for seed origin and what company, safe seed etc. I live in Kansas which may be a strike against me but we are the bread basket of the world. I have nothing against the GMO seeds. First they produce an abundant crop to feed a hungry world and they do this with eliminating harmful chemicals that can enter the food chain and the environment. My job is working with water quailty, I work for the NRCS and we can see the great benifits through testing water quality samples, health of the soil through no-till cropping, the earth worms come back the millions of soil microbs come back and the soil gets healthy again. By not using these hamful chemicals all of this is happeniing. I had a neighbor who several years ago used a popular insecticide for several years ton his corn crop, within 4 years both he and his wife developed cancer and died, I always felt it was from using these chemicals. I plant my garden using the sq. ft. method which is completely organic, but think by not using seed from a company because it is GMO is defeating the pupose of providing safe and quality food for one to eat. I have not developed a third eye or grrown a horn from my head. Thank you again for this opportunity and keep your newsletter coming. Also if one choose not to buy from one company for whatever reason that is their choice it is a free country. I just do not like seeing everything pinned to GMO as bad. Even Greenpeace has said that Round up is one of the most environmentally freindly chemicals ever, which is correct. Also BT is BT it is found in nature and works and it keeps the very harmfull chemicals off the market. I don't understand how some think there is 2 different BT's one that is OK to use and the other [same] is not. I will get off of my stump now

-Don Rogers, Topeka, Ks.

I definitely pay attention to who I'm buying seeds from (and other gardening stuff and food too), to do everything I can to make sure NONE of my $$ go to Monsanto. I do favor heirlooms over hybrids, prefer organically produced seed, and only buy from companies that have taken the safe seed pledge.

Sadly, I have not saved seeds, but it should definitely go on my agenda!

Jill

I am very concerned about preservation of agriculture, both in terms of genetic diversity and cultural diversity (the knowledge that goes with the genetics, and the power of self-determination that makes both viable). When the safe-seed pledge first came out, I wrote to all the companies I was accustomed to buying from, if they hadn't published the pledge in their catalogs, to ask them if they would sign on. I also once wrote to all of them asking about ownership: were they independent businesses or subsidiaries of something else? I'm now also a gardener at a local historic site, so I have a professional concern for preservation of rare varieties as well as an ethical and spiritual commitment to life, liberty, and self-determination.

Thanks for raising this issue.

-Nancy Wygant

I buy my seeds from Johnny's Seeds, ironically from Maine--where the conversation took place! They are very careful about their seeds in many, many ways. Please check them out because they do not send out catalogs without a request. They have a line of organic seeds as well as identifying untreated seeds from treated. Their germination is tops! They care about all the right (left?) issues .

And, of course, you have heard of Seed Savers, another seed company, this time in Decorah, Iowa.

Ann Guell

It is very important to me where I buy my seeds!

I buy my seeds from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange in Mineral, VA
(www.southernexposure.com/) and this year am also buying seed from Seed Savers Exchange (http://www.seedsavers.org/).

-Lauren, Richmond, VA

A lot of the companies that signed the Safe Seed Pledge, including some of those founded by people who helped write it will have some rethinking to do, because it is virtually impossible to put together a full line of seeds without any Seminis produced varieties. This is only the latest step in a long line of acquisitions. Seminis was tainted goods long before being acquired by Monsanto. At one point they had 93 GMO tomato lines they were testing, and that was years ago.

If you are curious to understand the depth of this issue, go to the EPA site, and look up the registrations for field test permits, arranged (when last I looked) by vegetable crop. You will find some surprising stuff, I am sure.

-Shepherd Ogden, Director, Heritage Organics

Hi Roger,
I have a hard time keeping track of who owns who in the seed world. I stick to open-pollinated types as much as possible - probably about 95% of the seed I grow out is open-pollinated (not necessarily "heirlooms,"
just not hybrids.) I own a small organically-run produce farm, and our goal is to grow out most of our seed. We're maybe half-way there! Even if we had met our goal already, I would still buy a fair amount of seed from seed companies, because we constantly try new varieties. Since Monsanto & similar companies don't sell the open-pollinated types (because they can't make any money from it), I don't have to worry about the companies I buy from. I try to buy from companies who are preservation centers, or who in some way have a mission to their companies greater than simply making a buck - this isn't always possible due to the cost of seed, but we try.
I most definitely steer clear of GMOs. Genetics has its place, I'm sure, & there's lots I don't know about it all, but I do know I don't want it in my food supply. Fish genes simply have no place in my tomatoes. Not in my garden.
Thank for the opportunity to put in my 2 cents!
-Beth