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[EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

Clansgian AT wmconnect.com wrote:

> Another thing is that almost all modern hybrids were developed with
> Monstanto and Dow Chemical in mind.  They were not hybridized for
> organic gardeners and the results show it.


Leslie, think about this:  Most people can think of some tomato variety
when they think of hybrids...something developed for commercial
purposes. Commercial hybrids(stuff you buy, either seeds or plants)
product 'fruit' that has met certain specific requirements..maybe it has
a firmer texture and a more even skin or more appealing color...the
characteristics were chosen to make the product more like with hold up
to shipping and display in a grocery stand or simply to give that
picture perfect look.  Even worse, some companies, like Monsanto,
genetically engineer plants to withstand herbicide spraying and
more(almost all soybeans are GE, and corn, too)  If you plant a hybrid
every year, you will have to buy that seed every year, and every year
you will get a crop that is as close as you can get to the previous
year's crop-very dependable production.  You may find that there are a
few hybrids that you like and want to plant every year, but realize that
you can only do this as long as they are selling hybrid seed. So while
all that sounds great, it isn't the whole picture.  First, you don't
have to buy seeds every year, especially seeds for an inferior product
that can't be saved and won't ever adapt to your growing conditions.
Saving seed will save you money.  If you buy OP/heirloom seed, you can
save the seeds, and each generation, every year, the seeds carry with
them new genetic information about your soils, moisture, etc. that allow
the next generation to adapt ever so slightly.  Your saved Bloody
Butcher corn will be different than James' BB corn, but they will be
similar. (you can also trade such and possibly improve the vigor of both
strains) The big reason to buy and save OP seed is TASTE and some say,
nutrition. Many times, heirloom veggies will simply taste better..maybe
they are less bitter(like with eggplants) or more tender (greens) or
juicier or hotter or whatever good quality a vegetable should have.
Some people even claim that heirloom varieties contain more good things
like anti-oxidants and vitamins, which is why we eat veggies to begin
with.

B

--
“Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to
hate. Hate leads to suffering.”        Yoda