permaculture

[venaurafarm <venaurafarm@bellsouth.net>]

On 12/21/2012 6:37 PM, Jason Gerhardt wrote:
> The stat could be a tad out of date, but in 2008 I was a part of early
> meetings to start the Family Farmer's Seed Cooperative (which is now
> launched, and I encourage anyone who is interested in bioregional seed
> production to look into them). The founding members all met in Colorado for
> a few days of discussion and one of those guys (John Navazio, Frank Morton,
> Don Tipping, Nash Huber, or someone else) mentioned in 2007 that Johnny's
> produced 70% of their seed in China. My guess is the current state of
> affairs is not too far off that number and very well could be higher. I
> know Seed Savers Exchange started shifting some seed production to China in
> the mid 2000's too.

I like Johnny's and do business with them. Their seeds are excellent. I 
would like to think they do not outsource seeds from China but maybe 
they do.

> What is most concerning about this is that genetic adaptation occurs each
> time a seed is produced, and if they are being grow somewhere like China
> they are adapting to China's bioregional latitude, elevation, rainfall,
> soil types, temp swings, pests and weeds, etc. The same is true if they are
> grown in your bioregion. So obviously there is a huge benefit to using
> locally produced seeds, simply due to climatic adaptation (adaptation to
> organic growing conditions is equally important, so buy organically grown
> seed). After generations of saving seed in the same area they slowly become
> place-based seeds, which is really what heirlooms are at their best. Second
> best is handed down through familial lineage in my opinion.

This is why we need to produce more of our own seeds right here in the USA.

> I totally agree that seed can and should be produced in the US. The work of
> Organic Seed Alliance and Family Farmer's Seed Coop is helping us move in

I found it and subscribed to their newsletter.

A Family Farmer Owned Seed Cooperative — Family Farmers Seed Cooperative
http://organicseedcoop.com/

> that direction, but we are also losing ground too. Seeds of Change used to
> be a great company that did breeding and research and that were supplied by
> a network of small bioregional growers, but not so much anymore. In the
> end, seed is safest in our own hands as growers, from backyard to
> broadacre. Which is why I buy seed from farmer-owned and farmer-produced
> seed companies. Plus you get higher grade seed. As a former seed producer
> and company manager I can guarantee that seed the farmer's company sells
> under their own label is the highest grade. What gets sold to companies

Amazing. I did not know that substandard seeds were being marketed to US 
grower, natural, family farms, market farms. Thanks for the insider look 
at this.

> like High Mowing, Seeds of Change, Seed Savers Exchange, etc is second

BOYCOTT SEED SAVERS EXCHANGE.

Seeds of Change started out great but something happened, employee 
problems and/or something else. Mars took them over and dismantled the 
seed producing facility. Alan Kapuler was involved with SoC I think. 
Scott Pittman know a lot about this.

> grade. What gets sold to companies that are just buyers and repackagers
> like Botanical Interests, Lake Valley, and other seed companies you might
> find at a hardware store are third grade at best, but mostly they just buy
> seed nobody wants, like third grade from China. The higher the grade, the
> bigger the seed. The bigger the seed, the bigger the cotyledon leaves. The
> bigger the cotyledon leaves, the healthier plants grow and get started, and
> the quicker they produce and mature.

Thanks for the heads up and excellent information, Jason. I will begin 
doing business with:
Family Farmers Seed Cooperative
http://organicseedcoop.com/