Seed Keepers

[Anders Skarlind <Anders.Skalman@telia.com>]

Hello Warron
I am a Swedish seed saver. I have been growing 
vegetable seeds for almost 20 years. Our climate 
is not so beneficial for seed production, but 
still we can grow seed of the plants that are 
adapted to our climate. We also have a lot to save and we are working on it.

At 20:49 2008-02-29, you wrote:


>   Hi people,
>
>   I`m new to the list.  My name is Warron and I live
> on a secluded greek island in the Aegean.  I have been
> a organic plant activist for years and collect and
> save seeds I deem as rare (mostly from the med).

I think it is good to concentrate on the local 
varieties and those that grow well in your area.


>   As concerns GM, which I am agaisnt:
>
>  now and again pops up the thought that with the
> rapidly changing climate the natural ability of plant
> evolution to produce wonderful new varieties which
> enrich our culinary habits and which might provide
> solutions to our agricultural problems  might be in
> danger.  We are losing non GM varieties on a daily
> basis and the end result is that as a race we might be
> forced to accept GM.  God forbid that this happens.
>
>   This is the reason I collect seeds and have signed
> up to this list, hoping to protect the diversity that
> earth has up till now provided for us.

Right.

>   A more acceptable view of GM for me would be that of
> GM crops being grown for specific industries, such as
> biofuel production, bio plastics etc.

I would tend to agree to about 50%. But there a 
considerable side-effects, like stray pollination 
an and production of artificial bichemichal 
compounds with unknown effects. Just like any 
pollution it will spread to places where it 
doesn't belong. I think they ought to do proper 
research for another 100 years first. And then it 
wouldn't be commercially interesting and the money would go somewhere else.

>  Such products
> with an increased yield/ha

I think so far gmos do not produce higher yield, AFAIK.

> for said indusrties would
> alleviate the upcomming strain on arable land
> otherwise used for food production.  Whether this is
> feasible remains to be seen.
>
>
>   Don´t get me wrong I am 100% bio, but looking back
> on history once the steam train starts rolling there
> is no stopping it.  It would be better to find a way
> where it could be incorparated in our daily life with
> a minimum of damage.

I think there is a fair chance we can roll back 
chemical fertilisers and pesticides in a century 
or so, despite the dominating position they've 
had the last century. So we can do that with gm 
too, although it will take some while.

Cheers
Anders


>   :)  warron.