Vegetable Seeds - Organic Heirloom Seeds
from Seeds of Change
(Special: use FREESHIP voucher code with order
of 10 or more total seed packs)
We feel very passionately about the importance of continuing to grow
heirloom seed varieties. Genetic and cultural diversity are so important,
but with the rise of big agriculture and focus on short-term profits, we
are in danger of losing diversity in agriculture, with the risk of worldwide
starvation if the new system fails. Heirlooms are plants passed down
from one generation to the next, with no artificial genetic modifications.
Genetically modified (GM) foods are foodstuffs produced from genetically
modified organisms (GMO) that have had their DNA altered through genetic
engineering, sometimes creating "pesticides within plants". In particular,
Bt corn, which produces the pesticide within the plant itself, is widely
grown. GMO cotton with built-in pesticides are also common in the U.S.
GM Foods have been available since the 1990s. Between 1995 and 2005, the
total surface area of land cultivated with GMOs had increased by a factor
of 50, from 4.2 million acres to 222 million acres, of which 55 percent
were in the United States. In 2003, countries that grew 99 percent
of the global transgenic crops were the United States (63 percent), Argentina
(21 percent), Canada (6 percent), Brazil (4 percent), China (4 percent),
and South Africa (1 percent). The Grocery Manufacturers of America
estimate that 75 percent of all processed foods in the U.S. contain
a GM ingredient. On August 18, 2006, American exports of rice
to Europe were interrupted when much of the U.S. crop was confirmed to
be contaminated with unapproved engineered genes, possibly due to accidental
GMO cross-pollination.
NEW for 2008: Hermetically sealed plastic packaging
for all vegetable seeds, with guaranteed freshness for two years if unopened.
Resealable to keep leftover seed fresh for the following season.
BEANS (my first choice for easy-to-grow
vegetable seeds)
Origin: Mexico, Central & South America. A food staple for
thousands of years, beans can be enjoyed at several stages: as fresh snap
beans when the seeds are just beginning to fill out and the pods are tender
and tasty; as shell beans when the beans are more mature but still tender
when removed from the pod; and after the seeds have fully matured and dried
and are available for later use as a staple source of protein and starch.
Soil & Amendments: Beans will grow in any good garden soil.
It is beneficial (but not required) to inoculate bean seeds with rhizobial
bacteria before planting to encourage greater productivity and the fixing
of nitrogen. Beans are really the easiest vegetable to grow though,
even without taking this extra step.
Culture: Sow directly in soil when danger of frost has passed.
Space seeds 3-4 in. apart, 1-2 in. deep in rows 12 in. apart. If
you are new to gardening, I highly recommend green beans for a fun and
super-easy thing to grow with children. They produce quickly and
have few pest problems, and doesn't everybody love fresh green beans?!!
Kids love to help gather the green beans in a little pail or bucket, and
our 2 year old eats them as she's harvesting.
CARROT SEEDS
Origin: Central Asia, Near East. One of the all-around garden
favorites for several reasons. They are extremely rich in Beta Carotene,
a precursor to vitamin A -- common to most of our orange colored foods.
Cooked or raw, they enhance flavor and health in our diets, and they are
one of the vegetables kids love to eat raw. They are also a joy to harvest!
Soil & Amendments: Carrots grow best in light, sandy, well-enriched
loam that has been well composted the previous growing season, for example
where corn or potatoes were grown. Roots grown with fresh fertilizers,
especially manure, tend to have more problems. Carrots are easy to
grow though and a good choice for kids. Water the seeds every day
to keep moist for germination (much easier to germinate than tomatoes in
our experience!)
Culture: Carrots can be sown from early spring through mid-summer.
Fork and rake to obtain a smooth surface for planting. Plant ½ -
¾" deep, sowing seeds thinly into rows 6-15" apart. Press soil firmly
over seeds, Carrot seeds must be kept moist to germinate. They may require
a thin mulch and daily watering to germinate in hot climates. Germination
can take up to three weeks so be patient. Thinning is done at two intervals:
once when too young to consider for eating, and again when baby carrots
can be enjoyed. At this point, thin to 2-4" to obtain choice cylindrical
roots. Watch for slugs, snails and grasshoppers on young plants.
Harvest: Roots can be left in the ground and mulched for winter
storage where deep freezing does not occur. In colder climates, dig roots,
layer in sand and keep in a cool, dry place.
Becky with her "Red Core Chantenay" Carrots grown in 2007 in Texas
(harvested Jan '08 so they are big!)
TOMATO SEEDS:
SQUASH SEEDS:
PEPPER SEEDS:
Sweet Peppers Origin: Central and South America. These plants have
become the most renowned spice delivered from the New World by Columbus.
They were knows as chiles for hundreds of years, but Columbus mistakenly
called them peppers, thinking that he was in the East Indies finding a
source of black pepper rather than the West Indies, land of the red pepper
or chile. Traditional varieties from Mexico and Bolivia are very large
plants laden with fruit sets of carrying degrees of hotness. The relatively
new sweet peppers, some bred in Italy after Columbus returned with seeds
from their hot ancestors, come in various shapes and sizes from bells to
pimientos.
Soil & Amendments: For sweet peppers and bell peppers, prepare
a rich soil. Good, light, loamy soil is preferred. Use compost generously.
A pinch of Epsom salts worked into the soil during flowering will enhance
fruit production. This soil program works well for rellenos, pimientos
and other large sweet kinds.
Culture: Begin plants indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost
date. When they are 2" high, transplant into 3" pots. Do not plant in larger
pots - chiles need to feel some confinement to become strong. Harden-off
before transplanting into the garden. Foliar feeding with seaweed extract
will enhance production of fruit and will help guard against fusarium wilt.
Hill up plants slightly if heavy winds occur.
Harvest: Harvest in the green or red stage. Fruits become sweeter
when they reach the red or orange color and are then a good source of vitamins
A and C.
CORN SEEDS:
Origin: Central America & Mexico. A living tribute to ancient
peoples, corn provides nourishment for body and soul. One of the three
most important food crops of humankind, corn has evolved into many modern
varieties: sweet, starch, parch, flint, dent, popcorn and ornamental.
Soil & Amendments: Corn needs rich soil to thrive. It produces
best in soils amended generously with compost.
Culture: Corn needs warmth to germinate, but once germinated
the plants will grow quite well in cool soils under wet conditions. Soak
seeds overnight to aid germination. When danger of frost has passed, sow
sweet corn 1-2" deep in rows that are 3' apart. Plant 2-3 seeds every 12".
After seedlings reach 4-6" in height, thin to 1 plant per foot. Plant in
blocks, clusters, or spirals, of at least four rows to insure the best
wind pollination. Side dress with compost and aged manure if yellowing,
or if growth seems stunted.
WATERMELON SEEDS:
Origin: Africa. The dessert of the garden, most melons are also
rich in vitamin C and contain moderate levels of potassium, vitamin A,
and folate.
Soil & Amendments: Melons grow more prolifically in well-enriched,
sandy/loam soils. Heavier clay soils also produce well, but tend to enhance
more foliage and vine growth, giving a later harvest. Fertility should
be assured with well-balanced compost and the addition of some magnesium
if your soil lacks it.
Culture: In southern states, melons can be sown directly in
the garden when danger of frost has passed. For shorter season growing,
start seeds indoors in pots, 2-4 weeks before transplanting into the garden
when all danger of frost has passed. Growers with shorter seasons can also
use cloches and row covers to get an earlier start and assure ripe melons
in late summer. The key to good melon growing is crop placement. Pick the
hottest, sunniest spot. Watermelons will thrive with lots of space between
the plants, 3' in rows and 5-6' between rows. To plant in mounds, plant
3 clusters to a hill and keep hills 6' apart or more. For peak flavor and
to prevent splitting, decrease watering as fruits ripen.
Harvest: Watermelons are ripe when the two tendrils closest
to the fruit have withered. The first tendril to go is closest to the fruit,
when the second one dries down, the melon is usually ready. If you want
to rely on the tapping method, the sound you listen for is a full, drum-like
resonance. A ping means it is underripe, and a thud means overripe. It
is good to use both methods to be assured of ripeness.
OTHER VEGETABLE SEEDS:
Seeds of Change also contributes 1% of its net sales
to advance the cause of sustainable organic agriculture worldwide.
More on GMO plants and cross-pollination
Enforcement of patents on genetically modified plants is often contentious,
especially because of the occurrence of Gene flow. In 1998, 95-98 percent
of about 10 km² planted with canola by Canadian farmer Percy Schmeiser
were found to contain Monsanto's patented Roundup Ready gene although Schmeiser
had never purchased seed from Monsanto. The initial source of the plants
was undetermined, and could have been through either gene flow or intentional
theft. However, the overwhelming predominance of the trait implied that
Schmeiser must have intentionally selected for it. The court determined
that Schmeiser had saved seed from areas on and adjacent to his property
where Roundup had been sprayed, such as ditches and near power poles.
Although unable to prove direct theft, Monsanto sued Schmeiser for
piracy since he knowingly grew Roundup Ready plants without paying royalties(Ibid).
The case made it to the Canadian Supreme Court, which in 2004 ruled 5 to
4 in Monsanto’s favor. The dissenting judges focused primarily on the fact
that Monsanto's patents covered only the gene itself and glyphosate resistant
cells, and failed to cover transgenic plants in their entirety.
In response to criticism, Monsanto Canada's director of public affairs
stated that "It is not, nor has it ever been Monsanto Canada's policy to
enforce its patent on Roundup Ready crops when they are present on a farmer's
field by accident...Only when there has been a knowing and deliberate violation
of its patent rights will Monsanto act." Currently Percy Schmeiser spends
a large amount of his time traveling and speaking about how Monsanto ruined
his career as a farmer. He also talks about the possible harms of genetically
modification and why others in addition to himself should be protesting
it.
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