Seed Companies

[BigM]

This is a list that has companies selling g m o seeds, but more importantly, ones that don't sell them.

www.survivalandbeyond.net/a-list-of-seed-companies-owned-by-monsanto-plus-some-safe-sources-for-seeds/

[sdbookmom]

Thanks!!

[Granny Smith]

Good list! Thank you!

[susan]

The company I ordered from isn't listed on either list, but they sell heirloom seeds. Heirloom Acres is a smaller Christian company in Missouri.

Susan

[mysisteringa]

I have ordered from Heirloom Acres, Susan. They are a good company. I had really great luck with all their seeds. I also ordered a high wheel cultivator from them.

[Valerie]

I didn't think you could buy GMO seeds unless you had some kind of license or something, because of the patents or something.

My aunt, who doesn't even garden, thinks hybrids are the same as GMO and is always yelling about heirloom seeds on facebook. Then again, she's usually yelling about something. ;D

Never mind -- I just read the list. I don't think it's that those companies are necessarily selling GMO seeds to consumers in little packs, but that Monsanto owns the company, and therefore benefits, even if we buy heirloom seeds from the company.

[Granny Smith]

Jan 5, 2013 20:40:04 GMT -5 Valerie said:

I didn't think you could buy GMO seeds unless you had some kind of license or something, because of the patents or something.

Anyone can buy GMO seeds. What you can't do is save seeds from the plants to use the next year. Most of them won't grow anyway and some have a terminator gene that will render other plants of the same type sterile. So, if your neighbor is growing GMO corn, and you have heirloom corn, they could cross and your seeds wouldn't grow the next year. Nice, eh?

[Valerie]

But I think you have to buy them special, not just from seed catalogs.

This article says GMO seeds are sold in large quantities, by seed dealerships. www.ehow.com/about_6626973_can-buy-genetically-modified-seeds_.html

This article gives interesting info about the GMO thing. www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/10/18/163034053/top-five-myths-of-genetically-modified-seeds-busted

I am in no way in favor of GMO stuff, but both sides of the argument tend to spread a lot of hype and fear. I still don't think you can order a pack of GMO seeds for $3.99 from your seed catalog. No way is Monsanto gonna let their technology go that cheap. Plus farmers who buy them have to swear not to save the seeds and replant as that violates their agreement. If they sold to individuals, there's no way they could enforce that.

But still, we should probably buy from companies not owned by Monsanto, just on principle!

[BigM]

It's just a matter of time before they sell them to people. Unless of course they make selling seeds to people illegal, which I can see happening too.

[Valerie]

I think that's what would be most likely to happen, M. Once they have all the different foods GM'd (right now the list is pretty small) then only big companies willing to pay the royalties to Monsanto will be able to get seeds.

Do y'all really save seeds from every heirloom thing you grow? I know I don't. I'm very new to seed saving, and still don't fully trust that they'll actually grow the next generation. Do y'all have success with it?

[Granny Smith]

I do save seeds from whichever heirloom varieties do good for me. If I don't like how they tasted or performed, I don't bother. Right now I could plant my entire garden for a few years from seeds I've saved. I am trying to store enough to have some for bartering, too.

[Valerie]

I'm going to resolve to save seeds this year!

[BigM]

I save pretty much all the seeds from everything that comes out of my garden. My thinking is that at least SOMETHING will grow!!

[mysisteringa]

Yes, yes, yes! Save seeds from anything that will grow in your gardens! Even if you don't like a particular thing, someone else might. I am not buying any new seeds this yr. I am planting seeds from the yr before last. Mostly beans and peas. I may have to buy seed potatoes, but I already have sweet potato sets started.

[Valerie]

Thank you for that reminder, Mary! I need to get sweet potatoes started!