Comments on: Reasons for a Seed Network

By: Patrick

Patrick — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 20:35:54 +0000

Hi meryem sen,

Thanks for the comment. I’d like to hear more! Good luck with your seed association.

I agree that local groups and efforts are at least as important than long distance ones, and in many cases more important.

By: meryem sen

meryem sen — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 10:40:23 +0000

Friends, we as a seed association in a developing country are of two minds on the tying-everyone-together concept. while it first seems self evident that having as many groups as possible articulate with one another over the net would produce advantages, not the least of which info sharing, even loosely constructed as links in blogs etc., we are not convinced that this is in our long term interest. recent events seem to imply that there are some nasty intentions afoot. let’s keep our locality strong, keep our food genes out there flowing around & reproducing to the max, & constantly building the number of individuals in our surrounding with dirt under their fingernails.

By: Fridom Snowbird

Fridom Snowbird — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 23:53:00 +0000

I have an extensive collection of OP seeds. I have but am no longer a listed member of SSE.I also belong to a couple of other networks. Fridom-

By: Seed Network Update February 2009 | Bifurcated Carrots

Seed Network Update February 2009 | Bifurcated Carrots — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 12:45:59 +0000

[...] Seed companies are particularly encouraged to join! Understand however that you will be offering your seeds along side people offering free seeds, and in addition you should read this page explaining some of the background and reasons for starting the seed network. [...]

By: Patrick

Patrick — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:17:21 +0000

This simply isn’t true Non Ame. Like most other plants, those with the terminator gene have pollen which can easily pollinate other plants.

The purpose of the terminator gene was not to keep the plant from spreading it’s DNA, but to keep farmers from being able to save seeds and regrow them.

In fact it was shown that the effects of the terminator gene was not always 100% on crops grown nearby and contaminated. In many cases for example, it reduced harvest by 80% or so, meaning seeds could still be saved and replanted but would almost certainly still contain the terminator gene and could still spread it to other plants. It had the potential to contaminate crops worldwide, just like other GM crops do now.

As far as I’m aware, research on the terminator gene has stopped, and so for the moment is not a concern.

It is an indication however of what the future could bring, and how greedy people can be.

By: non ame

non ame — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 01:46:02 +0000

Plants with the terminator gene can’t spread their genes around. That’s the whole point of it.

By: Ottawa Gardnener

Ottawa Gardnener — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 03:39:09 +0000

Here here. I don’t feel as much of an expert as many but I have always had success with my own saved seed and delight in giving it to others. Let me know if I can be of any assistance.

By: Bill McDorman

Bill McDorman — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 04:41:57 +0000

Everyone can find detailed seed saving instructions on the website of this 25 year-old non-profit:

http://www.seedsave.org./issi/issi_904.html

I have been working on this issue for many years. Let me know what I can do to help your network.