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Buy Sustainably Grown USA Seed
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Quarantine Treatments: There are heirloom seed companies out there that get their seed from many foreign countries. Some even brag about it, but do you understand what it takes to bring in foreign seed from another country? Our government learned long ago that many devastating unwanted diseases, weed seed and insect pests can hitch a ride in these seed shipments. So the government has reserved the right to tre
at seeds brought into this country. Sometimes hot air or water can be used, which if even off a few degrees can damage germination results. However, many times fumigants like methyl bromide, HCN, phosphine and EDCT (ethylene dichloride + carbon tetrachloride mixture) can be used.
- Supporting Local Farmers and Local Economies: You
make a choice every time you spend a dollar. It is like casting a vote
if you will. When you buy seed
from heirloom seed companies who obtain
their seed from other countries you are making a choice to fund farmers
in far away lands. For
example: an estimated 84,000 acres of agriculture production and
22,285 jobs have been moved to Mexico from the United States.
This is just one country. We have all learned the importance of
supporting our local economy these days as our foreign trade deficit
continues to rise and your neighbors, family and friends lose their
jobs. American farmers are literally losing their farms to the choices
you make.
Please support us is growing and buying seed from American farmers.
- Pesticides, Herbicides, Fertilizer and Fungicides: India is the second largest producer of vegetables in the world next only to China with an estimated production of about 105.0 million tonnes. The Indian Seed market itself is one of the biggest in the world, with annual sales at around $920 million (Source: 2001 Vegetable Seed Industry). Seed grown in these foreign countries use a staggering amount of chemicals for seed production. Consumption of insecticide in India has been increased more than 100% from 1971 to 1994-95. For instance, insecticide consumption which was to the tune of 22013 tonnes has increased to 51755 tonnes by 1994-95. This usage largely goes unchecked and in fact is encouraged because multinational companies have purposely located there giant chemical plants here due to the lack of regulations. Many times with horrible consequences. Consider the Bhopal disaster that took place at a Union Carbide pesticide plant in the Indian city of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. At midnight on 3 December 1984, the plant released an estimated 42 tonnes of toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas, exposing more than 500,000 people to MIC and other chemicals. The government of Madhya Pradesh has confirmed a total of 3,787 deaths related to the gas release.[1] Others estimate 8,000-10,000 died within 72 hours and 25,000 have since died from gas-related diseases. (source Wikipedia) The human and environmental cost for "cheap" foreign seed is tremendous. In reality it is not cheap, but very costly. You support this type devastation when you buy foreign seed.
- Plant Survivability:
Plants have evolved in certain locations throughout the world. They
are local to those areas. We as humans have moved these plants all
over the world and cultivated them for hundreds of years. That being
said we have learned that certain plants grown in certain areas do
better than others. For example; Tomatoes are originally from South
America they like heat. Over time many Eastern European countries have
bred tomatoes more suited to their cooler climates. The heat loving
tomatoes died off and what was left thrived (simply put). Here in the
California Wine Country we can have similar conditions so not only
grapes, but these varieties of tomatoes do extremely well here. However, if buying
tomato seeds my heirloom seed company gets the same variety say from
India because they are cheaper, I then have a tomato that has been
grown in the heat and humidity of India. The likelihood that it will
perform here in our dry and cool climate is very slim. As a gardener I
want seed that has been farmed in my area for generations because for
generations the superior plants that did well had seed collected from
them and were replanted. The next year the same thing happened and
over time you develop a plant that is superior to your region. The lesson is to obtain local seed whether it is from our company or not. Support your local farmers and foster future farmers. The future of food is in your hands.
- Global Resources, Deforestation and Petroleum Use: As I stated above you make a choice when you purchase not only seeds but any product. The question we ask ourselves is how sustainable is our choice? Another words does it make
sense to buy from a seed company that funds farmers who destroy rain forest to grow cheap seed? What about the chemical fertilizers and pesticides they poison the ground with by the ton? What about the species die off from said chemicals or the deforestation? What about the amount of petroleum used to get that seed to market and what does it do to our planet? Transportation is the third highest emitter of greenhouse gas. Cargo ships run on "bunker fuel," the dirtiest, cheapest product that
remains after gas and other high-grade fuels are refined from crude
oil. Bunker fuel contains up to 5,000 times more sulfur than diesel. As
a result, according to Bluewater Network, a division of Friends of the Earth, a single container ship emits more pollution than 2,000 diesel trucks! Then there are the chemicals that are used again to treat the seeds when they get to the US. The list goes on. The question is why would you support any company to continue do this when you can buy your seed (most products) right at home?
Ask your seed company where it gets it seed from? Stop contributing to rain forest destruction, global warming and the loss of American jobs. Help us to continue to support local farm families. The choice IS yours to make.
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We strive to sell the highest quality open pollinated and heirloom seeds. Our chief concern is empowering you, the customer, to be able to grow your own vegetables year after year by being able to save your seed. Not growing GMO seed or hybrid vegetable seed allows you to keep the seed your plants create and know you'll get the same vegetable every time. We value your input and comments and want to create a community of concerned citizens who care about the food they eat, the ground they grow their vegetables in, and the world in which we live. To protect your pollinators and bees, please limit or eliminate your pesticides use, they will thank you for it! Thank you again for purching such high quality heirloom seeds!
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