Robin282's Blog at GardenStew.com

Short & Sour: An Admisson from Monsanto

Robin282 — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 08:21:33 -0400

Author: Robin282
Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 12:21 pm (GMT 0)

I have begun to post about this on another forum. I include this here because there were some folks interested in this thread.

AAAAHHHHHRRRRGGGG!

Well, at least someone is finally admitting it…: A high representative for Monsanto has openly admitted that “We want to control the world’s food supply.”

also:
Monsanto who provides 90% of the world’s long list of genetically engineered products11 (having bought up 50 smaller companies during the last decade) does their business with such complete secrecy that there are still sold-out individuals out there…
In spite of the reassurances from Monsanto and its own lawyers and scientists that GMO cultures and Roundup herbicide are not health hazardous, it has been proven in their own research that rats have developed different forms of tumors and other health problems. However, instead of pushing the research further, they put a complete stop to it.

—from the article “New Movie Damns Monsanto’s Criminal Behavior” http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_11040.cfm

Those companies bought up include many seed houses.

This article is by French journalist and film maker Marie-Monique Robin who spent 3 years gathering information. Recently Monsanto seized the bank accounts of the French Farmers Association.

I thought throttling people for money was thug behavior…

Well, can’t some lawyer come up with a lawsuit against Monsanto for contamination or something?

Not much editorializing here today. The admission of wanting to control the world’s food supply is enough.
Robin

If Anyone Wants to Get Involved, or Make a Request

Robin282 — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 11:31:37 -0400

Author: Robin282
Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2008 3:31 pm (GMT 0)

I am happy to receive private e-mails for this project. No one is required to put personal information here. Some do not mind, but for those who do not wish to post their hardship story, just e-mail me privately.

Private message me here

Please put "Need for Seed" in the subject line.

PLEASE**** tell me how many people this is for! I would hate to send a family of 5 or 6 seeds for an individual's garden.

Let me know if you are donating or would like to be a recipient.

Although I do not know what seeds I have available at any given time, please give me information such as NO turnips or whatever. Some people just don't like some vegetables, and it would be better to save those for someone else.

If you are crazy about something not as common, say okra, please note that too. I do not mind someone saying green beans are a favorite that info will help me, and I can give more beans to that person.

I cannot fill orders as I am not a seed company. I will be saving as much as I can from my plants each year to supply this project. I will of course be growing my favorites, but I may get something you like from someone else.

Right now, I am paying for postage myself, but if this project gets huge (as I hope it does), I will not be able to front the postage and will attempt to sell my extra plants to cover it. If the project becomes really huge, I will go for non-profit status. If anyone has any suggestions for me on this please e-mail me.

A little personal information for my motivation: I was a single mom (I preferred to say "Independent Parent") for 12 years. It was tough, but I survived and climbed out of the hole by myself. There were times that I wondered if I would have lights, phone, or food. I did everything I could to make ends meet. I couldn't leave my babies, so I landscaped and took them with me. I also baked homemade bread and sold it. Doing things to help myself allowed me to keep my dignity. At the same time, I needed help too. So, I wish to give a little help and let people keep their dignity.

That said, any hardship qualifies a person to receive these seeds. A fixed income such as Social Security, single moms on aid, working people who cannot cover everything because gasoline has eaten up their food budget, fire victims, people from impoverished areas with little outside work available, people who are temporarily out of work (more time to garden!), people who do not have a hardship who would like to help other who are by requesting seed to give to the person or by growing the veggies and giving the produce to neighbors in need. Believe me, I understand hardship, and I know I have not even scratched the surface of what types of hardships people have. Just let me know in the e-mail briefly why you ask for the help. When I go for non-profit status, I believe I will need to document some of this. You do not have to share every detail--"unemployed" will do; it is up to you what you share.

I am grateful to all of you who have pledged to donate. We all appreciate your generosity.

I am also grateful to those who have made requests; this has provided us the opportunity to help, and give back.

With the seed I send, it may not be this year's seed. However, tomato seeds are viable for 5 years or more, so they would still sprout. If I think something has lost 20% or so of its viability, I will add extra seed to make sure folks get enough to eat.

Once this project gets going, I will have mostly "this year's" seed.

My main reason for this is food. I want people to be able to eat fresh, nutritious produce and feel the satisfaction of providing for themselves. All "care packages" will include a variety of vegetables to give someone a seasons worth of food. IMPORTANT!: Be sure to remember to inform me how many people you will be feeding. I am currently lining up a "care package" for a shelter that will require much more seed.

I will try to add herbs as well to the care packages. My herb garden is just starting, so I cannot guarantee this right now. In the future, I will add herbs to every care package.

If there are flower seeds available, I will throw those in for cheer. Nobody needs cheer more than someone in a hardship situation.

I am propositioning seed companies too. Frankly, I do not believe this will work until I have my non-profit status, but... I am requesting last year's seed from seed companies. I spoke with one already that says they burn all their old seed because they cannot sell it. I said to them that donating is not selling, how about that? They liked the idea, so I have to write something up. I still think the non-profit status will be the key to open those doors. Then the companies can write it off as a charitable donation. Anyone who knows the ins and outs of this, please e-mail.

Finally, after all this blabbering, I will list my requirements for the request e-mail below. This will save time, and help to keep me more organized. I have a head injury, and if I am getting dozens of e-mails and 2 people are named Beth, or something, I will get confused. This is my private e-mail, and there will be no sharing of info in any way. When I go for non-profit (unless the govt. makes it harder for me to share with people, then I won't), I may need info on the hardships situations of people who receive seed. In this case, I will still protect the identity of the person, but will request (beforehand) if I can use your story without your name. I do believe that is a long way off yet.

For the folks who donate, I would like to start a "Garden Angel" reward within the program. Right now, this is strictly in the idea phase. I will either make out certificates, or possibly have little gifts or something like that. I will happy to receive ideas in this area too. I have a website, so I will be adding pages there for this project. That way, people can see where their help is going. I would also love people to post stories and such their. Maybe someone has a community garden where they give the produce to those in need; they could post about that.

OK, enough. I think that covers everything. If anyone has a question, please e-mail me!
Thanks & Blessing to all of you!

1. Private message me here
2. Subject lie should read "Need for Seed"
3. Inform whether you are donating or requesting.
4. If donating, I will send my address right out.
5. Donations should be sent to Need for Seed c/o me etc.
6. If receiving, how many people is the request for?
7. Recipients: list likes and dislikes as a guide
8. All should include any pertinent information possible
a. Garden Forum name & page
b. E-mail addresses, info on e-mail filters so that I
can e-mail you back.
c. YOUR ADDRESS: in the first e-mail please, this will
help me keep things straight. If I have a few people with the same name, I can make out the bubble mailers right away and have the "likes & dislike" on a paper inside. Then I won't have to keep going through the e-mails to check. I do this because my short-term memory is not that good.

Keep in mind that most people have a name, a different name on their e-mail, and yet another for their forum, all different! Please let me know this so I can keep it straight.

A thousand thank you-s to all!
Robin

...and We're Off!

Robin282 — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 11:21:30 -0400

Author: Robin282
Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 3:21 pm (GMT 0)

I am happy to report that my Need for Seed (Seeds for the Needy) project is already taking off! I am sending out the first round of seeds today!

I feel really good doing this project. Gardening is not merely good food (with the nutrition still in it), but good for the soul. I believe helping someone to feed themselves is is uplifting to both the giver and the receiver. Plus, to actually have something from one's own efforts--rather than a handout--is important to people meanwhile building confidence.

Gardening is a great family project--everyone can participate. I have some folks growing out stuff for the elderly in the neighborhood.

This is very fulfilling.
Robin

Finding Information-Origins & History of Vegetable Varieties

Robin282 — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 13:08:40 -0400

Author: Robin282
Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 5:08 pm (GMT 0)

After posting about this on another site, I thought it would be useful
here because it is fascinating
and something in which many gardeners are interested.

Following are some websites & books on the subject.
Robin

http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/AFSIC_pubs/heirloom/srb9807.htm
http://www.italylink.com/foodarticles/history_of_tomatoes.html
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_vegetables/article/0,,HGTV_3650_4303121,00.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato
http://food.oregonstate.edu/faq/uffva/squash2.html
http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/publications/vegetabletravelers/beets.html
http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/~bcohen/cucumbers/history.html
http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/history2.html
http://www.countrylovers.co.uk/hort/histveg1.htm
http://www.history-magazine.com/potato.html
http://www.kokopelli-seed-foundation.com/
http://www.southernexposure.com/index.html
http://www.revolutionseeds.net/
http://www.ars.usda.gov/Research/docs.htm?docid=5232
http://www.onions-usa.org/about/history.asp
http://www.foodreference.com/html/artvegetablesfruitsneww.html
http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/horticulture/commodityNL/vidalia-feb00.htm
http://www.landscapeimagery.com/tomato.html
http://waynesword.palomar.edu/vege1.htm
http://r0.unctad.org/infocomm/anglais/cotton/characteristics.htm
http://www.thecookinginn.com/introductiona.html

Books
Buffalo Bird Woman's Garden
Enduring Seeds
Garden to Order: The Story of Mr. Burpee's Seeds and Hoe They Grow
100 Vegetables and Where They Came From
Peppers: The Domesticated Capsaicins
Heirloom Vegetables Gardening
Taylor's Guide to Heirloom Vegetables
Livingston & The Tomato
Field & Garden Vegetables of America

Links to Journal/Scholarly Articles--free access at many public libraries:
http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0006-8071(188401)9%3A1%3C7%3AOODV%3E2.0.CO%3B2-\
7
http://www.springerlink.com/content/m711886544015311/
http://hort.oregonstate.edu/faculty-staff/myers
http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=subject:%22%20vegetables%22
http://books.google.com/books?id=XnfbLPFy4tYC&pg=PA2169&lpg=PA2169&dq=origin+his\
tory+of+vegetable+varieties&source=web&ots=J-S0iDeoml&sig=7-gb4Q3B19iazx3F8tGTX9\
7aHqY&hl=en
http://books.google.com/books?id=tAnsCn0A3rcC&pg=PA1158&lpg=PA1158&dq=origin+his\
tory+of+vegetable+varieties&source=web&ots=MRn9zaD6fW&sig=-bJEJvEIcampXz_u4SbD4G\
6-Lwg&hl=en
http://209.85.207.104/search?q=cache:Wfar-tyU-9IJ:www.pubhort.org/members/showdo\
cument%3Fseries%3Dhr%26volume%3D25%26article%3D2%26bestand%3D13%26layout%3Dpubho\
rt%26action%3Dshowdocument+origin+history+of+vegetable+varieties&hl=en&ct=clnk&c\
d=15&gl=us&client=firefox-a

Thanks to Dave and other friends on that site for these:
http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/
http://vegvariety.cce.cornell.edu/
http://www.sil.si.edu/SILPublications/seeds/bibseednur.html
http://www.sil.si.edu/digitalcollections/SeedNurseryCatalogs/CF/TL_SeedsSelectIm\
agesCatalog.cfm?catalog=10023
http://www.sil.si.edu/digitalcollections/SeedNurseryCatalogs/
http://www.meemelink.com/
http://www.seeds.ca/hpd/cataloglist.php
http://cuke.hort.ncsu.edu/cucurbit/wehner/vegcult/vgclintro.html

http://www.monticello.org/housegardenplant/index.html

http://www.landisvalleymuseum.org/seeds.php

http://www.saveseeds.org/seedsmen/halloffame.html
www.liseed.org
http://vegvariety.cce.cornell.edu/
www.nativeseeds.org
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/publications/vegetabletravelers/\
corn.html

Edible Landscaping… The Cloudberry Conundrum

Robin282 — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 08:48:50 -0400

Author: Robin282
Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 12:48 pm (GMT 0)

Rubus chamaemorus: Greek chamai ("dwarf") and morus (“mulberry”) also known as Bakeberry, Baked-apple berry, Cloudberry, Malka, Moltebeere, Salmonberry (Not to be confused with Rubus spectabilis), Torfbeere, Yellowberry
Ahhh the cloudberry… possibly as ethereal as the name implies…

It took 2 years to get my hands on some seeds, and then I handled them the same way that I did the cranberries I had started from seed--to no avail. Hmmm...

Meanwhile, I had been searching all this time for information on the cloudberry, and at first, there were only 2 Google pages that came up in a search result. After 3-4 years now, there are many more pages. However, these pages are not particularly helpful to my cause: acquiring the plant.

My introduction to the cloudberry was late one night while watching a show called “Quest for the Bay” about 1937 Labrador. The show had a couple of families move to the Placentia Bay area and set up living like 1937: cod fishing, salting, and preparing for market; gardening, rationing food, and storing for winter; and so forth. One episode showed 2 of the women going out and picking “bakeapples”.

After that, I looked for information on the fruit. After finding out what I could (which wasn’t much), I decided I would like to grow it. That is when the trouble began.

As I said before, there was all of 2 Google pages. These pages included sites from Norway and others and were written in a language I do not know. Some pages were very scientific—no problem, I can read that—but I could not get into the site; I guess a university must have an account. I saw that one other person was looking for the plants and even paid someone money to find it on the web. The respondent gave a few nursery names, but the only one that actually had it listed for selling was out, and had a waiting list (I have been on that list for over 2 years). One other place that I found was a US Germplasm Bank. After writing and going from person to person, I finally was able to ask for seed. I was so happy to receive this seed! It was collected in Russia. About the same time, I was joining gardening websites. I found a very pleasant woman in Norway who had a pile of the berries in the freezer. She sent me a good amount of seed.

Well, seed is good. I have good luck germinating things. I have even germinated difficult things. Well, this is my 3rd year attempting to germinate these seeds, and I have gotten not-a-one! I have tried several different methods. I tried the ol’ stratify in the fridge and then bring to warm. I have tried winter sowing outside. I have tried the warm-cold-warm stratification. The seed coats are hard and thick for a raspberry type plant, so I nicked the coat to speed aid germination. I have tried the bleach method. When I got the Russian seeds, there were some suggestions on germinating—which I followed—with no resultant sprouting.

In the fall, I met a very nice person from Newfoundland (on a gardening site). She said she would send me seeds. I told her of the hard time I was having. She said she had sent seeds before, and that person sprouted them. OK, maybe my seeds aren’t as fresh as necessary. I am still hoping to work something out there.

This time, I am trying Gibberellic acid! I have read (in the new pages I can now find on Google) that this makes it possible to skip the stratification! We shall see…

Of course, I was told that I couldn’t grow them here! Impossible, they said. Well, first (since this is experimentation) let me see if I can get one to sprout! Then I will worry about having the right climate. I have the perfect spot in my yard—a little micro-climate if you will.

All that said, I would still need to have plenty of plants going to get anything because the plants are dioecious (male & female separately)! I am still determined.

I also met a nice fellow gardener from Alaska. He has sent me seeds of other berries that are tough to get going—I have them all going. He plans to send me cloudberry seeds when he makes jam. The seeds he sends are a by-product of making jam (prior to heating of course!). He will strain them out and mail them to me.

Well, I have fresh seed pending; that is a good sign. I hope to get plants pending. I would like it if I could get 2-3 plants just to see if I could keep them going here. I will continue my experiments with the seed, and learn what I can from my failures.

It will be a great & surprising thing if I do succeed.
Robin

How to Make Long Lasting Plant Markers

Robin282 — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 21:42:23 -0500

Author: Robin282
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2008 2:42 am (GMT 0)

Marking seeds is important, and I try every year, but they seem to
disappear, get separated from their plant or wear off. Well, my
best advice is SHARPIE!

Sharpie is permanent--more so on porous material. I have also
learned the sun can bleach anything. So, if you use regular plastic
labels that you can buy, I would write in sharpie, and when you push
into the soil, face the writing away from the sun--maybe even tip the
tag at an angle so the writing is facing the ground somewhat.

My daughter made some wood ones with sharpie--it lasted a while
because the marker could sink in, but they would need to be touched
up once or twice during the season to insure they stay all the way
through.

My favorite method that seems to last the longest also uses
sharpie. It may last the longest because the ink almost becomes
part of the plastic.

I took m kids to the Plastics Museum in MA, and the told us #6
plastic can be used with Sharpie markers to make "Shrinky Dinks"
(anyone remember those?) I figured it would work great for labelling
because the Spongebob ones we made never faded--even after being in
the window for a year!

If you'd like to try:
Materials--#6 PLASTIC (don't go buy the expensive Shrinky Dink
refills, the #6 cupcake or bakery boxes work fine, as long as it is
flat and clear).
A small piece of SANDPAPER. ou doin't want to gouge, just get the
shine off the surface, so something fine is good.
SHARPIES--the Plastics people said SHARPIES.

Steps--
1. Cut out the shape you wish to make your label into--BE SURE to
make it about 4 times as big as you need it (the really do shrink
right up).

2. Sand one side of the label (only where you will write) until it
is cloud, and the shine is gone.

3. Write your label in Sharpie ink.

4. Place your labels on a piece of foil with a good amount of space
between them (the move when heated).

5. Place in 325*F oven, DO NOT WALK AWAY! I use a toaster oven for
this.

6. STAND RIGHT THERE while it does its thing. AT first, the will la
there. In a minute the will start to move a little. Then the curl
up, and look as if the are going to get stuck to themselves and the
whole thing is going to be a failure....IT ISN'T. WAIT--this all
happens rather quickly. The will start to unfurl, and they the will
lay fairly flat. Once they get to fairly flat (If you wait for
completely flat, it will be too long). If it has a slight lift on
the ends, I turn it over immediately upon taking them out, and press
them flat. Most of the time it isn't necessary.

You may wish to do only one the first time to get the idea of how
things in the oven go.

For us, the have not wiped off or bleached out in the window, so
maybe this will be good for some of you.

Hopefully, I have given all the details. Feel free to e-mail me
directly with any questions.

Second Post:
#6 refers to the recycling designation. Milk jugs and liquid laundry
containers are #2. Pancake syrup and some shampoo bottles are #3. #1
is abundant on cups as well as #6. Find the recycling triangle with
the number in the middle. We were told by the scientists at the
Plastics Museum to use #6 (maybe other numbers just melt instead of
contracting).
Where I live, the best suppl of #6 is through baked goods--even the
ones on the shelf. Oreos have a plastic tray inside the bag to hold
the cookies--these were #6 when I checked them. Stuff from our store
bakery that has a plastic box--cakes, croissants, etc. come in #6
plastic. The plastic is rigid--unlike the squeeze bottles for
ketchup and laundry soap.

I have not used colored plastic for this, but you can experiment.
Because of the contraction, the colors become concentrated, and I do
not know if this would obscure your writing. I do not know if the
plastic is somewhat rounded if it will keep that rounded shape after
unfurling...another experiment.

I made some last night, and I find neat, block letters work best. If
your writing is fairly "stylized" like mine (messy!) it will only
get worse shrunk down, and you won't be able to read it!

I recommend doing one first, just to get a feel for the process. It
is fairly straightforward, and one you see it, you'll know all you
need to...

Third:
Yes, when they shrink down, they observe that law of nature they
tried to teach us back in school: Conservation of Matter: Matter can
neither be created or destroyed. They still have the same volume of
plastic, it is just shrunk down, and more tightly compacted; they
are thicker, much shorter, and inflexible. However, the ink ends up
as a part of the plastic in a way, and that is why it doesn't rub
off or fade in a couple of months. They can become brittle in
winter like most plastics, but they have hung in there the best for
me.

Fourth:
You must stay right by the oven! The time will vary depending on the
size and thickness of what you start with...
I use a toaster oven, and I don't bother to preheat, and it takes
less than 2 minutes.

You'll know it's done when it lays back down.

Hope you find this helpful. I made mine as stick labels to push
into the ground, but someone else used a hole punch and tied them to
the planter. If you do punch a hole, put it far enough in...the
melting will case a close-to-the-edge one to open.

Good Luck!
Robin

Edible Landscaping... Organic & Sharing the bounty

Robin282 — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 23:23:47 -0500

Author: Robin282
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 4:23 am (GMT 0)

Each year, I add more edible landscape items to our property. I am all organic. With this, I have to share with others who call our place their home: animals.

I have found that some years are better or worse than others. two years ago, the catbirds enjoyed my black-caps to the point of my daughter getting less. Other than that, a squirrel ate our first alpine strawberry or two (the only ones that got to grow that first-year-planting). Bunnies have enjoyed the first bean leaves. I have to put my foot down there. All I did was set the next bean patch in a high traffic area and that was it. The skunk digs up the grubs, so frankly, he works here! One year, I planted peas very early. The sparrows dine on the leaves until spring finally arrived and there were other greens to munch. As soon as they left the peas alone, the peas grew and produced as usual.

Otherwise, it has not been bad. I do not mind the animals helping themselves. We do feed the birds, and I do plant things for them. They give us hours of pleasure and are educational.

I do not appreciate the bugs the same way. I must admit there too, the damage has not been bad. I got a bad squash bug infestation, but luckily, my summer squashes were pretty much done anyway. I brought my hens out and set them upon the bugs, and, well, they work here too.

I have had bean beetles, but got plenty of beans. I had potato beetle arrive at the potato patch, but they were so easy to pick off and fling to the chickens. I cannot complain.

This one is just a rambling. I like being organic here--even if I have to share.

Seed for Needy... I have my first family to help!

Robin282 — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 23:01:16 -0500

Author: Robin282
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 4:01 am (GMT 0)

Although my desire to share with people who in need has been in me for some time, I am only in the brainstorming/development stage.

Today, I have found a family who has lost everything in a fire. I have already packed up enough seeds for a great vegetable garden for them this year. I will send it tomorrow.

This is exactly what I want to do. I can certainly handle an individual here or there while in development, but I know I will need to join forces with others as things move along.

What is a more basic form of giving than sharing seeds?
Robin

Developing a Seeds for the Needy Program.

Robin282 — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:47:43 -0500

Author: Robin282
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:47 am (GMT 0)

As I mentioned in another blog, I am developing a plan to procure seeds in quantity for people/communities/villages in need. I plant to start with the Appalachian Seed Project here in the USA. Then, I hope to make contacts outside the USA through the Heifer Project initially.

Gardeners are generous folks, and I am sure there will be plenty who wish to help. We can collect quantities of seed in a central location, write up growing instructions, and fill packs and send them out. That is an extremely over-simplified version of what I'd like to do, but basically, that is it.

I want to keep it as simple as possible. I could even get the Girl Scouts to fill packs for charity so to speak. I know there are ways of doing it, and I do not expect to save the world, just help some folks who need it. I am not in a position to be philanthropic and send money, but I do not believe that prevents me from helping in some way. Surely, I can save seed from all my pumpkins instead of just one or two for example.

My first tasks will be to come up with a name, sign up some gardeners, write growing instructions, make contacts and then move on to the practical aspects of making it happen.

I will keep it to vegetables first. if we are limited, it will be the most nutritious veggies first. Then a wider variety of veggies moving into herb seeds possibly. The idea is to feed people.

I will have to check into the logistics of such a thing as sending bulk seeds to another country, but I am sure we can figure it out. Good veggies do not tend to be invasive! I have also received seeds from other countries. I'll look into that.

At this planning stage I am open to suggestions and so forth. Keeping it simple is paramount; people tend not to volunteer for things that are too complicated.

Thanks!
Robin

Losing Control... Gaining Control

Robin282 — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:19:21 -0500

Author: Robin282
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:19 am (GMT 0)

After being reminded to avoid political dialogs, I have been concerned about writing another blog on this topic. I was unsure if it was my comment in response to someone about our politics--which I removed--or this whole blog subject. I hope it was the brief comment about the election. That is easy to avoid. I have no problem with the reminder or not discussing candidates or whatever, my remark was general, and I don't care for politics anyway.

As for losing control of our food supply and who is behind the food takeover, I hope I can write about this problem and leave politics out of it. People can make that part of the connection themselves. I feel very moved to write about this topic so that gardeners know how important they are in maintaining some individual rights and control. The movement to "Own rights to plant & animal genes, then patent them" should be a concern of not just gardeners, but anyone who eats.

I am very interested in seed preservation & the keeping of old strains. This goes against the current movement of food takeover by big corporations whose whole interest up until recently has been chemicals and their dispersion in spite of any consequences. We have a duty, I believe, to those who have maintained and given us our great genetic diversity in gardening. Many, many strains have been lost already.

I also have a desire to start a charity seed project where seeds will be collected by generous gardeners and sent to the indigent, desperate, or needy in this area. I would like to recruit writers to create documents with growing information. This goal is still in the planning stage, but I hope it will help keep control of the food supply in the hands of the people who eat it--open to all without patent restrictions, royalties, or penalties. I plan to send them in the USA, and to other countries as well.

I hope that I may continue writing on this blog topic. If it is not in the spirit of this forum, please tell me. I will gladly stop. I like everyone I have met here very much and wish to be a part of garden stew. I can talk about this on another site, but I doubt I'll find one as nice as this.

Thanks,
Robin

Edible Landscaping--Edibles on Memory Lane

Robin282 — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 23:55:33 -0500

Author: Robin282
Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 4:55 am (GMT 0)

I lived on Cape Cod, Massachusetts (USA) for most of my life. The flora is a bit different than most of the rest of Massachusetts (MA). Some alpine type plants are there: short, low, hardy. The Cape is a sandy place so soil is poor in many places. The pines and oaks are mostly scrub-type, and some places are not very green at all. Amidst this landscape of sand and scrub you will find beautiful pink Lady Slipper orchids growing under the rough and rugged looking trees.

I used to take walks with my older sister when I was a pre-teen child. We would walk through the woods and find "Checkerberry" (Gaulthera procumbens), and taste the minty leaves and comment on how it tasted just like a gum that was out at the time: Teaberry. You could also buy Checkerberry Popcorn at an ice-cream stand at the beach. The popped corn had a glaze over it with that delightful sweetly mint (not "hot" at all) flavor on it. That was my grandmothers (Ma) favorite. We would go there when my grandparents came and stayed for a few days every other weekend.

My sister and I would walk in the scrub woods near our home, and along the edges and in clearings were patches of blueberries. We picked what was ripe and returned home to give them to my mother who would put them in pancakes and muffins for my Grandfather (Papa). There were also a few raspberry/blackberry plants around. They were prostrate & trailing an were themselves rather rough with their spines and imperfect fruit. Papa still loved them. I loved picking them, the smell of the woods while I was there, and the smile on Papa's face when we brought them home.

I believe Papa really enjoyed the idea of us going out and gathering in such a way. That is a lost art around here now. Housing developments have replaced many of these places, and others have been paved over with highways. Papa used to tell us stories of growing things when he was younger. We were 2 generations farther away from the dirt, but this brought things back. My Grandfather and an elderly neighbor taught me how to garden starting when I was 8. When I harvested, Ma would snap the peas or beans for dinner while she sat on a chez lounge in the sun.

One of the great things about life on Cape Cod was abundant seafood. When I was 12 I used to go fishing by myself and sometimes with a friend at the bay. I brought home at various times squid, snapper blues, crabs, and clams. Although not landscaping, edible nonetheless.

I miss those days. Recently, while trying to pass on the joy of a ramble through the woods to my kids, the harsh reality of its dangers hit us. In 2006, my daughter and I got Lyme Disease--it was awful. Luckily, we caught it quick, and after treatment are both recovered. The thing is we caught it on the edge of our own property! Certainly the woods would have more ticks! I have ventured out around here when things are colder (October for "Autumn Olive" picking), but I have picked up a tick on a February walk. We are no longer on the Cape, and this location is closer to the epicenter of Lyme disease.

I think this Spring (early) I will go back to the Cape for some walks in the dunes on the beach. Maybe we can spot some whales while we are there. I hope my kids get as much out of walking and browsing the landscape for food as I did.

Robin

Losing Control... Getting Started with Information

Robin282 — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 11:57:42 -0500

Author: Robin282
Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 4:57 pm (GMT 0)

OK, first the disclaimer: I know we are not supposed to sell anything and so forth. I am not selling anything. I am going to give the titles of some books I have read; you may do as you like. I do not wish to be controversial. I do believe people should know where their food comes from (not in the store under plastic). I am not a reactionary, I view myself as a realist, so I try to get as much information as possible before I solidify my opinion.

Survival first is the inherent push in organisms. For people, money can get you past survival into REAL LIVING: living it up, the high life, whatever you call it. Money has become a god to many. Personally, I do not like to be that far away from dirt. I do like to stay grounded and close to the beginnings of things. I have a mind that likes to know how everything works. Yes, I am female and can fix my own car (my husband can't). I am not an idealistic teen, I am 43, and have had a great deal of struggle in my life, and frankly I am better for it. Struggle, in my opinion is a character builder. In America, SOME of us do not struggle enough and the characters of many are lost, I think. There are MANY good people here who are so busy struggling, working, and focusing on families that they do not need to be as loud, flashy, and in the public eye as those who could use come character improvement. I started college at 30 with a science-math focus, but had to switch to a course without labs because I had a sickly child. I got more classes than was necessary for my degree, but as I said, I want to know how everything works.

OK, that is an over simplified view of some of my thinking. Everyone's opinions and thoughts come from somewhere, so better I state it flat out in front, and then people reading this blog will know where I am coming from in my thinking.

There, now let us begin with reading.

These are some of the books I have read:

The Last Harvest: The Genetic Gamble That Threatens to Destroy American Agriculture by Paul Raeburn

Enduring Seeds: Native American Agriculture and Wild Plant Conservation by Gary Paul Nabhan. Foreword By Wendell Berry

Against the Grain: Biotechnology and the Corporate Takeover of Your Food by Marc Lappe and Britt Bailey

Although I can only say what I see here in the USA, this thing is happening globally.

Here is are websites that are along this line.

Organic Consumer's Association, Millions Against Monsanto
http://www.organicconsumers.org/monlink.cfm

If you go to this website, on the right there is a blurb titled "Monsanto Takes Ownership of Public Water Resources"

Monsanto Tries to Patent the Pig
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/monsanto-pig-patent-111

Global Research-Center for Research on Globalization
http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=2480

On cotton farmers in India committing suicide because of defaulting on loans for GMO cotton seed)
India Farmers Accuse Monsanto of Pushing Cotton "Seeds of Death"
http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/indiacotton012406.cfm
Daily News & Analysis
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1049554
India Daily
http://www.indiadaily.com/editorial/18983.asp
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/19/world/asia/19india.html

Monsanto Seizes Bank Account of French Farmers Association, Confederation Paysanne
http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/conpay121905.cfm

Our own farmers are in trouble:
For this one, I am just putting up the Google search since there are just so many.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&hs=KqZ&q=monsanto+sues+american+farmer&btnG=Search

Basically, what is happening will boil down to us gardeners having to pay royalties for seeds we grow our food with including seed we keep ourselves. We could be charged with theft and fined. It sounds crazy, but that is what is being pushed.

If you do not save your own seed soon, you may have to buy new every time as some chemical companies are buying up seed houses and working on a terminator gene so that the plants will not provide the grower with more seed.

Well, food will become so expensive I can only imagine where that will lead. It costs good money to eat well. The cheap food in America is crap or "Junk Food", and although easily accessible and cheap these are the very things that lead to disease such as heart disease, diabetes, and others as a result of obesity or bad nutrition. We have a big problem with this here in America. Plenty of people are in good shape and eat well, but that will increasingly become only those with good amounts of money.

For me, I do not run up and down the street like good old American poet Walt Whitman shouting at the crowds, but I do believe people should know where their food comes from, should have some independence in the acquisition of food, and should be informed as much as possible.

All I can do is my part: I garden organically (as much food as I can possible provide for my family), I save seed, and I try to share what I have learned. I share it with an attitude of "to each his/her own", meaning I share the info and let go. If someone is moved by it and does something, great, if not, that's OK because now that person knows and can make decisions with that knowledge in hand--so to speak.

I hope to continue writing on this subject, which is rather challenging. Although this was more of an information blog to look at other reading sources, I hope to move into more of my own commentary and the effects that I have seen personally.

Thanks for reading,
Robin

Edible Landscaping--Cranberry Bog

Robin282 — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 10:51:18 -0500

Author: Robin282
Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 3:51 pm (GMT 0)

Some interest has arisen about my cranberry bog, so I will post what I did here.

We moved here about 4 years ago. The first year I had a veggie garden and a "watch and see" for the rest of the yard. Well, I noticed a portion of our yard held water when it rained a lot. It was wet, I thought, because the ground was still frozen underneath.

The following year, my daughter (7 at the time) was rescuing worms from the flooded area. These worms told me it had nothing to do with frozen ground. The poor things were trying to escape because the soil was wet all the way down. The worms weren't there the time before, but this was definitely a clue. I was pretty excited--unlike most people I would imagine--to have an opportunity there. My daughter and I saved literally about 4000 earthworms! She was so adorable saying, "Help! We have to save them!" We put them all in gardens on higher ground.

The next year, I started to prep the area. My son was helpful, thank goodness. I chose the lowest spot, turned over the nice black dirt. I made a drainage hole next to it (where we pulled out a stump) because cranberries like to be raised up above the moisture. They can be soaked for a period of time in cool/cold weather, but not during growing.

On top, I mixed peat moss and sand--with a little garden solid for nutrition (not much at all). I also had to dig a trench at the other end of my field because road run-off would get into the yard and work its way across to the bog area. That worked out pretty well.

We also made a rock wall (one row of big rocks) behind the bog and planted azaleas there. I put violets around the bottom of the flowering shrubs.

My brother worked for a cranberry growing company, and I was hoping to get some vines from him. He procrastinated and then moved to Florida! Well, I had decided earlier to start cranberry from seed.

Cranberry germination: I cut open fresh cranberries, put them on a damp paper towel, and put them in the fridge. They were there for over 30 days, but I do not recall exactly how long). Then I brought the paper towel baggie out, and started watching the seeds. Each day, I would unwrap, and return them to the moist (now warm) place in the plastic bag. Then, I saw sprouts, and planted them in flats. Since it was an experiment and I hoped to get vines from my brother, I had but a few. They did quite well.

You do not need a bog to grow cranberries!

I wanted a bog for other reasons too. I have a Jack-in-the-pulpit to one side of the bog, and am studying about other plants that like that sort of situation.

Well, my brother moved back last year, and got me a big bag of vines. He told me to plant them, and not to be concerned if they drop all their leaves and look dead. This is what happens when you cut the vine and it has no roots. The moisture in the bog keeps the stem from dying. Well, I decided to toss a little rooting hormone down before I laid the vines everywhere and sprinkled sand all over. I could see parts of the vines, and if any ends were sticking out or showing, I tucked them into the dirt. Well, things looked bad as he said it would, and then after a long time, I saw little green cranberry sprouts!

The worst part of it last year was to weed it without pulling out the delicate little plants. We also have chickens, and a couple are good at getting out. Now, where did you think they wanted to go and play? The bog of course--but only those nice soft-soil weeded areas! So, I decided to leave the rest of the weeds to protect the little plants from the chicken scratching and see what I had this year. Maybe by the time things get going again, I will have a stronger vine when the weeds are removed, and they can fend better for themselves.

We will be building a special chicken coop for Houdini chickens.

Cranberries need a little sand on them now and again to produce more roots as the vines grow up and old are replaced by new. I do not think much fertilizer is needed. I am organic here anyway, but I think they do well in nature in fairly poor soil anyway. I will check, and post about that in the future.

Near where I used to live, there was a swath of wild cranberries growing amidst a big blueberry patch. The whole thing was above an aquifer (underground water). The ground actually had a bounce to it. It was dry on top and and it is hard to describe: not squishy, just bouncy as if you were on something fairly solid, but that it was on top of something not. Well, when we picked blueberries one year, we got about 3 gallons in an hour or so. The cranberries there produce too, but not much, and at a different time. The following year, the town put in a water-pumping station, and the blueberries were never quite the same. I never saw any after that. After the birds got the few that were there, I never saw another blueberry. Fortunately, I saved a couple of the bushes, and I have them growing in my yard now.

Feel free to ask questions, if I do not know the answer myself, I will ask my brother. I do hope I get some berries this year; I would like to make sauce for Thanksgiving dinner from my own cranberries!
Robin

Introduction: Losing Control of Our Food Supply

Robin282 — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 00:25:15 -0500

Author: Robin282
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2008 5:25 am (GMT 0)

Over the last 2 years, I have really developed a driving interest in what is happening to the world's food supply and who is gaining control over it. I have read a number of interesting books and articles on the subject.

In America, where our grocery stores are flowing over with food-laden shelves, it hardly appears necessary to have a concern about the food supply. However, the stuffed stores belie what is really going on behind the scenes: a fight for control over everything from seed to fruit--an even the water supply in some places.

I hope to write some good, cogent articles on this topic. I look forward to hearing from others about it as well.
Robin

Edible Landscaping

Robin282 — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 00:11:36 -0500

Author: Robin282
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2008 5:11 am (GMT 0)

Last year I began to plant perennial food plants. I have been a veggie gardener since I was 8 years old. Now that I am just "older" I need to put in plants that won't have to be replanted year after year.

Last year, I put in a cranberry bog. My brother works for a local cranberry company, an he got me some nice vines that I believe were making a break for it.

I also planted low-growing plants such as Usa-Urvi, Salal, Gaulthera procumbens, Michella repans, blue berry (I had planted some in previous years too), and some others. I hope to add to this list.

I have an Amish pen-pal that swapped with me and sent some very nice Rubus: wineberry, dewberry, tayberry. He also sent some nice Saskatoon, JuJube, and some seed. We also swapped eggs, an he sent some eggs for Guinea fowl. They are interesting birds, but are not as good for company as chickens. Since we have ticks & deer here with Lyme disease (and my dauhter and I had it in '06), I wanted the Guineas for the ticks. Supposedly, they eat them.

Since this is my first blog, I am not sure what to write about.
Robin