Seeds

Swap, Buy & Harvest

Seed Options 
Three main types of seeds are available to gardeners.

• Open-pollinated 
• Heirloom 
• Hybrid -  plant breeding in a lab to combine 2  varieties, & GMO, which is altering seed DNA

For this post, I will discuss open-pollinated and heirloom seeds, as I feel these two types promote biodiverse and adaptable seed stock ongoing. This also enables private gardeners to save money, and collect their own seed to use and share with others.
Open-pollinated means that the plant flowers are fertilized by bees, moths, birds , bats, and even by the wind and rain. The seed harvested from these plants produce the same plant the next year. Some variances can occur if the plant is cross-pollinated by a different variety nearby, but this also adds to genetic diversity.  More diverse plant populations can adapt to local growing conditions and changes in climate year-to-year.
Heirloom seeds have a documented history of being passed down from generation to generation in a family, community or tribe, that have not been cross-pollinated. The plants grown may need a little extra care, but are said to produce more flavorful and more nutritious food. Heirloom tomatoes are especially popular because of their deep rich flavor, and the seeds can also be saved to plant more of the same for the next season! 

Why Organic?? 
The simple answer is that synthetic pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, that are used on crops, including crops for seed, are unhealthy to consume. These chemicals cause illness, and are linked to many illnesses, cognitive degeneration, learning disabilities, memory loss and cancers.  When crops are treated with these toxins, the food we eat also contains them. 
So, I vote Organic.
The "Organic" designation requires more government oversight relating to certification and growing standards, transportation, and production facilities. The increase in the cost of this "cleaner" produce is a small price to pay for the commitment by smaller farms and farmers, who believe that food grown in it's natural form and habitat provide our bodies and our families the best possible nutrition. 
And I stand for these practices. 

Biodiversity is the perfect balance.
​Crop health & production improve exponentially in a biodiverse environment. This is why monocrops grown from hybrid seeds require so much synthetic fertilizer. All the nutrients & biodiversity are gone. 
See this AMAZING example of the benefits of biodiversity on the barren landscape of the Dead Sea
www.youtube.com/watch?v=goBB4fVLRxc
Ecosystems are biodiverse communities that include all the different kinds of life you'll find in one area. These species interact and create an ever-expanding energy storage system that form an intricate web, to maintain balance and support all life.  

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