The Ghost in Your Genes - Environmental Phenomena Is 'Inheritable'

This BBC video, The Ghost In Your Genes, presents the next frontier beyond mapping the human genome and envisions some chilling possibilities for future generations based on what we have done to our bodies in this era of 'better living through chemistry.'

The data show that famine in one generation can be experienced physiologically by generations that follow - they don't have to go hungry to be experience the stress of that hunger. Finally, towards the end of the film, exposure to pesticide comes into the picture.

The ramifications are chilling. If the effects of pesticides are evident into the the third and fourth generation of rats (the phenomena has yet to be studied in humans), then the effects of pesticides will be felt for the coming 60 years (at minimum) in humans.

Now translate the effects of genetically modified food into the mix. We have only a few studies that focus on GM food in our guts and so far the conclusion we are seeing is that they might not be good for us. There has to be a lot more study. Unfortunately, that study can't just come in a twinkling - we will need twenty years to show whether or not genetically modified food is bad for us and if bad, how bad. There is considerable anecdotal evidence that genetically modified corn destroys female conception in mammals like pigs. That research has not been done in humans. Yet.

However, this testing should have been forced to occur BEFORE GMO technology was unleashed on our digestive systems and on the ecosystems of this Earth. Americans, more than any other national group, will pay the most if this plays out badly because our government has been the least effective in controlling GMOs in our food.  If you needed more examples of how the government should exert much more control over business, I submit this as the most egregious example of greed triumphing over reason any where in the history of the good ol' US of A.

It was, in part, frustration over the American government's unwillingness to stand up for its own people that fueled the idea of a seed library. If we, local citizens, grow our own food, we control more of what goes into our bodies and, therefore, the effects it will have on our health. Now we can also consider the effects on our children and our children's children.

Many of us have felt our responsibility to coming generations deserved more consideration; now, the facts seem to support this conclusion and we have much more reason to demand our government treat us better than a test population for rich guys to get richer. Our government must be forced back from the idiocy of 'corporations are people too.' Like the wag said, "I'll believe corporations are people when Texas executes one!"

It has not mattered which of the two big parties have been elected lately. I am no lover of George Bush, but even Obama put wolves in charge of the hen house picking Tom Vilsack as the Secretary of Agriculture - a former Monsanto Board member. And while the government looked the other way, Monsanto, under several administrations, has been allowed to become one of the most dominant players in the seed business in the US. This is not good. Greed and avarice are the only principles this company honors and we are allowing them to be in possession of the basis of agriculture?

So you get a seed library. No matter what laws the government passes, no matter what plant genetics are controlled by what company, we can grow our own food and eat healthy, non-GMO food and the whole corrupt system be damned. We have a seed library and no, we don't need it today, this very minute. We can still get a lot of our seeds from the few remaining companies that still care. But if they aren't around tomorrow because Monsanto has been allowed to buy them all up, we will know how to save seed already and we will be here to steward the seeds that have fed mankind for countless decades. If you join with us, you'll learn how too.

If you don't, we'll be here prepared when we absolutely have to do it this way!

But don't wait. Join with us now and be one of the ones who knows the way out of the jungle. Together, we will both be stronger.

david

Meeting This Saturday,

A quick reminder that the Seed Library of Los Angeles (SLOLA) meets again this Saturday, January 14, from 2:30 to 4:00 pm, at The Learning Garden. SLOLA Chair David King will kick off the meeting with his "New Year's Resolutions for Seed Savers" -- some fun and practical tips on what (and what not) to do with seed saving in mind. And at the close of the meeting, members may again check out seeds for free from the ever-expanding library.

 

By the way, you might also like to know that Bill McDorman, Executive Director of Native Seed/SEARCH and the primary instructor at the seed school David King recently attended, will be giving the keynote lecture for 4th Annual Seed Swap sponsored by Santa Barbara Permaculture Network and Fairview Gardens, on Friday, January 27, from 7:00 to 9:30 pm, at the Santa Barbara Downtown Public Library Faulkner Gallery, 40 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101. Admission is just $5 and reservations are not required. For more information, please call (805) 962-2571 or e-mail margie@sbpermaculture.org. (McDorman will also lead the Seed School Workshop the following day.) Those interested in attending can discuss carpooling at the Saturday SLOLA meeting!

 

Thanks,

Tim

 

Tim Smith

Membership Chair

Varieties of Vegetable Seeds I Believe Should Be Saved

SLOLA Volunteers Check-in Seeds

A year ago I drew up a list of seeds I thought would be the ones to save – I asked around for others to suggest varieties that I might have missed, but there haven't been a lot of responses.

I was explaining to someone the other day that SLOLA has something like 200 varieties of vegetables in our bank and how I would rather have fewer varieties with larger quantities of each. He suggested that I was postulating the same lack of diversity I decry in the world of seed today.

After thinking about it for a couple of days, I think I have an answer to that accusation: It is better to save a fewer varieties of seed and save them well than to have hundreds of different varieties and save them poorly. I would like SLOLA to save all the seeds that will grow here successfully, but that could easily be more seeds than SLOLA can handle at present.

It is more important that we start where we are (we can't really start somewhere else, can we?) and begin to learn how to save seeds of several major varieties and have them on hand. At present, there aren't that many members who are experienced at growing out to seed. Those who can reliably grow plants out to seed need to apply themselves to growing out the difficult seeds and grow enough out to insure a supply on hand for the rest of our members.

Last year, compiling my list of seeds to save, I was heading east on I-70 through Illinois on into Indiana ending up at Ft. Wayne to celebrate Christmas. I was in the back of a car with my little Netbook and using a Blackberry to be online. This year, I'm at home and surrounded by seed catalogs, including the two most often cited as 'veggie porn' catalogs (Seed Savers' Exchange and Baker Creek Heirlooms) and was able to use their listings to create the following list of seeds to save.

I'd like to hear from everyone who reads this and has suggestions for varieties of veggies to save. The Seed Savers Of Los Angeles need a list of seeds to save – a 'target' for us to shoot for. Email us via the blog or bring your list to any SLOLA meeting – I’ll be willing to add your suggestions to my list. Let's see if we can double this in the coming year!

Here are my choices:  

Artichokes

      Green Globe

      Violetto

Beans

      Aquadulce (Fava)

      Broad Windsor (Fava)

      Cannelini Bush Bean (Dry/Bush)

      Christmas (Lima/Climbing)

      Dr. Pineschi's Grandfather Bean (Vigna unguiculata)

      Envy (Soybean)

      Golden Wax Bean (Wax/Bush)

      Henderson (Lima/Bush)

      Hutterite Soup

      Pencil Pod (Wax/Bush)

      Royal Burgundy Bean (Purple/Early)

      Scarlet Runner (Phaseolus coccineus)

Beets
      Albino

      Bull's Blood

      Crosby's Egyptian

      Burpee's Golden Beet

      Chioggia Beet

      Detroit Dark Red

      Yellow Cylindrical

Broccoli

      DiCicco

      Nutribud

 

Brussels Sprouts

      Long Island Improved

Cabbage

      Copenhagen Market Cabbage

      Early Jersey Wakefield

      Glory of Enkhuizen 

      Mammoth Red Rock

      Perfection Drumhead Savoy

      Premium Late Flat Dutch

      Winningstadt 

 

Carrot

      Scarlet Nantes

      Chantenay Red Core

      Danvers Half Long

      White Belgian

Cauliflower

      Early Snowball

Chard

      Five Color Silverbeet Chard (AKA Rainbow Chard)

      Fordhook Giant

Celery and Celeriac

      Giant Prague (Celeriac)

      Utah Tall (Celery)

Corn

      Country Gentleman Corn

      Golden Bantam Corn
      Stowells Evergreen

Cucumber

      Armenian

Eggplant

      (You know, I don't really LIKE eggplant - but I'm open to listing suggestions from those of you who do!)

Grains Etc... (The library is not saving any of these seeds, but it is important to keep these in mind for the near future - I've already started to grow out the Federation Wheat trying to get a supply of seed on hand, there'll be another blog post about this one soon.)

      Flax

      Quinoa, Shelly 25 Black

      Sesame, Light Seeded

      Wheat, Federation 126

Kale

      Blue Curled Scotch

      Lacinato

Leek

      Blue Solaise

      Carentan

      King Richard 

 

Lettuce

      Black Seeded Simpson

      Brune d'Hiver 

      Cimmaron

      Drunken Woman Frizzy Head Lettuce

      Tango Lettuce

      Merlot Lettuce

      Merveille des Quatre Saison Lettuce

      Parris Island Cos Lettuce

      Red Romaine

      Rouge d'Hiver

      Rouge Grenobloise

      Summertime

      Tango

      Tom Thumb

      Webbs Wonderful

      Yugoslavian Red

Melons

      Charentais

      Green Nutmeg

      Hale's Best

      Metki White Serpent (cucumber)

      Tigger

Okra

      Burgundy

      Clemson Spineless

      Star of David

Onion

      Red of Florence

Parsnip

      Harris Model

Peas

      Alaska

      Lincoln

      Little Marvel

      Tall Telephone

      Oregon Sugar Pod

      Sugar Snap

Pepper

      Anaheim

      Corno di Toro 

      Fish

      Italian Pepperoncini

      Jalapeno Early

      Jimmy Nardello Italian

      Red Marconi

Squash – Summer

      Lebanese White Bush Marrow

      Zucchini – Lungo Bianco

Squash - Winter

      Black Futsu

      Chersonskaya 

      Delicata

      Marina di Chioggia

      Queensland Blue Squash

      Sweet Meat

Tomato

      Amish Paste

      Big Rainbow 

      Black Cherry

      Black From Tula

      Black Icicle

      Cherokee Purple      Copia

      Cream Sausage

      Federle

      Flammé

      Orange Banana

      Orange Icicle

      Roman Candle

      Rutgers

      San Marzano

      San Remo

      Striped Roman

      Thessaloniki

      Wapsipinicon Peach

Turnip

      Purple Top White Globe

That totals 113, this year.  Maybe we'll top 200 next year!  Let us know which ones are missing and help us to find those really good varieties to save!

david

The Seed Library of Los Angeles Turns One Year Old!

Many of the original Board of Directors braved the cold.

It was probably one of the coldest days of December 2010.  About 35 people met at 1:00 on the patio of The Learning Garden at Venice High School.  By the time we'd all said hello and established the purpose of the meeting, we had dwindled down to about 20 people (and by the time all was said and done, we were even fewer).  

Those that stayed that December 4th agreed to create a thing called the Seed Library of Los Angeles and began to form the organization to save and store seeds for loaning out to members.  The members agreed to grow them out to preserve the genetic integrity of the seeds and subscribed to the Safe Seed Pledge.  Then a portion of the harvested seeds would be returned to the seed bank for future gardeners to check out.  We settled on a lifetime membership fee of $10, making it affordable to everyone. Most of us there that paid our $10 and SLOLA was on its way! 

As I write this now, the Seed Library of Los Angeles (SLOLA) has about 250 members with about 280 varieties of seeds available to loan.  We have a web page (slola.org) and email addresses for our officers.  We have won the South Bay Business Environmental Coalition's SEED Award for Preservation of Natural Resources.  We have sent speakers all over the Greater Los Angeles area to speak on saving seeds - not just how, but why.  We have at least four good qualified speakers available and we've sent them to Covina and Orange County to speak about the world of seed saving.  At our November meeting, we voted in a basic bylaws  - in this upcoming, December meeting, we will elect our first officers under those bylaws. 

 

We have had a heady first year.  But this is just the beginning.  With the lofty goals we have put our sights on, we have much to do.  The first thing to do will be to find officers to serve for the coming year.  We need more organization, more bylaws and more of that work that makes an organization viable.  Our next meeting will be December 17th.  Please take a few minutes out of your holiday schedule to come on down and lend your hand to our plow.  

It's not only important work - it's exciting work.  It's work knowing you are making a tangible difference and fighting the spectre of all seeds being GMO or all commercially available seed being owned by just a few multi-national corporations.  

Come, be a part of the legacy of 'those who fought back!'

david
Inaugural Chair

Monsanto: The Devil Isn't Dead Yet

From Centro de Periodismo Investigativo comes a disturbing story about Monsanto's apparent abrogation of the laws of Puerto Rico in order to produce seeds for their North American market, "'I am not opposed in principle to experiments done with transgenics,' said an agronomist close to the seed business. 'What bothers me is that they are subsidized to produce a product that is not for here, that does not contribute to the local agricultural economy and does not support better wages for farmers who are experiencing a difficult situation, such as coffee farmers.'" 

It is a puzzlement, at least to me, that Monsanto breaks the law because they seem to have paid off enough politicians on the mainland that the law conforms to Monsanto's needs.  Why break it - just buy yourself some more politicians and have them change it in favor of their needs? 

The More we learn about Monsanto, their business practices, their complete preoccupation with making profits at the expense of human health, the environment and any sense of decency, it amazes me that they are allowed to continue to operate with such impunity.  The fallacy that genetically modified seeds produce anything more than misery and environmental degradation are now documented and that they don't feed anyone any better than non-modified seeds is a matter of USDA record.  Time has come to roll back their pollution of the environment - the sooner the better.  We may never be able to recover some of the genetic losses caused by the indiscriminate pollution of their Frankengenes.  

Our work in saving seeds is not done and will not be done.  Monsanto has proven we cannot put our trust in corporations and government to do the right thing as far as our food supply is concerned.  We must continue to be vigilant and responsible for our food supply and that means our seeds. 

david

I'm Already Thinking 'Tomatoes'...

Aren't you?  The day is not far off when seed starters will be starting seeds of tomatoes (my first seeding out is in January!) and, because I order my tomato seeds online, yes, it is the beginning of tomato season for sure.

I don't count on getting tomatoes like these at The Learning Garden...

Seed Savers Exchange posted a link on Facebook which lead me to another link where I found Tomato Fest online, listing the Top Ten Tomatoes for 2011, based on their sales last year.  Before you go there, let me warn you, if you are gardening along the coast (Sunset Zones 22 and 24) you can drool over the beefsteak tomatoes all you want, but be advised, they can be dicey in our ocean influenced climate.  Even though I have proven this wrong once, I have proven it right more than once and I still hold to the thought that large tomatoes do not set fruit well in our climate because they need 85° over a 24 hour period to set fruit.  That is hard to count on when the ocean flow in the evening often chills us down into the 60's.  Having said that, you can now go and lust over these varieties.  Hey, buy the seeds and give them to a friend in Pasadena for Christmas.  How thoughtful!   Then show up in harvest season...  Heh heh...

Also note, along with this post at Tomato Fest, there is also a sale on tomato seeds.  How convenient!  Yes, give tomato seeds for Christmas to everyone (well, at least the locals) and enjoy the excess from several friends and neighbors - take note of what was grown and attend SLOLA meetings (next one December 17th!) and let us show you how to save the seeds for yourself and the library!

We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and all are looking forward to a warm and loving December holiday season.  For all who want to enjoy a stress free moment in December, The Learning Garden hosts a Winter Solstice celebration, starting 6:30 PM on the 22nd until the fire goes out.  Bring something warm to drink (we'll have tea and coffee for those who bring their own cup) and maybe a sweet treat, we'll have a fireplace and a ceremony to enjoy.  No gifts, no cards, nothing special to wear (but something warm is a must!), and no stress.  Just come out and observe this important end/beginning on the calendar with peace and reflection.  

What a concept!

david

Another Blow to Monsanto: Roundup Pesticide Linked to Serious Soil Damage

It's hard not to gloat (so pardon me while I gloat).  This bit of news comes from the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), one of the most dedicated apologists for Monsanto and proponents of the myth of 'get big or get out' and all the mega-argri-business model of farming that has wrecked the environment, destroyed the economy of middle America, de-populated the small towns and allowed genetic modification to be marketed as a safe and sane way to create more food for Americans to throw away.  

As an organic grower from the early '70's when the organic movement didn't have the science to back it up, I assure one and all that this is but the very beginning of the avalanche of damning reports Monsanto will have to face in the coming years.  It doesn't take a brilliant mind to understand that the methodology employed by Monsanto and their claims ran counter to the ways and means of nature - and if humans have learned anything since they started running around on two legs and began waving the other two in the air, the one sure thing you can't do is fight Mother Nature.  Any thing running counter to Mother Nature will be an expensive and destructive proposition.  And guess what?  Genetic engineering is an expensive and destructive proposition. 

The destruction of the soil and the critters in the soil alone make the use of Roundup a practice that should never have been tolerated.  To join that with  'genetic engineering' that was essential to make a 'working' scheme, was merely a marketing project undertaken by Monsanto to sell more and more Roundup.  There was no thought as to what this would do to the people who used these products, no thought of the damage inflicted on the environment, no consideration of what might happen to the people who consumed these products, no thought about economic consequences for anyone else but Monsanto - the evidence is in the lack of study undertaken on these ramifications BEFORE the marketing of their poisons.  

 

SLOLA came into being when we began to realize that we could not trust our government to tell us the truth about genetic engineering.  After Vice-president Dan Quayle signed off on the agreement that our government would not regulate GMO crops itself, but would rely on Monsanto and the other companies involved in GMO research would tell us if their products were not as advertised.  

The wolf was put in charge of the hen house.  

SLOLA exists to ensure that the population of Los Angeles can have a source of untainted seeds, seeds that are grown organically and without genetic modifications.  No matter what the ethics of Monsanto or the number of government officials they climb in bed with, as long as SLOLA can, SLOLA will guarantee a modicum of insurance that we can eat GMO free food.

 

Monsanto's profits are piled high on the misery of mankind and our country embraced these thieves and liars like no other; now here is that same government admitting that Monsanto's products are destroying the soil.  Soil cannot be made in a factory.  Soil takes time to be made - a long time.  Destroying the topsoil ought to be a crime that equates with treason or murder.  It causes more destruction and grief in a country than any act of espionage can ever.  Our society is compromised in many ways by the lies of Monsanto and their allies, including the support of our own USDA for Monsanto and the concept of agri-business.  Both of these have been nothing less than a cancer on our country and our way of life. I wont even try to NOT gloat. 

You simply cannot trust a company (or a government supporting that company) who made (and STILL makes) DDT and Agent Orange, to be responsible or ethical.

 

david