Why Organic?

[seedcorn]

Quote:
I'm sorry I should have defined "uses". In the past, people spread manure in the fields nearest the barn--convienent and quick. Manure was not seen as a solution to a problem. IF you took a soil sample around old farm lots, the P and K levels would astound you. P levels are almost to toxic waste levels. Now we identify places in fields that are best served w/manure and place it there.

Most backyard animal people do the same today. Modern Ag would be shut down if we put that level of P and K our fields today. Way too much run off when rains hit, especially in spring coming off of frozen ground. Modern Ag is environmentally friendly, we monitor run off in water.

For giggles, those of you that have hogs, chickens or cattle in confined pen on ground, take a soil sample and have it analysed.

Don't need the giggles. We get annual soil testing done across the property. All part of environmental farm plan status.

So do you have a stationary pen that you've used for chickens, hogs or (in your case goats) over a number of years--as most backyard people have? On chickens it will be at contamination levels for most people. You say you take samples across the property, do you send in samples seperate from the chicken pens? Or do you do grid sampling?

I agree that there are good farmers on organic vs. conventional farmers. I wish there was another term besides organic as in Indiana the organic people buy most of their corn products are feeding non-organic corn. It's the old "don't ask, don't tell" mind set.

 

[seedcorn]

thought you might find this of interest. In Penn State Ag news.

New GMO Lawsuit — Marvin Hall, Penn State Forage Specialist
A lawsuit was filed in federal district court in Manhattan, NY on March 29, 2011 that would preemptively prevent Monsanto from suing farmers for patent infringement if a genetically modified seed contaminates organic production. This is relevant to the roundup-ready alfalfa gene flow situation but also to other crops.

On behalf of 60 family farmers, seed businesses and organic agricultural organizations, the Public Patent Foundation (PUBPAT) filed suit against Monsanto Company to challenge Monsanto’s patents on genetically modified seed. The organic plaintiffs sued preemptively to protect themselves from being accused of patent infringement should they ever become contaminated by Monsanto’s genetically modified seed. This case asks whether Monsanto has the right to sue organic farmers for patent infringement if Monsanto’s transgenic seed or pollen should land on their property. To view the suit go to http://www.pubpat.org/assets/files/seed/OSGATA-v-Monsanto-Complaint.pdf

 

[lynnolekas]

BRAVO BYC'ers for such a wonderful, thought provoking thread! I take organic for granted
and it is easy for me to obtain here in Atlanta - I really appreciate all of the opinions and testimonies
here!

My girls eat organic -

Lynn

 

[Chris09]

I understand the "organic" "non-organic" debate and I even understand the Monsanto debate but I would love to know just how many of the the people that claim to be "organic" are truly "organic".
Also the ones that claim to not buy Monsanto do you grow, Beef, Beefmaster, First Lady I and II, Early Girl, Pink Girl, Golden Girl, Sunguard, Sun Chief Sweet, Baby Girl, Sweet Million tomatoes or Camelot, King Arthur, Red Knight, or Fat and Sassy peppers. If so you are buying Monsanto (Seminis) seeds.

Chris

 

[Wifezilla]

Monsanto did buy up a bunch of seed companies. You may be unknowingly be growing Monsanto provided seeds.

Here is one list I found of companies selling Monsanto seeds....
Audubon Workshop
Breck’s Bulbs
Burpee
Cook’s Garden
Dege Garden Center
Earl May Seed
E & R Seed Co
Flower of the Month Club
Ferry Morse
Germania Seed Co
Garden Trends
HPS
Jungs
Lindenberg Seeds
McClure and Zimmerman Quality Bulb Brokers
Mountain Valley Seed
Osborne
Park Seed
Park Bulbs
Park’s Countryside Garden
R.H. Shumway
Rocky Mountain Seed Co
Roots and Rhizomes
Rupp
Seeds for the World
Seymour’s Selected Seeds
Snow
Stokes
Spring Hill Nurseries
Totally Tomato
T&T Seeds
Tomato Growers Supply
The Vermont Bean Seed Company
Wayside Gardens
Willhite Seed Co.


Just because a seed comes from Monsanto doesn't mean they are GMO. Just be aware that you ARE giving Monsanto money if you use any of these companies to get your seeds.

 

[chickened]

Montsano has repeatedly said it would not pursue lawsuits against this sort of infringement. This is another ploy to grandstand by the opposing groups. Out west here due to windy sites farmers plant pollen barriers to prevent cross contamination and frost.
Quote:

 

[DenverBird]

Quote:
The very fact that GMO firms HAVE pursued cases in which their pollen blew onto an adjacent farmer's field is enough reason for me to want to get it in writing, FROM THE COURTS, rather than take Monsanto's word for it. I don't think the "opposing groups" are going to the effort of filing and pursuing a lawsuit, which could be very damaging to their cause if they lose, just for grandstanding.

Not only that but it seems that any adjacent farmer whose crop is contaminated by Monsanto's GMO pollen should be able to sue Monsanto for contamination of their crops, instead of the other way around.

The fact that the GMO agribusinesses may even have a leg to stand on in the courts suing farmers whose crops got contaminated by fugitive pollen from the GMO fields is so contrary to common sense that it makes me furious. If the GMO agribusiness companies don't want others' crops to get pollinated by the GMO pollen, shouldn't THEY be the ones making the effort to prevent the spread of the pollen?

-DB

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
I read some where that Johnny’s and Territorial buy there seeds from Seminis seeds (Monsanto). Stokes may sells some of Monsanto's seed (haven't seen any proof of it) but I do know they do there own propagation, research and development, etc..
Burpee also buys a most of there seeds from Ball Horticultural Company (Ball Seeds)

Just because a seed comes from Monsanto doesn't mean they are GMO.

So very true.

- Edited to add -

As Of 2005
Stokes is a Canadian Co. located near Niagara Falls, they have a 10 acre trails ground open to the public they also have a 24 acres that is not open to the public that is used for research, plant breeding, and seed propagation.

Chris​

 

[5chicks4us]

Here's a list of seed companies free of ties to Monsanto. Copied from Mothering.com.

Abundant Life Seeds
Amishland Seeds
Annapolis Valley Heritage Seed Company canada
Baker Creek Seed Co.
Berlin Seeds - they don't have a website
Botanical Interests
Bountiful Gardens
Diane's Flower Seeds (she has veggies now, too)
Fedco Seed Co. - phasing out seminis seeds.
Fisher's Seeds - 406-388-6052 They don't have a website, but they will send you a catalog if you give them your address
PO Box 236, Belgrade, MT 59714
Garden City Seeds
Heirloom Acres Seeds
Heirlooms Evermore Seeds
Heirloom Seeds
High Mowing Seeds
Horizon Herbs
Irish-Eyes
Kitchen Garden Seeds
Lake Valley Seeds
Livingston Seeds
Local Harvest
Mountain Rose Herbs
Native Seeds for the Arid Southwest
Natural Gardening Company
New Hope Seed Company
Organica Seed
Peaceful Valley Farm Supply
Pinetree
Renee's Garden
Richters Herbs
Sand Hill Preservation Center
Seed Saver's Exchange
Seeds of Change
Southern Exposure
Sow True
Territorial Seed Company *Tom Johns, the pres. of Territorial posted about Seminis being owned by Monsanto, and said customer service will provide a list of seeds they buy from Seminis, so you can avoid them. He also said that Seminis is providing less varieties every year (typical of Monsanto) and they are finding suitable replacements. So, don't count them out completely.*
Tiny Seeds
Tomato Fest - ask for bubble pack when ordering from them for seed viability
Trees of Antiquity
Underwood Garden Seeds
Uprising Seeds
Victory Seeds
Wildseed Farms
Wood Prairie Farm

 

[AquaEyes]

Ack...I don't see my favorite for garden seeds in either list....Thompson and Morgan.