In case you haven’t ordered your seeds yet, here is a great resource to find companies that do not support the proliferation of genetically modified organisms: gene-watch.com/safeseed/sourcebook
The Safe Seed Pledge was launched in 1999 by the nonpartisan Council for Responsible Genetics and, according to the organizations Web site, is part of a larger project to educate people about the risks associated with widespread genetic engineering of our food supply.
The Safe Seed Pledge has been taken by more than 100 companies committed to ensuring that, to the best of their knowledge, the seeds they sell are non-GMO. The pledge states, in part:
“Agriculture and seeds provide the basis upon which our lives depend. We must protect this foundation as a safe and genetically stable source for future generations. For the benefit of all farmers, gardeners and consumers who want an alternative,
We pledge that we do not knowingly buy or sell genetically engineered seeds or plants.
CRG is a fascinating organization. Here’s another link about its intention by developing the Safe Seed Pledge: gene-watch.org/articles
Gardening Company Reviews on Dave’s Garden
While researching a question posed to me on Twitter about a particular seed company, I stumbled across a handy, free, reader-generated review page on DavesGarden.com:
More than 6,600 mail-order gardening companies are listed here. Readers are encouraged to review their faves–and not-so faves. There is a Top 30 list (companies with the most positive reviews in the database) and the section is easy to navigate. Beware of the banner ad at the top of the page, however. It’s activated by just hovering over it and it will not close no matter how many times you click the close button at the top right corner. All in all, a minor inconvenience for a great resource.
My Favorite Gardening Forum
I’ve been a member of the Organic Gardening magazine Gardener to Gardener forum for 7 years and there is not a more helpful group of knowledgeable organic gardeners on the planet, IMHO. Introduce yourself in Club OG, post your questions in Over the Fence or New Gardeners forum and you are likely to get a reply within a couple of hours. But BEFORE you post, try the search feature first. Type your keyword or question in the Find box and you may get pages and pages of information–and a few humorous posts, as well.
