[Community_garden] Re Monsanto: Giving the "Devil" his Due

[adam36055 at aol.com]

 Mike et al, 
 
As an organic gardener, I'm not enamoured with genetically modified anything, largely because of the "you never know the consequences of some scientist's gene splice and the idea of patented life forms is really so sci-fi"  factor, but as you know,  seedsmen have been hybridizing for years, using traditional methods. 
 
Asparagus, as we know it,  was originally a grass and the work done with the original Mexican Dahlias, and all of the plant varieties we grow organically, via the old methods shows the work of thousands of human minds working with the material of nature.  Humans playing with the handiwork of God, albeit organically. 
 
Having looked the Devil in the face more than a few times in my life I feel that Monsanto, as a huge multi-national may not qualify for the category of high-class demonization, i.e., "The Devil".  Maybe not even the minor demonization of the C.S.Lewis "Scratchtape," variety. 
 
Monsanto is a large multi-national company that sells genetically modified seeds that may work for ill ( as many of us feel, including me) or may fool us all as the kind of product that may feed millions in a world increasingly short of water and arable land. 
 
And, with the way that all of us right thinking organic folks have been  banging their gongs, Monsanto has (oh, I know this will start a storm of controversy) actually been doing some good on a national and international basis -
 
For real. 
 
Please go to Monsanto.com ( this lousy computer at work won't let me cut and paste the link) and look at some of their foreign and local initiatives - some of it is propaganda, I mean, it "is" their website, but look at it with a little bit of care. There is some real good being done - 
 
Again, I've seen the devil's face more than a few times in my life, as have most of you. We may choose not to use their seeds ( I don't) but I keep demonizing for real devils - like the one I see in the mirror, every day.
 
Your pal, 
 
Adam Honigman, also known as....  
 
 
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: MikeMcG at PTD.net
To: ecojunky at hotmail.com; community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
Sent: Sat, 13 Jan 2007 10:00 AM
Subject: [Community_garden] Seeds of Change = 3 Musketeers?


Hey Dave--
    Howie Shapiro, who has some fancy VP title these days, is also an old 
friend of mine, like the folks at Burpee (David T of J.L. Hudson too; and I 
tried to be friends with Johnny's Rob Johnston but he wouldn't have me!)
    Anyway, yes, the M & M Mars thing is very true. I was in touch with 
Howie a lot around that time. If I recall correctly, a young member of the M 
& M family was big into organics and saving the earth and loved SoC (who 
wouldn't?). He approached them and over time they agreed to a deal that gave 
them a big infusion of much needed cash, better retail distribution and 
access to all kinds of basic good business advice. And the mission not to 
change anything on their end.
    Other than prettier packages and catalogs, SoC hasn't changed a bit--but 
the reverse can't be said; Howie has been over in the rain forests busily 
working on organic chocolate production!
                                        Best,  McG

PS: But Monsanto IS The Devil.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Thomas" <ecojunky at hotmail.com>
To: <community_garden at list.communitygarden.org>
Sent: Friday, January 12, 2007 9:05 PM
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Seed List and Regionally Specific Seeds


> about that seed list...
>
> i've been playing catch-up and have read the past couple weeks of listserv
> digests in the last hour or two and wanted to make a couple comments with
> respect to this seed thread that seems to have been "all the rage" these
> past few days.
>
> Seeds of Change, i believe, is owned by M&M/Mars corp.  don't think that 
> was
> mentioned and thought it may be of interest to folks.  it is also possible
> that this info is out of date.
>
> source: corporganics.org
>
> i have little experience with burpee or soc.  mostly have dealt with 
> fedco,
> johnny's, renee's, bountiful gardens, territorial, seed savers exchange...
> i would probably favor territorial currently, living in nw oregon as i do.
>
> with respect to regional specificity (not sure who originally posted the
> inquiry, but i recall them wondering specifically about "soil type"):
>
> i would say soil type would be less of a concern than other climatic
> variables (humidity, temperature, rainfall) due to the fact that a lot can
> be done to amend the soil (and make up for lack of rain via irrigation, 
> for
> that matter - more difficult to deal with too much rain), thereby changing
> physical and chemical properties of a native soil.
>
> although i haven't been here long, i'm told seeds originating from the UK
> perform well here in the pacific northwest due to a similar maritime
> influence (rainy, temperate, etc.)  i imagine seeds originating from the
> mediterranean would do well in southern california, etc.
>
> as has been mentioned, matching microclimates and finding gardeners who 
> have
> been saving seed in your area for a while (and ultimately saving your own
> seed) would be ideal.
>
> dave
> portland, or
>
> (an urban gardener and sometime small-scale commercial farmer with a lot 
> to
> learn)
>
>
> ---------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2007 13:36:10 -0800 (PST)
> From: Don Boekelheide <dboekelheide at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Burpee
> To: community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
>
> Thanks, Mike, for the Burpee inside story.
>
> Guess we need to put Burpee back on our list...
>
> Don Boekelheide
> Charlotte NC
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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