Seed Companies Owned by Monsanto

this is a repost of a article I found on a Facebook group
thought it to be relvelant to all my readers....

Seed Companies & their Relationships w/Monsanto 2008/8/14 Diane Dodge FYI from Nick DeMarsh: Here is an interesting post on Seed companies supplied by monsanto. If you think it is relevant please pass it on to the growing food and justice listserve. Recently on a gardening forum in which I participate, a list of various seed companies now owned by Monsanto was posted. I was so shocked to discover Territorial Seeds on the list that I immediately wrote to them to ask if it was true... As it turns out, while Territorial continues to be owned privately, by Tom & Julie Johns, one of their seed suppliers, Seminis, is in fact owned by Monsanto. Over the course of my correspondence with staff from Territorial, they provided me with a list of the seeds currently purchased by Seminis, which I have attached. And I was told that the owners are 'considering' whether or not to continue using Seminis as a vendor. I'm sending this information out in the hopes that *you'll* consider writing to Territorial Seeds to request they terminate their relationship with Seminis, as well as expressing support for them as a company you'd continue to buy seeds from in the future. I can't express enough how important it is for those of us who are dedicated to food security, and the ongoing availability of good, local, organic produce, to do whatever we can to prevent Monsanto from colonizing our primary sources of seed. Toward that end, I'm also posting the list of companies owned by Monsanto for your review, in case you find others whose seeds you've bought.

* Territorial Seeds
* Totally Tomato
* Vermont Bean Seed Co.
* Burpee
* Cook's Garden
* Johnny's Seeds
* Earl May Seed
* Gardens Alive
* Lindenberg Seeds
* Mountain Valley Seed
* Park Seed
* T&T Seeds
* Tomato Growers Supply
* Willhite Seed Co.
* Nichol's
* Rupp
* Osborne
* Snow
* Stokes
* Jungs
* R.H. Shumway
* The Vermont Bean Seed Company
* Seeds for the World
* Seymour's Selected Seeds
* HPS * Roots and Rhizomes
* McClure and Zimmerman Quality Bulb Brokers
* Spring Hill Nurseries
* Breck's Bulbs
* Audubon Workshop
* Flower of the Month Club
* Wayside Gardens
* Park Bulbs
* Park's Countryside Garden

And one final thing: here's a link to another seed company, Fedco, who posted information on their website about their own decision to forgo using Seminis any longer once they had been purchased by Monsanto: http://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds/monsanto.htm

Fedco Seeds - The Monsanto Debate/Monsanto Buys Seminis

Here's the info for contacting Territorial Seeds:
Territorial Seed Company
Attn: Tom & Julie Johns
PO Box 158
Cottage Grove, OR 97424
Phone Orders: 800-626-0866
Fax Orders: 888-657-3131
Customer Service/Gardening Questions: 541-942-9547
Territorial Seed Company Store
20 Palmer Ave Cottage Grove, OR 97424
Phone: 541-942-0510 Customer Service
Email info@territorialseed.com

As always, please feel free to pass this information on freely - our power is in our numbers! Thanks, Julianne It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places--and there are so many--where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction. And if we do act, in however small a way, we don't have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous- victory. Samir Adil President, Iraq Freedom Congress

Kitsap Community Agriculture Alliance Meeting

Last Night was the monthly meeting of Kitsap county's Community Agriculture Alliance Monthly Meeting that is usually held on the second Tuesday each month.

This Months theme was how CSA's ( community supported Agriculture) filled an important niche in the Local food web.

Jim Freeman (http://www.buylocalfoodinkitsap.org/) Moderated the meeting was attended by many Local Farmers like myself and few interested citizens/consumers.

Nikki Johanson of (http://www.pheasantfields.com/) and Marilyn Holt of Abundantly Green Farm ( http://holtcapital.com/abundantlygreen/) were the Main Speakers.

Also in attendance were: Shannon Harkness; Red Barn farm (http://www.redbarnfresh.com/) Paul Gregroy farm; Jerry Darnell (WSU instructor and Protien Farmer) Jay Pope; Rob Storie of All one family Farm (http://www.allonefamilyfarm.com/) Cheif Jeff as well as other guests.

Nikki and Marilyn spent many long hours putting a PowerPoint Presentation together with the help of Shannon Harkness but alas the Projection equipment where the meetings are usually held on the first floor were out of order so we all moved up from the first floor to the fourth floor. but alas, it was not to be arg! no laptop. So, Nikki and Marilyn winged it.

Nikki went first and spoke about the pro's, con's and pitfalls of CSA'S. She related several humorous stories about some unfortunate happenings when CSA members visit. One little girl of a CSA member left with less hair than she showed up with due to a hair eating goat. Another child of a CSA member left in a full body suit made up of several large garbage bags due to the child wallowing in the mud. She also explained that operating a successful CSA means spending time educating consumers on how to eat seasonally and often provides Recipes to members. She recommended that anyone wanting to start a CSA read the book " Sharing the Harvest by
Elizabeth Hendrson",

Marilyn Holt said that it took them a while to figure out what to grow so as not to compete with local stores. She admonished that we need to be respectful and aware of the ebbs and flows of nature and expressed that no two growing seasons are going to be the same even though you may grow the same crop year after year in the same soil.

Both Nikki and Marilyn bemoaned the fact that in the last few years the normal weather patterns are changing and related on how they were scrambling in May to fend off frost!!

Marilyn stated that only 3% of Kitsap county's food is grown locally and there is a greater demand than is currently produced and more small Local farmers like ourselves are needed.

They also advised that if you are considering a CSA to start out small maybe say 5-10 members to get the hang of it and sell the remainder at a Local farmers market.

When I asked both Marilyn and Nikki what they thought was the most important step someone who was considering starting a CSA both agreed that Volunteering at a Local CSA Farm for one season at least to get a working idea if it is for them or not.

Getting Ready

Hello and welcome to Beanstock Farm's new Blog.

We hope you come back often to see how our new ventue gets off the ground.