Seed Companies Safe from Monsanto Ties - Page 8

[lach]

Does anyone know about John Scheepers?  I got a kitchen garden catalog from them yesterday.  I was Googling around, and they seem to be owned by Van Engelen, which specializes in bulbs while John Scheepers specializes in seeds.  I've found references on some forums of them being heirloom, organic, safe, etc... they're often on the same list as Baker Creek.

[craft_media_hero]

I'd really like to see this stickied!

[FarmerCathy]

Originally Posted by craft_media_hero 

I'd really like to see this stickied!

It is, its under resources at the top.  You'll find all sorts of good threads in there.

[elanorh]

Fisher's Seeds in Belgrade, MT grows all their own seeds.  Great article about them in a recent Zone 4 magazine.  My mom has bought from them for years.  They don't have a website, but you can pay them to send you a catalogue - limited seeds, and pretty much all of them for growing in cold/mountainous/short growing season areas (Zones 3 and 4).  You can contact them to see if they *never* buy from Seminis, but my understanding is that they grow all their own.  I wish I could link to the Zone 4 article, it was great, photos of all the drawers she keeps the seeds in etc. etc. 

This links to a blog post which includes Fisher's address:  http://www.manytracks.com/Garden/IndieSeedCompanies.htm

[FarmerCathy]

Originally Posted by elanorh 

Fisher's Seeds in Belgrade, MT grows all their own seeds.  Great article about them in a recent Zone 4 magazine.  My mom has bought from them for years.  They don't have a website, but you can pay them to send you a catalogue - limited seeds, and pretty much all of them for growing in cold/mountainous/short growing season areas (Zones 3 and 4).  You can contact them to see if they *never* buy from Seminis, but my understanding is that they grow all their own.  I wish I could link to the Zone 4 article, it was great, photos of all the drawers she keeps the seeds in etc. etc. 

This links to a blog post which includes Fisher's address:  http://www.manytracks.com/Garden/IndieSeedCompanies.htm

Added it.

[Davean]

Does anyone know who grows for Baker Seed? 

[lunarlady]

Anyone know about beauty beyond belief seeds? bbbseeds.com. They seem good, but how can you tell for sure?

[FarmerCathy]

Originally Posted by lunarlady 

Anyone know about beauty beyond belief seeds? bbbseeds.com. They seem good, but how can you tell for sure?

From what I have found they look like a decent company.  Here they are on Dave's Garden.  Very good reviews.  They even have a FB page.

[gardenmom]

Pretty soon, nobody will be "safe" from Monsanto ties because there will be so much gmo material floating around out there, everything will be contaminated, even the organics.  I urge everyone to petition our government who has approved 3 Genetically Modified  GMO Monsanto crops (sugar beets, alfalfa and now corn) over the last few weeks, to change it's decision, so we can continue to have freedom of food choice.

[prescottchels]

There's a company selling plant starts at Wal-mart that I've never heard of...The name is Van Zyverden. Anyone know anything about them? I didn't have much luck finding out anything in my google searches.

Thanks!

Chelsie

[jaxxy]

THanks so much for the list!

[FarmerCathy]

Originally Posted by prescottchels 

There's a company selling plant starts at Wal-mart that I've never heard of...The name is Van Zyverden. Anyone know anything about them? I didn't have much luck finding out anything in my google searches.

Thanks!

Chelsie

I couldn't really find much on this company except that they sell bulbs.  Here is one persons experience with their products: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/784127/

Originally Posted by gardenmom 

Pretty soon, nobody will be "safe" from Monsanto ties because there will be so much gmo material floating around out there, everything will be contaminated, even the organics.  I urge everyone to petition our government who has approved 3 Genetically Modified  GMO Monsanto crops (sugar beets, alfalfa and now corn) over the last few weeks, to change it's decision, so we can continue to have freedom of food choice.

I know it's really scary.
 

[prescottchels]

Thanks for looking FarmerCathy... I think I found that same thread when I looked too...

I bought a blueberry plant, and it's healthy and blooming, which need to be snipped off so the silly little thing can get bigger before it thinks about fruiting, but I'm really suspicious and trying not to take it out on this poor unsuspecting plant ;-)

It feels a wee bit suspicious that there's no info on this company readily available out there, ya know? But I want to, really want to think they're good cuz on the package, which is biodegradable it says: the wrapper is made from recycled post consumer waste paper, it's carbon neutral, 100% renewable wind energy, FSC certified...but I'm sure even the evil giants can make themselves look good by going green...

rats...this is really bugging me.

[FarmerCathy]

Originally Posted by prescottchels 

Thanks for looking FarmerCathy... I think I found that same thread when I looked too...

I bought a blueberry plant, and it's healthy and blooming, which need to be snipped off so the silly little thing can get bigger before it thinks about fruiting, but I'm really suspicious and trying not to take it out on this poor unsuspecting plant ;-)

It feels a wee bit suspicious that there's no info on this company readily available out there, ya know? But I want to, really want to think they're good cuz on the package, which is biodegradable it says: the wrapper is made from recycled post consumer waste paper, it's carbon neutral, 100% renewable wind energy, FSC certified...but I'm sure even the evil giants can make themselves look good by going green...

rats...this is really bugging me.

Yeah, some of those companies fly under the radar.  Does the tag have any other company name on it?
 

[prescottchels]

Unfortunately there is no other company name, nor an email or website-(so strange), on the label and the van zyverden name was so small I had it wrong when I put it in Google the first time!

[FarmerCathy]

Originally Posted by prescottchels 

Unfortunately there is no other company name, nor an email or website-(so strange), on the label and the van zyverden name was so small I had it wrong when I put it in Google the first time!

That makes me wary right there.  Makes it really hard to find out where their source is.

[swd12422]

Is it pretty safe to say that any plants we might purchase at big box places like Wal-Mart or Home Depot are probably somehow Monsanto-related? Is the monopoly that big already?

[FarmerCathy]

Originally Posted by swd12422 

Is it pretty safe to say that any plants we might purchase at big box places like Wal-Mart or Home Depot are probably somehow Monsanto-related? Is the monopoly that big already?

That's a tough call.  I really wish I could say one way or another.  They have their hands in so many pockets.  I'd just say be careful.

[elanorh]

I'm in the process of (finally!) ordering my seeds - I did order a few things from Nichols and will have to order a few from Johnny's too.  I am including a comment with both orders, asking them to please "continue to reduce your Seminis seeds purchases, on behalf of those of us avoiding Monsanto and its subsidiaries."  The only place I can find Clear Jel for canning pie fillings is Nichols -- and I'm especially disappointed in them for not having switched away from Seminis. 

I'm not sure how seed-growing works on an industrial level.  But I would imagine that if enough seed companies start looking for ways to avoid Seminis, then some of the contract farmers growing seeds FOR Seminis might begin banding together to grow seeds as a cooperative or for a specific seed catalog. 

[swd12422]

I just read somewhere (Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, maybe? I'll have to check my sources....) that both Nichols AND Johnny's are affiliated with either Monsanto or Seminis...