Don, Great information. The only one I see missing (in my book) is:
Seed Savers Exchange www.seedsavers.org They are a non-profit organization based out of Decorah, Iowa. They have an interesting story behind the start of their organization. This has been an interesting dialogue from both Adam and Don. Some of you old timers might remember I attended the American Seed Trade Association back in the 90's. I was a panelist representing the home gardener and voiced their concern's about labeling seeds, whether or not if they were GMO, open pollinated, etc. Upon my arrival to the conference I felt like a fish out of water. I stayed in my room most of the time because they people were a bit scary to me. The day we had our panel discussion at lunch I was seated at the table with some of the top dogs from Monsanto. One executive asked me point blank, "Why would anyone want to grow their own food". Need I say more..... On another note, I had met several of the owners of the different companies discussed and I agree on all fronts. Cooks is one of my favorites too. Below is a link to SLO's community forum where I posted my article, "What brings life out of a seed?" I had a few great responses to it also. I posted this because of recent issues in my county about farmers and GMO's. So if you have an interest visit: http://pod01.prospero.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?msg=236.1&nav=messages&webtag=kr-slotm&redirCnt=1 All my best, Deborah Mills ----- Original Message ----- From: "Don Boekelheide" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <community_garden at list.communitygarden.org> Sent: Sunday, January 07, 2007 9:53 AM Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Burpee Seeds - alternatives > Thanks for the info, Adam. > > Well, that stinks. > > Steve Solomon, founder of Territorial Seeds, has a > list of recommended seed companies in his book > _Gardening When It Counts_ . It's an interesting and > worthwhile read, though he's pretty harsh dealing with > John Jeavons and double digging. There'll be a review > in the next ACGA newsletter (so join ACGA if you > haven't already, and you'll get a copy). > > Anyway, Solomon's list is: > > Stokes Seed, www.stokeseeds.com > > Johnny's, www.johnnyseeds.com (a great outfit!) > > Veseys Seed, www.veseys.com > > William Dam Seeds, www.damseeds.com > > Harris Seeds, www.gardeners.harrisseeds.com > > King Seeds, www.kingsseeds.com.nz (Aust/NZ) > > Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, > www.southernexposure.com (real friends for Southern > gardeners, always at our local sustainable ag > conferences) > > Park Seed, www.parkseed.com (local to me - great field > day in June if you are in SC) > > Territorial Seeds, www.territorial-seed.com (best > catalog cover art, I always look forward to getting my > copy) > > West Coast Seeds, www.westcoastseeds.com > > Chase (along with Thomson&Morgan and Suttons, all big > UK seed companies, he gives no website but they should > be easy to find). I've used T&M, it was easy and > inexpensive to order from the US, but that was before > 2001. Solomon likes Chase best.). > > Organic Gardening Catalogue, www.OrganicCatalog.com > (UK) > > Nw Gippsland Seeds, www.newgipps.com.au (Australia) > > Plus Solomon recommends these suppliers (edited list - > to see all, buy his book...): > > Fedco, www.fedcoseeds.com > > Peaceful Valley Farm Supply, www.groworganic.com (They > are a mainstay, even though I now live on the opposite > end of the US, wish we had a Southern version). > > Renee's Seed, www.reneesgarden.com > > Ronnigers, www.ronnigers.com (for spuds) > > Select, www.samen.ch (Swiss) > > Personally, I also like and use: > > Wilhite Seed, www.wilhite.com (Texas-based, good > international collection too) > > Wyatt-Quarles, www.wqseeds.com (local Carolina > company) > > Kitawaza Seed, www.kitazawa.com (best Asian seed > selection, very reliable) > > The Cook's Garden, www.cooksgarden.com > > Dr. David Bradshaw, S.C. Foundation Seed Association > (864) 656-2520. Recently retired, Dr. Bradshaw has > been > gathering and sustaining historic varieties for 2 > decades at Clemson U. Great resource! > > Hida Tools, www.hidatool.com (best for horihori, > Japanese field hoes, all kinds of good solid tools) > > Anybody else have any suggestions for good seed > sources (or stuff sources) - or reviews of mine? Let's > vote with our dollars. > > Don Boekelheide > Charlotte NC > >> Message: 1 >> Date: Sat, 06 Jan 2007 14:36:50 -0500 >> From: adam36055 at aol.com >> Subject: [Community_garden] Burpee Seeds >> To: community_garden at list.communitygarden.org >> Message-ID: >> <8C8FFE1257D45B9-924-80A at FWM-D08.sysops.aol.com> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >> >> FYI - >> >> Adam Honigman >> NYC >> >> >> >> > http://www.idigmygarden.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2245 >> >> >> A recent merger now announced says that W.Atlee >> Burpee & Co. Seeds has accepted a deal to be bought >> out by Seminis. This will mean that from the >> beginning of 2007 onward, Burpee will be operated as >> a subsidiary of Monsanto (a.k.a. Monsatan) Co., >> which has already bought out Seminis. Seminis and >> Burpee were the two largest American seed companies >> not affiliated with Monsatan until both were >> recently bought out by the multi-billion-dollar >> corporation. >> Burpee & Co. was started in 1876 when 18-year-old >> Washington Atlee Burpee started a small seed >> business with the help of his mother. The business >> took off like a space shuttle, and supplied money to >> buy a second seed-growing farm in California (in >> addition to the Burpee's famous Fordhook farm in >> Pennsylvania). They also built "The House" at >> Fordhook (which looks simply like a huge farmhouse >> but is a mansion inside), and converted the old >> family farmhouse to a seed-cleaning facility. >> >> Behind the scenes, W.A. Burpee was an alcoholic. His >> drinking led to his untimely death in 1915, at the >> age of 49. His son David Burpee, aged 22, left >> Cornell University to take up the reins of the >> company. >> >> David Burpee became the P.T. Barnum of the seed >> business, famous for his use of bells-and-whistles, >> smoke-and-mirrors advertising hype. He made >> hybridization mainstream in the seed industry, and >> helped develop chromosomal modification, a >> predecessor technology to genetic engineering. >> In 1991 Ball Co. bought out Burpee seeds. The Ball >> leadership conflicted often with Jonathan Burpee >> (heir to the company fortune), so they fired him in >> 1993 and took away the money that he would have >> received after retirement. Burpee & Co. began to use >> Fordhook less for trials, and the California farm >> more. >> It is unknown as of yet what the Monsanto/Seminis >> buyout will do to Burpee Seeds. > > _______________________________________________ > The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of > ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and > to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org > > To post an e-mail to the list: community_garden at list.communitygarden.org > > To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: > http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.410 / Virus Database: 268.16.6/617 - Release Date: 1/5/2007 >
