Thursday, June 20, 2013

Legislation to Protect Pollinators Announced

July 19th, 2013
Aim of Federal Proposal is to Prevent Mass Bee Die-Offs
Earl_BlumenauerRepresentative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) has announced that he will be introducing The Save America’s Pollinators Act . The legislation suspends certain uses of neonicotinoids, a particular type of pesticide that is suspected to play a role in the bee die-offs happening in Oregon and in bee declines around the world, until the Environmental Protection Agency reviews these chemicals and makes a new determination about their proper application and safe use.
Dinotefuran, the neonicotinoid ingredient in Safari insecticide, is blamed for last month’s mass die-off in Wilsonville, OR of an estimated 50,000 bumble bees – the largest such die-off ever recorded. The Oregon Department of Agriculture is investigating the die-off and is temporarily restricting the use of 18 pesticide products containing dinotefuran.
Blumenauer has long sought federal funding for increased research on pollinators, protections for declining bee populations, and is the co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Pollinators Caucus.
He was joined at the announcement event by Scott Hoffman Black, Executive Director of the Xerces Society, who discussed the specifics of the Oregon die-off and how to prevent future incidents, and Lori Vollmer, the owner of Garden Fever nursery in Portland, who stopped selling neonicotinoid products after the Wilsonville disaster.
“Pollinators are not only vital to a sustainable environment, but key to a stable food supply,” Blumenauer said. “When incidents like the alarming bee die-off in Wilsonville occur, it is imperative that we take a step back to make sure we understand all the factors involved and move swiftly to prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future.”
“It is time for the Environmental Protection Agency to take a stronger stance on pollinator protection.” said Scott Hoffman Black, Executive Director of the Xerces Society. “The European Union has put restrictions in place on several neonicotinoids — we need a similar response here.”

Source: http://www.cornucopia.org/2013/07/legislation-to-protect-pollinators-announced/

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

ARTICLE : Where to Buy Vegetable Seeds

wheretobuyvegetableseeds

by Brenda on June 17, 2013

I asked on Facebook, “where do you get your garden seeds?” And of course, since “everything I need to know, I learned from Facebook,” I decided to share this information with all of you! This is what people said:

Adaptive Seeds

Adaptive Seeds is located in Oregon, and they specialize in “artisan quality, public domain, open-pollinated seeds, grown without the use of synthetic chemicals and with ecologically mindful methods.” They sell a wide variety of vegetable, herb and fruit seeds. They offer bulk quantities of beans, grains, tomatoes and more. They sell garlic bulbs and a small selection of root crops.

American Meadows

American Meadows is located in Vermont, and they specialize in wildflower, perennials and grass seeds. They sell many varieties of grass, wildflowers by your geographic location, and have some options for heirloom veggies. They also sell gardening and seed starting tools, as well as natural and organic pest control supplies.

Annie’s Heirloom Seeds

Annie’s is in Michigan, and they specialize in heirloom seeds. There is a coupon code for 5% off your first order on the About-Us page. This site has bulk seed packages, so if you are growing a lot of veggies for a CSA or farmer’s market sales, these might be what you need. There are “Seed Bank” kits to grow everything you need for a year–very cool! They sell a large variety of seeds, as well as seed starting and saving supplies and gardening books.

Baker Creek

Baker Creek is in Missouri, and they specialize in heirloom seeds. I have ordered from them a few times and have been pleased with the seed quality. The only thing I haven’t liked about Baker Creek is the fact that there are no instructions on the packages. This is ok for experienced gardeners, but if you’re a newbie this might be a challenge. You can order vegetable, herb and flower seeds through Baker Creek, as well as gardening tools.

Botanical Interests

Botanical Interests is in Colorado, and their mission is to provide more information on their seed packets than most companies offer. I love this! Who wants to bring a big gardening book out to the garden? Not me! More info on the seed packet is a great idea! They have many heirloom and organic seeds, including flowers, vegetables and herbs.

Bountiful Gardens

Bountiful Gardens is located in California, and they specialize in heirloom, untreated and open-pollinated seeds. They sell vegetable seeds, cover crop seeds, forage crop seeds, grain seeds, flower seeds, herb seeds, trees, shrubs, berries, mushroom kits, and garden tools.

Burpee Seeds and Plants

Burpee is in Pennsylvania. They mostly sell seeds that are not heirloom or organic, but they do have a large selection of organic seeds. The seeds that you find at Wal-Mart and many other places are often from Burpee. They also sell many seed-starting and gardening supplies.

Fedco

Fedco is in Maine, and they specialize in cold-hardy vegetable seeds. One person said that she often finds organic varieties for good prices at Fedco. You can purchase vegetable seeds, garlic bulbs, flower bulbs, onion sets, potato tubers, and garden supplies on Fedco’s site.

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Johnny’s is in Maine, and they sell organic, heirloom and pelleted seeds. I had never heard of pelleted seeds until I researched their website. If you’ve ever had a hard time planting teeny tiny carrot seeds and then thinning them later, you’ll appreciate this concept! They sell “Farm Seed,” including foraging crops and green manures. They also sell a lot of garden tools and supplies, including mulches, landscape fabric, hand tools, trellis supplies, composters, row covers and more.

Landreth Seed Company

Landreth Seed Company is in Pennsylvania, and they specialize in heirloom seeds. They have a wide variety of seeds, as well as flower bulbs and tubers, and roots and sets for potatoes, onions, garlic, shallots, asparagus, rhubarb, horseradish and artichokes. They have “Seeds in a Sack” kits for various theme gardens. They also sell many tools for gardeners, including dehydrators, gloves, compost containers, watering cans and old-fashioned weather instruments.

My Patriot Supply

My Patriot Supply is located in Indiana, and they sell many products for “self-sustainable living and emergency preparedness.” They sell non-GMO, heirloom vegetable, herb, fruit and flower varieties in special packaging that gives the seeds a longer shelf life.

New Dimension Seed

New Dimension Seed is located in Oregon and they offer non-GMO, easy-to grow, early-maturing Asian vegetable seeds. They sell varieties vegetable seeds that many of you have probably never tried!

Seeds Now

Seeds now is in California, and they produce 100% GMO free seeds. They sell 99 cent sample packs to try out their seeds. They sell a large variety of vegetable and herb seeds. They also sell a hydroponics kit and seed saving and starting tools.

Seeds of Change

Seeds of Change is located in California, and they grow 100% of their seeds organically, and they specialize in vegetable, herb and flower seeds. They also sell live plants, including seedlings, apple trees, garlic bulbs, flower bulbs, rhubarb, asparagus, potatoes and horseradish. They also sell many garden tools, composting tools, seed starting tools and greenhouses.

Seed Savers Exchange

Seed Savers Exchange is a non-profit organization in Iowa. What a cool idea! They maintain thousands of varieties of seeds and send them to other seed-saving locations (in Colorado and Norway) to make sure that the seeds are preserved. Isn’t that cool? They sell every kind of vegetable seed that you can imagine, herbs, flowers, seed potatoes, starts, garlics, dry beans and some starts.

Territorial Seed Co.

Territorial Seed Co. is located in Oregon. They sell vegetable, flower & herb seeds, including some organic and heirloom/open-pollinated varieties. They also sell some seedlings, fruit trees, vines, garlic and potatoes.

Victory Seeds

Victory Seeds is in Oregon and they sell only heirloom and rare open-polinated seeds. They sell a wide variety of vegetable, herb, flower, grain, cover crop and tobacco seeds. They also sell themed seed kits, garden tools and utensils, seed starting and saving supplies, red worm composters, wedding seed packets, books, and they even have “old-time” candies.

SOURCE : http://www.wellfedhomestead.com/where-to-buy-heirloomvegetable-seeds