This is a request to everyone out there who loves New Mexican food and values non-gmo/traditional seeds for help in revving-up a movement! The NM Seed Alliance and Save NM Seeds has built the foundation of the movement by putting up bills in the NM legislature the last four years. Monsanto has blocked every bill that would give teeth to this movement. So, if our politicians won't protect our beloved food, who will? I pick you - the people!
Bills and laws are important. What we do in our own backyard is even more so. How can we stop GMO seeds from decimating our traditional crops/food/way of life? One step could be to create a movement to plant traditional/non-gmo seeds! Do you have seeds to plant this year? If not, please get your seeds from a local seed bank. Many communities have one day a year when they give out seeds. On March 26th, we have NM Acequia Association's 6th annual Pueblos y Semillas Gathering and Seed Exchange, at Northern NM College. (Here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=190232330997543) If you have non-gmo seeds, please bring them and participate. This is also a great place to GET seeds.
Other places to get non-gmo seeds include online, your local agricultural extension service, farmers markets, friends and neighbors. Sharing seeds and recipes for traditional foods is something people have done for ages. Why not have a little "pre-season" seed sharing party complete with potluck of traditional foods and their recipes? Make it fun!
Focusing on the encroaching GMO seed takeover is crucial, but so is putting creative energy into local solutions. What are some of your ideas? Please comment!
Some resources:
"Genetically Engineered Crops May Ruin Chile, Farmers Say", from KOAT channel 7 news with interviews from NM farmers: http://www.koat.com/r/27065316/detail.html
Downloadable Seed Catalog: http://www.nativeseeds.org/pdf/seedlistingcatalog.pdf
Seeds of Change - a great online seed catalog based in NM: http://www.seedsofchange.com
"Green Fire Times", an independent newspaper based on sustainability: http://greenfiretimes.com/
Que Vivan las Acequias!, youth sustainability radio show via Cultural Energy, a non-profit organization always bringing you the latest news on community issues in northern NM: http://www.culturalenergy.org/acequia.htm
Information on NM bills that protect farmers and their non-gmo/traditional seed/crops: http://savenmseeds.org
For more information on what GMO seeds/foods are from GMWatch's website of videos: http://www.gmwatch.eu/gm-videos/22-gm-and-agriculture
Trailer of film on GMO chile: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cETcYgOIL54
Traditional Agriculture and Sustainable Living Annual Conference put on by Native Earth Bio Culture Council, Tesuque Pueblo, and Traditional Native American Farmers' Association (w/seed exchange) each fall at NNMC: http://www.foodandseedconference.info/
NNMC's Sustainability Program, Sostenga!, where Summer 2011 INTERSHIPS are being made available: http://www.sostengalavida.com/page/page/3912967.htm
read more on the subject on this blog in past and future posts!
Please be aware: Seeds of Change is NOT based in New Mexico! They are owned by Mars Corporation (yes, the ones who make the candy bars) and they are based in California. Until last year, their "research farm" was located in the Espanola Valley, but it was unexpectedly & cruelly SHUT DOWN in the middle of the 2010 summer!! Also, I've heard anecdotally from a few growers that their seeds don't produce all that well ... Still, I'm grateful that they do give away lots of seeds to SCHOOL GARDENS!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the information! It would be good to hear from some of the growers about which seeds specifically didn't grow well.
ReplyDelete