The Importance Of Seed Saving
Posted on 20 March 2008
© 2007 Andrea Anderson
“My only desire is an intimate infusion with nature, and the only fate I wish is to have worked and lived in harmony with her laws.” ~ Claude Monet
Seed saving is a tradition, which dates back thousands of years, serving to preserve the biodiversity of our plant kingdom while allowing for agriculture. Seeds were considered nature’s gift, passed down from generation to generation, feeding and nurturing the body, mind and soul of the gardener. You could say that seed savers are the guardians of nature, carrying down from generation to generation a special responsibility to remind us all not only of the beauty or the knowledge of nature but of it’s wisdom.
Unfortunately, despite a deeply rooted tradition, seed saving, along with natural plant biodiversity, has dwindled dramatically in just the past century, due to commercial agriculture and big business. In fact, over 95% of the earth’s vegetable varieties have become extinct, because we have replaced tradition with convenience. Instead of passing seeds down from generation to generation as the original seed savers did, we have become reliant upon commercially produced seeds and plants from big companies which have a priority of profit over preservation and now have control the majority of our seed supply.
No longer do we see the passing down of precious Heirloom seeds which are true to type and rich with flavor, color and scent. Rather, we see the buying and selling of the most profitable, most common and most popular varieties of big companies overwhelming the market. No longer do we see varieties like the Crimson Flowered Broad Bean nor the Rowsham Park Hero Onion, because they were phased out, along with many others, by the big companies we have come to rely upon for our seed supply. Our tradition of passing down these precious Heirlooms has seemed to have nearly disappeared and so has their bio-genetic diversity.
Did you know, big companies are genetically altering and patenting seeds and plants, to gain even more control? They are committing what amounts to bio-piracy and plant genocide, using nature’s precious genetic code as a commodity or “invention” rather than a gift. In fact, companies are now genetically altering seeds through terminator technology which keeps the seed from germinating properly so that the seed cannot be saved by the common person. They are also stealing from nature and the world by claiming through patents that plants such as rice, corn, wheat and even cotton are original inventions and are their property by law. As a result, our global plant/food supply is literally being stolen from under our noses, making it illegal for the average person to save and grow seed which they own. Yes, when you see the letters PPAF on the label of your seed package or plant that means you cannot reproduce and/or distribute this product without getting permission and giving a royalty to the owner(s) of the patent, allowing for the control to reside with the big companies rather than the average person.
Still, there is hope, if we continue the tradition of saving seeds from un-patented true to type heirloom varieties of plants in order to pass them on to generations to come. We can also take action against laws which allow nature to be altered, bought and sold through patents and genetically modified means. If we are to protect what is left of our biodiversity, we need to take action, before it is too late. So, become a seed saver and save our seeds!