GROW OPEN POLLINATED (OP) PLANTS/SEED!

Humans have domesticated plants since the Neolithic era, over 10,000 years ago.  Today, the domestication of plants has rendered a global crisis and the genetic diversity we aided in creating for thousands of years is in peril... 

Yet we can ALL help!

Open Pollinated (OP) plants/seed have the ability to breed true to the parents' characteristics and may retain high genetic diversity.  An understanding of the basic mechanics of pollination is needed to save seed from open pollinated plants but is not something to be intimidated by.  Anymore than learning to ride a bicycle and the benefits last for generations.

Hybrid plants/seed are often bred for uniformity and yield, limiting their genetic diversity.  The seed they produce (F1 hybrid) often produce seed that does not contain the specific traits selected for originally -creating a market need for new seed purchases each year.

Genetically modified (or transgenic) plants have gene(s) for specific traits (such as insect resistance) of a completely different species (or organism) inserted into its own (i.e. human genes in rice or Bt in soy); this unfounded franken-science threatens global food security by degrading social and environmental ecologies.  Corporate monopolies of food should not be possible yet Monsanto, Bayer, Syngenta and more want the patent rights to all GE seed in the world, harming nations like Haiti.  We truly have no idea what the long term implications may bring; yet the FDA approves it use.  Over 75% of the food on shelves of US grocery stores have GE ingredients.  Avoid corn, canola, soy, sugar beets, potato flours, some dairy contains GE micro-organisms and the cotton in your clothes.  Want to know more? 

Your best option is to BUY ORGANIC everything when possible!  Organic foods do not allow GE contamination.  Purchase open pollinated seed from reliable sources.  FYI: The OP seed need not be organic unless it is corn or some of the others above (but do grow it organically:).  GE has not invaded everything, thank goddess.