Seed companies supplied by Monsanto

Burpee has responded in the comments below. While I neither believe nor disbelieve the response, I advise you to take caution, no matter who you buy from. I will be contacting Burpee to see if they've actually signed the Non-GMO pledge before I make a decision.

This entire post is a quote from Kelle over on Never Done Farm:

Some info I already knew, had saved and now is found. Unfortunately this won't help you this season in your seed choices, but save the info. for future reference.

Here is an interesting post on Seed companies supplied by monsanto. If you think it is relevant please pass it on to the growing food and justice list serve.

Recently on a gardening forum in which I participate, a list of various seed companies now owned by Monsanto was posted. I was so shocked to discover Territorial Seeds on the list that I immediately wrote to them to ask if it was true... As it turns out, while Territorial continues to be owned
privately, by Tom & Julie Johns, one of their seed suppliers, Seminis, is in fact owned by Monsanto. Over the course of my correspondence with staff from Territorial, they provided me with a list of the seeds currently purchased by Seminis, which I have attached. And I was told that the owners are 'considering' whether or not to continue using Seminis as a vendor.

I'm sending this information out in the hopes that *you'll* consider writing to Territorial Seeds to request they terminate their relationship with Seminis, as well as expressing support for them as a company you'd continue to buy seeds from in the future. I can't express enough how important it is for those of us who are dedicated to food security, and the ongoing availability of good, local, organic produce, to do whatever we can to prevent Monsanto from colonizing our primary sources of seed. Toward that end, I'm also posting the list of companies owned by Monsanto for your
review, in case you find others whose seeds you've bought.

* Territorial Seeds
* Totally Tomato
* Vermont Bean Seed Co.
* Burpee
* Cook's Garden
* Johnny's Seeds
* Earl May Seed
* Gardens Alive
* Lindenberg Seeds
* Mountain Valley Seed
* Park Seed
* T&T Seeds
* Tomato Growers Supply
* Willhite Seed Co.
* Nichol's
* Rupp
* Osborne
* Snow
* Stokes
* Jungs
* R.H. Shumway
* The Vermont Bean Seed Company
* Seeds for the World
* Seymour's Selected Seeds
* HPS
* Roots and Rhizomes
* McClure and Zimmerman Quality Bulb Brokers
* Spring Hill Nurseries
* Breck's Bulbs
* Audubon Workshop
* Flower of the Month Club
* Wayside Gardens
* Park Bulbs
* Park's Countryside Garden

And one final thing: here's a link to another seed company, Fedco, who posted information on their website about their own decision to forgo using Seminis any longer once they had been purchased by Monsanto: http://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds/monsanto.htm
Fedco Seeds - The Monsanto Debate/Monsanto Buys Seminis

Food co-ops, Free "advertising"

I was reading over on Homestead Revival about food co-ops. I left a comment (a shameless plug) about the food co-op I coordinate here in Southern Central Wyoming. Comments are moderated over on Homestead Revival, so after my comment was approved, I noticed I wasn't the only one plugging a local (wherever that might be) co-op. I got to thinking that it would be nice if we had a place that listed several co-ops from around the US (and globe???). So here's your chance. If you're heading up a co-op, I would like to add you to a consolidated list on my blog!!! I know I don't have a ton of readers, but I'm hoping over time, the list of co-ops will grow.


Here's what I need from you if you are the coordinator in this order:


Location (Be as specific as possible. I know of several co-ops in Wyoming alone, and they range from Southern Central, Central, Northeast & Northwest)
Your name (first is fine, as long as you're the only one with that name at the contact information)
Your contact information (phone number &/or email address)
What company(ies) you order from
How often you order
The minimum for each member/family to order each time


Based on these few things, I believe most others can decide if they're interested, and they may get any further information from you when they contact you. Here's an example of how this would read:



Southern Central Wyoming (Carbon County & surrounding areas)
Michaela Leeper
wyo.helpmeet(at gmail dot)com
Azure Standard
We order as often as we can, depending on the committed interest each month
Each family agrees to spend $50 each order

Easy, huh? So leave a comment or contact me at the above email addy & we'll get you added! Remember you have to be the coordinator, as I only want information that is voluntarily given.

Sunflower Seed Butter

I don't eat a lot of nut butters. I do like cashew butter. The problem with them is the nuts are not soaked. Soaking is a vital part of healing cavities, as well as overall health. This includes nuts & grains. Sunflower seeds do not have to be soaked from what I'm told & from what I can find on the subject. The only other nut I have on hand is walnuts, and since I wanted to make something now, I went with sunflower seeds. Before I go to bed tonight, I will (hopefully, if I remember) set some walnuts to soak.

Here's how I did my sunflower seed butter:


Sunflower Seed Butter

• 1 cup raw shelled sunflower seeds
• 2-4 T light oil (olive oil, rice bran oil, etc. I advise against coconut oil in this recipe, as it will be stored in the refrigerator & will become rock solid & unspreadable)
• pinch of salt

Blend seeds in blender or processor until ground well. You want almost a powder form. If you can attain a powder form, even better. Once your seeds are (close to) powdered add salt, and slowly stream your oil in while your blender is running. Add enough oil to your desired consistency. Store in a glass jar in your refrigerator. Makes about 3/4 cup.

All of the recipes I've seen called for a sweetener. Personally, I think raw sunflower seeds are sweet enough on their own, and I chose to forgo the sweeteners. This will also help in the healing of cavities.

Momma's Dental Healing Smoothie

Refrigerate the following ingredients, so your smoothie is cold without having to water it down with ice. This makes about 5 cups of smoothie.

2 cups plain yoghurt or mild dairy kefir
1 large avocado, cut into chunks
2 large bananas, cut into chunks
1 packet of powdered stevia
4 pastured eggs

Add all ingredients to blender & blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Mango Smoothies

Quick, easy & sure to please. These super thick & creamy smoothies are not overly sweet. My kids scraped the sides of their glasses with spoons (After making Tropsicles, our local grocery put mangoes on sale 2/$1, so I grabbed 8. I've used 4 for the Tropsicles & found myself tiring of making them, so I decided to go with the basic recipe I linked & try smoothies.). As the kids said "Make.a.gain....."

So I have to "write it down:"

Mango Smoothies

1 can coconut milk
1 mango cut into chunks
1 large banana cut into chunks
7 ice cubes

Put everything but ice cubes into blender. Blend until smooth. Add ice cubes and blend well. Serve in glasses. Add a spoon. You'll need one :D

Garlic Dill Mayonnaise

This stuff is so good, I could eat it with a spoon..... No seriously, I just did.


Garlic Dill Mayonnaise

• 1 small clove garlic chopped
• 1-2 T freeze dried dill (suit to taste)
• 1 pastured egg yolk, room temperature
• 1 pastured egg, room temperature
• 1/2 t real salt
• 1 t yellow mustard
• 2 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 3/4 c light oil (extra light olive oil, rice bran oil, etc. You may sub up to 1/4 c coconut oil, melted & cooled, but this tends to chill rock hard in the fridge)

Place all ingredients in blender except oil. Blend until light & fluffy, about a minute. Slowly add oil while blending. Once all your oil is added, scrape sides of blender, and blend about 30 seconds longer. Scrape sides of blender again & mix with a rubber spatula. Scrape into a clean glass jar (Since it's dill, I used a dill pickle jar, LOL). Allow to mingle a couple of hours before using either in the fridge or on your countertop. Store in the fridge.

Keeps about 2 weeks.