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Keeping in Touch:  Danger of Extinction  |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 10 2008 : 10:32:48 AM
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FOOD~ Most of us know that we have animals that every year are placed on the Danger of Extinction lists, but did you know that there are lists of foods that are in danger of extinction as well? If you wonder why there is a new energy around heirloom seeds and foods, it is because we are losing so many great foods to genetically modified foods...MaryJane offers so many great learning opportunities about this in the Sisterhood with her book lists and more, so if you are looking for a reason to join the Sisterhood, this is just one GREAT one..And now with winter approaching, you will find a little more time to read as you prepare for next year's gardening... you can also check out www.slowfoodusa.org But I cannot help but wonder how different that list might look if each of us farmgirls found something on that list and committed to planting it, saving the seeds and passing them on... ha.. and earning a badge or two in the process.......really? endangered food? I don't think I want that on my watch!
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
"Despite the gardener's best intentions, Nature will improvise. ~Michael P. Garafalo
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marcy jo
True Blue Farmgirl
453 Posts
Marcy
Wawaka
Indiana
USA
453 Posts |
Posted - Sep 10 2008 : 3:07:27 PM
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| I am going to check out that list. It never even crossed my mind that food might be endangered. I bet that the list would coincide with local eating. For example, my father-in-law brought down some elderberrys last night. He said he hasn't been able to find any bushes left and his brother just happened upon them. If all the old bushes are gone who will replant for the future? A little hint, it will probably be me!!! |
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Annika
True Blue Farmgirl
5602 Posts
Annika
USA
5602 Posts |
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deeredawn
True Blue Farmgirl
2306 Posts
Dawn
Cordova
TN
USA
2306 Posts |
Posted - Sep 10 2008 : 4:48:17 PM
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We were just talking abou this at our local fair tonight. There is another website: www.selectseeds.com that has some heirloom varieties (veggies? not sure...). I have hierloom MOuntain fresh tomatos that I'd be more than happy to pass on. Rene, I honestly believe that our connection can change that. We have the woman power to be heard and seen... its worth some consideration! If you think of something, I'd be more than happy to help. Also, my 80+ year old grandpa swears that we, as a nation, are going to have to step backwards before we can advance anymore. that we ar facing some serious consequences if we dont take hard look at whats goin on in our environment.
Dawn M. Sista #279 (big grin!)
http://harvestthymefarm.blogspot.com
http://gypsycowgirlcreations.blogspot.com
"I figure if a girl wants to be a legend, she should go ahead and be one!"...Calamity Jane |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
Posted - Sep 10 2008 : 5:54:15 PM
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Dawn,
Unfortunatley your grandpa isnt alone in his thinking... I agree with you, we farmgirls have the power to take a grassroots movement and make it a firestorm for change. It is one of the many things I love about the sisterhood and why I feel so compelled to be a part of it... it is "little steps" that move us towards the goal of being more self suffient, more community aware, more Awakened by what is going on around us...and more aware of our own capabilities...I firmly believe if each of us committed to simply becoming part of the sisterhood and go through the program, earning our badges ....which may seem like a small thing, but there are some amazing awarenesses and lessons learned in them, the least of which is what we can achieve when we set the course.................and out of it, I believe dreams will be born, activist created, gardeners found, and on and on and on...........it may seem small to plant a few heirlooms until you discover the reasoning behind it... My hope is that we all pick up a book, or check out a website, and are willing to do something slightly different.. just one little shift.. and if we all make one little shift we can feel the whole "ship" shift.........., even if we all truly committed to the farmgirl slogan of "Simple solutions for an everyday organic lifestyle",Oh the power of ONE!
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
http://farmchicksfarm.blogspot.com/
"Despite the gardener's best intentions, Nature will improvise. ~Michael P. Garafalo
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Edited by - ruralfarmgirl on Sep 10 2008 5:57:06 PM |
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DairySue
True Blue Farmgirl
67 Posts
Sue
Connecticut
67 Posts |
Posted - Sep 10 2008 : 6:36:42 PM
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In 1989, I moved to Lancaster, PA., very close to the Landis Valley Museum. I became turned on to the idea of heirloom preservation. Here's their heirloom seed project link:
http://www.landisvalleymuseum.org/seeds.php
Marcy Jo, My 81 year old father talks about picking pails of elderberries and the delicious pies his mother would make from them. I do not have any memory of ever having an elderberry. ?
Sue in CT
http://frumsglassmenagerie.blogspot.com/ |
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Sandra K. Licher
True Blue Farmgirl
1106 Posts
Sandra
Horseshoe Bend
Arkansas
1106 Posts |
Posted - Sep 10 2008 : 6:40:55 PM
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Thanks Rene....I will follow up on this...right now my MJ projects have been usurped by selling/buying/moving to my little acreage in the country....hopefully before the snow flies!
Sam in AR..... "It's a great life if you don't weaken!"
Farmgirl Sister #226 |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
Posted - Sep 10 2008 : 9:49:12 PM
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Sue,
That is such a great site~ Thank You~ I put it onto my desktop so that I wont lose it.
sam~ You sound busy, girlfriend. I am excited for you and cannot wait to hear all about it once you are settled.
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
http://farmchicksfarm.blogspot.com/
"Despite the gardener's best intentions, Nature will improvise. ~Michael P. Garafalo
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Annika
True Blue Farmgirl
5602 Posts
Annika
USA
5602 Posts |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
Posted - Sep 10 2008 : 10:08:06 PM
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Dawn and Annika ~ How should we set this up? should we open a "hen house" or just a thread? It would be nice to have a place where people can find all the sites easily as well.. what are your thoughts?
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
http://farmchicksfarm.blogspot.com/
"Despite the gardener's best intentions, Nature will improvise. ~Michael P. Garafalo
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LindaEllen
True Blue Farmgirl
275 Posts
Linda
Missouri
USA
275 Posts |
Posted - Sep 10 2008 : 10:30:14 PM
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I'm interested in heirlooms and organics and have been saving seeds from heirloom tomatoes that I could share. Along with other seeds that I will be saving.
I would love to join in : ).
tc linda
Farmgirl #343
Locust Trail Homestead
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/walkabout/
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clux64
True Blue Farmgirl
162 Posts
Celeste
Blair
NE
USA
162 Posts |
Posted - Sep 11 2008 : 06:01:24 AM
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Check out Seedsavers exchange www.seedsavers.org , talk about variety! Not to mention they are a non-profit specializing in saving the old seed stock. Bakers' Creek also specializes in heirloom seed, www.rareseeds.com . These are a couple of the more established heirloom seed companies, but there are lots of smaller ones out there as well (even Burpie has a few amoung their offerings). My farming partner and I specialize in heirloom vegetables and sell them at farmers market. They are a bit challenging on a large scale for market, but after your first yellow eggplant, or purple and white striped green-bean...your hooked! I love the seed sharing site idea too.
Celeste
"No matter where you go, there you are"
--Confucious
www.urbanprairiehome.blogspot.com
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LindaEllen
True Blue Farmgirl
275 Posts
Linda
Missouri
USA
275 Posts |
Posted - Sep 11 2008 : 06:34:42 AM
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Those are excellent companies Celeste. I ordered my seeds last spring from Heirloom Acres Seeds. With great results. Lots of good seed at low price, very friendly people too. I joined the Seeds Savers forum earlier this year.
I also got a great seed saving book , Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth. It details the techniques of saving seeds, how to hand and cage pollinate,storing your seeds , and much more how to's and info.
With the bee problems CCD we may have to know more how to hand pollinate our veggies , fruits and flowers. The more we learn from each other the more we can do to fight this big problem that will face everyone. Even if its one plant at a time.
tc linda
Farmgirl #343
Locust Trail Homestead
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/walkabout/
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Ms.Lilly
True Blue Farmgirl
826 Posts
Lillian
Scotts Mills
OR
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - Sep 11 2008 : 06:40:18 AM
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Oh- I like the Idea of a hen house. Almost all of my garden was heirlooms this year. Next year I am hoping to be all heirlooms, I had to find an adequet substitute for Roma tomatos and my green beans. The companies that Celeste mentioned are great, that is where most of my seeds come from. There is also one in California called Bountiful Gardens and they are very much enviromentally aware. Their site is www.bountifulgardens.org an their e-newsletters are great. Since I grow everything organic and have heirlooms it is great to know there are others with the same interest. To get into the hen houses I must send for my membership correct? What an excuse to finally sign up :)
Lillian |
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LindaEllen
True Blue Farmgirl
275 Posts
Linda
Missouri
USA
275 Posts |
Posted - Sep 11 2008 : 07:37:10 AM
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Lillian, I was wondering about the Henhouse if it would be the right place ( you can read but not comment unless you join), but what you said it may be just the ticket to get others to sign up and join in the fun. It's very organized in there and would help to get right to the source and get things none. Projects could be endless and would be a great seed exchange. Not to mention the book resource. Could lead into chapters and gatherings for plant and seed exchanges too.
tc linda
Farmgirl #343
Locust Trail Homestead
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/walkabout/
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deeredawn
True Blue Farmgirl
2306 Posts
Dawn
Cordova
TN
USA
2306 Posts |
Posted - Sep 11 2008 : 07:54:06 AM
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Not sure where my train of thought is stemming from.... but taking a cue from the "Summer of Love" how about a Free Seed Store? I'm agreeing with Linda. I think the henhouse would be a fine place to start. the members would be responsible for harvesting seed, and exchanging it through orders? For instance: lets say the Seed Store Member has 50 seeds of Mountain Fresh Tomato's...whomever wants them would have to be able to trade another heirloom seed for them. But it would be first come first serve.... I love the idea of seed exchanges. I already do that with my wildflower seed. I harvest it and make cardstock evelopes and stamp them and giv 'em away. Should we start with a thread and see how much attention it garners? Or should we just go for a henhouse?? How many strong are we? 500? 600? If 25% of us are exchanging seed that's a 150-ish heirloom plants that might not have been out there in the first place. Rene, whatever you think count me in!
Dawn M. Sista #279 (big grin!)
http://harvestthymefarm.blogspot.com
http://gypsycowgirlcreations.blogspot.com
"I figure if a girl wants to be a legend, she should go ahead and be one!"...Calamity Jane |
Edited by - deeredawn on Sep 16 2008 6:45:52 PM |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
Posted - Sep 11 2008 : 08:07:30 AM
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I have been really thinking about this... and in my thought process I kept coming back to the book "the tipping point" by Malcolm Gladwell... he wrote a book about the level at which the momentum for change becomes unstoppable (it is actually a continuation of thought from the socialogists Stanley Milgram's book six degrees of seperation ( a must read, really)... Gladwell uses two terms that I have come to love.. the first is "connector" and he defines them as "people who link us up with the world, people with a special gift for bringing the world together".. I identify with that.. I love connecting people with people and people with ideas.... the other term is "MAVENS". he says a MAVEN is an Information Specialist or people we rely on to connect us with new information, they accumulate knowledge, especially about the marketplace and know how to share it with others...........POWERFUL right?
So my thought is this~ HenHouse called "MJ's Heirloom Mavens" ~ Open to anyone who wants to "accumulate knowledge", share knowledge, and swap seeds... I LOVE the free swap idea~ but for some of us that are newer and may not have enough seed to swap...you gals maybe can set a "fee", where they can be purchased as well...I think we should also list books, blogs and websites that we can learn with.
Dawn~ You sound like you know what your doing and would be a GREAT Mother hen for the group... willing????
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
http://farmchicksfarm.blogspot.com/
"Despite the gardener's best intentions, Nature will improvise. ~Michael P. Garafalo
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Edited by - ruralfarmgirl on Sep 11 2008 08:09:17 AM |
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LindaEllen
True Blue Farmgirl
275 Posts
Linda
Missouri
USA
275 Posts |
Posted - Sep 11 2008 : 08:21:14 AM
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My vote for Dawn 
Rene thats a great name for the Henhouse and the mission is perfect.
I'm on another gardening group that gave newbies free seeds to get them started. You know if you save seeds you have tons of left overs. When I joined I rec so many different seeds , that I still have many to share with others. This is going to be great
tc linda
Farmgirl #343
Locust Trail Homestead
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/walkabout/
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Ms.Lilly
True Blue Farmgirl
826 Posts
Lillian
Scotts Mills
OR
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - Sep 11 2008 : 08:23:04 AM
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OK then I am now off to get my membership!
Lillian |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
Posted - Sep 11 2008 : 08:45:29 AM
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:)... Lillian~ How sweet!
So lets start a hen house.. Dawn you out there????
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
http://farmchicksfarm.blogspot.com/
"Despite the gardener's best intentions, Nature will improvise. ~Michael P. Garafalo
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deeredawn
True Blue Farmgirl
2306 Posts
Dawn
Cordova
TN
USA
2306 Posts |
Posted - Sep 11 2008 : 09:24:31 AM
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Gee whiz! I'm out in the barn for a MINUte an ya'll got a whole 'nother pgae written. I have NO IDEA what I'm doing but I'm willing to learn. Hmmm...Mother Hen Dawn....ahas a nice cluck to it dontcha think? Kidding. What do we do now? haha. PS. I think my computer is on the verge of crashing.... so Puleeeeze be patient with me! Rene... whats the next step?
Dawn M. Sista #279 (big grin!)
http://harvestthymefarm.blogspot.com
http://gypsycowgirlcreations.blogspot.com
"I figure if a girl wants to be a legend, she should go ahead and be one!"...Calamity Jane |
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deeredawn
True Blue Farmgirl
2306 Posts
Dawn
Cordova
TN
USA
2306 Posts |
Posted - Sep 11 2008 : 10:03:26 AM
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I just reread my post. Just to let you all know, I CAN spell. I am undergoing tests for MS...which is neither here nor there, but my hands get so numb I can't feel the buttons as I type. But I'm no quitter so you get mumbo jumbo to read!
Dawn M. Sista #279 (big grin!)
http://harvestthymefarm.blogspot.com
http://gypsycowgirlcreations.blogspot.com
"I figure if a girl wants to be a legend, she should go ahead and be one!"...Calamity Jane |
Edited by - deeredawn on Sep 11 2008 10:04:10 AM |
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Annika
True Blue Farmgirl
5602 Posts
Annika
USA
5602 Posts |
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deeredawn
True Blue Farmgirl
2306 Posts
Dawn
Cordova
TN
USA
2306 Posts |
Posted - Sep 11 2008 : 10:18:16 AM
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wow. I am and would be honored to Mama Hen the...what are we called? Oh yeah, MJ's Heirloom Mavens. Awww... I have tears of pride welling up in these hazel eyes.... I am and have planted all heirloom this year. I already have dried Mountain Fresh and Pineapple tomato seeds. I have a Rupp Seed Catalog and am ordering all heirloom for next year. I accept.
Dawn M. Sista #279 (big grin!)
http://harvestthymefarm.blogspot.com
http://gypsycowgirlcreations.blogspot.com
"I figure if a girl wants to be a legend, she should go ahead and be one!"...Calamity Jane |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
Posted - Sep 11 2008 : 10:56:21 AM
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hey dawn! Glad to know you have such a willing heart.. So Either you or I can let Sunny at the farm know we want a new HEN house called MJ's Heirloom Mavens....and the member list~ ( the names of all of us that have said.. "OH me too"... and Sunny will get if all set up.. If you want me to handle the set up I certainly will~ But I am SOOOO thrilled that you are willing to be the Momma hen... R
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
http://farmchicksfarm.blogspot.com/
"Despite the gardener's best intentions, Nature will improvise. ~Michael P. Garafalo
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Ms.Lilly
True Blue Farmgirl
826 Posts
Lillian
Scotts Mills
OR
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - Sep 11 2008 : 11:37:50 AM
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How exciting! I just signed up today for sisterhood membership so it will take afew days as you know for me to be able to access the hen house but as soon as I can I will be there!
Lillian |
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Keeping in Touch: Danger of Extinction |
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Danger of Extinction
