A Package of Seeds by Aileen Fisher
They can’t see their pictures,
They can’t read the label –
The seeds in a package –
So how are they able
To know if they’re daisies
Or green for the table?
Do you remember when the first seedless watermelons and grapes came out in the grocery store or the first pit-less peach?
Well that’s bananas! While some no doubt hailed them as a great thing because they were so much easier to eat without the inconvenience of dealing with the ‘useless’ pits or seeds, others were sounding the alarm bells.
Since when is it a good idea when industry produces a ‘new food’ that can’t, or we can’t, reproduce itself? If that’s OK with us, then maybe it’s our minds that have just plain gone to seed….
Seeds, pits and nuts are a miraculous and true wonder in nature’s world and should never, ever be taken for granted or considered an inconvenience in our foods.
Try to imagine how many countless varieties, shapes and sizes there are in the world and how those plants can germinate from something so small and seemingly lifeless.
Let’s give these mini-mights an appreciative think for a moment.
These three wonders are extremely well-organized life forms that contain the individual energetic blueprint and coded information for every possible characteristic of the plant, throughout it’s lifespan.
They contain the comprehensive ‘knowledge’ of the shape, thickness and length of each stem, branch and leaf and the number of leaves; the thickness, texture and colour of the skin or bark; the diameter and number of channels through which nutrients and water flow (circulatory system); the overall proportions and colour(s) of the plant; it’s defence mechanisms against any threats; it’s communications systems to other plants; what symbiotic relationships it will have with other plants and insects; the structure and function of the roots for assimilation of soil nutrients; and, whether or not it will bear fruit or flowers, and if so, what it’s taste, aroma, shape and colour they will be and how many.
And that’s just the basics. Wow!
A seed produces a living version of an extremely complex shape with complex systems. They have a superior form of what can only be described as an ‘intelligence.”
But how did all that information get there in the first place?
Now that’s a tough nut to crack. And here’s another tidbit to chew on when contemplating your seed sources this year.
If you want to have a truly organic garden, you will need to buy organic seeds, even if you never use pesticides, commercial fertilizers or weed killer in your garden.
Organic seeds have a better heritage, are proven to be stronger and healthier and do not carry any harmful pesticides or insecticides built in to their tiny cells like genetically modified seeds do. They produce plants that are more naturally disease and pest resistant and produce foods with increased nutritional value and taste.
Purchasing heirloom seeds gives life to our future and prevents the loss of genetic seed diversity, so our organic seed and plant growers play a crucial role in the health and well-being of both people and our planet.
And remember, the only materials the seeds have to use are the nutrients it contains at its initial stage – and after that, just earth and sunlight.
The soil the seeds are sown and grown in makes all the difference for a strong and healthy plant, so provide a nutrient and mineral-rich soil to plant and grow them in.
So come out and support the Seedy Saturday on March 2 at the L.A. Fortune School in Enderby from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
This is always a good opportunity to meet some great seed suppliers, farmers and other vendors and to listen to some excellent presentations on a number of topics
