Saving seeds

If you have ever joined in with the rising chorus of voices accusing monsanto and the global agricultural community of exploitation and negligence then you will have to either been saving seeds for a long time or you have arrived on this blog page in an attempt to find out how to do so. Saving seeds is one major weapon we have in the fight to retain control of our own food supply. When crop strains are genetically modified, a legal precedent has been set for these strains to be patented and declared the property of the company responsible for the genetic corruption. I know, ridiculous isn't it. They destroy a plant and then tell us that they own our plants when their damaged DNA pollinates our own safe crops.

By harvesting seeds from your organically grown food plants you can ensure your own future health as well as making a contribution to worldwide efforts to maintain the integrity of the food supply.

How to Save Seeds

First set aside the healthiest and most productive plant of your crop. You are selecting the best quality genes to plant next year. Sometimes plants in less than perfect condition may have damaged genetic material which could cause their seeds to fail to germinate. Different plant's seeds should be harvested at different times. It doesn't do to harvest seeds too early or too late. For most plants you will find that when the seeds are dry and easily removed, that is the appropriate time to harvest seeds. Lettuce seeds for example should be allowed to dry two to three weeks after flowering before harvesting the seeds. Practical experience is a winner when it comes to knowing how and when to save seeds, which is why this information is covered in educational and fun workshops run by Positive Cycle in Johannesburg, South Africa.