Written by Courtney, Contributing Writer
An heirloom zucchini plant from Courtney's garden.
(Zucchini is especially important to choose from an heirloom
variety because most zucchini has been genetically modified.)
Our food supply is changing. The introduction of genetically
modified organisms (GMOs) has drastically altered the way we grow food. Even on
a small scale, gardening is not the same as what it once was. Our gardens may
look similar to those of our grandmothers’, but are the vegetables and fruits
we grow the same? Would our ancestors have recognized some of the modified
varieties we grow today?
Malnourished in the Land of Plenty
We want bigger, better, faster, more.
Plants are now altered to produce desirable traits, most
commonly the ability to withstand certain herbicides and pesticides. In this
case, bacteria and other cells are inserted into crops such as corn and soy so
that they will produce their own “herbicides and pesticides” and are able to
resist the toxic chemicals that are sprayed on them.
The most notorious GM crops are soy, cotton, and canola, but
advances in GMOs are growing fast. Just like other areas where man thinks he
can outwit nature (think antibiotics and vaccines for prime examples), he must
constantly up his game to stay one step ahead.
Genetic modification is different from natural breeding
because genes are transferred unnaturally across species barriers. Foreign
cells or bacteria are forced into a plant, altering its genetic make up. The
plant’s natural genes can be rearranged, turned off, deleted, or mutated,
resulting in an end product with little genetic resemblance to the plant it was
meant to modify.
Furthermore, it is believed that the foreign genes and
bacteria can transfer to our cells and infiltrate the bacteria inside us.
Allergies are the most common problem associated with genetically modified
food. Reproductive problems are another major concern. But it is possible that
we have yet to discover the magnitude of the consequences of GMOs since, like
the consequences of smoking, they may not show up for decades.
What we do know is that we are not being nourished in the
way we would from natural, unmodified food and we are experiencing unintended
consequences that only worsen our health and threaten our food supply.
From the Seed Savers Exchange website:
The genetic diversity of the world's food crops is eroding
at an unprecedented and accelerating rate. The vegetables and fruits currently
being lost are the result of thousands of years of adaptation and selection in
diverse ecological niches around the world. Each variety is genetically unique
and has developed resistance to the diseases and pests with which it evolved.
Plant breeders use the old varieties to breed resistance into modern crops that
are constantly being attacked by rapidly evolving diseases and pests. Without
these infusions of genetic diversity, food production is at risk from epidemics
and infestations.
Just how dangerous is genetic erosion? The
late Jack Harlan, world renowned plant collector who wrote the classic
"Crops and Man" while Professor of Plant Genetics at University of
Illinois at Urbana, has written: "These resources stand between us and
catastrophic starvation on a scale we cannot imagine. In a very real sense, the
future of the human race rides on these materials. The line between abundance
and disaster is becoming thinner and thinner, and the public is unaware and
unconcerned. Must we wait for disaster to be real before we are heard? Will
people listen only after it is too late."
Our Creator Had a Better
Plan
“And God
said, ‘Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees
bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the
earth.’ And it was so.” ~ Genesis 1:11
(ESV)
Have you ever studied botany in depth? Wow. It’s amazing to
learn how intricate the process of seed to plant is and how well it works on
its own. Each seed according to its kind.
In our own little gardens in our own little communities, we
can help preserve traditional seeds. We can make a small difference when we
simply choose to plant an heirloom garden, and together, all of us can make a
great impact.
Why Grow Heirloom Seeds?
1. Health
Not all non-heirlooms are genetically modified, but one sure
fire way to avoid GMOs is to opt for the heirloom seed.
2. Cost
One major benefit to heirloom seeds is that they can be
saved and planted again the next year. Most commercial varieties of seeds today
cannot survive past the growing season they were prepared for. Genetically
modified seeds are sterile and must be purchased again in subsequent years.
3. Preparedness
Unless we preserve the seeds of the past and keep them in
tact and unmodified, we are at risk of losing the ability of the plant to
sustain us. Monsanto will not sustain us. I promise you that.
In the event of a major crisis, being prepared could make
the difference between survival and starvation. Those packets of sterile seeds
that are good only for one growing season are a far cry from the properly
preserved heirloom that can nourish generations to come.
4. Taste
The flavor of an heirloom vegetable or fruit just can’t be
beat. Sometimes when a gene is inserted into a plant for a specific trait,
there are other traits within that plant that may be lost. Flavor is often
sacrificed in favor of say, pest resistance.
A waxy, sprayed store-bought tomato doesn’t even compare to
biting into a ripe Brandywine tomato fresh
from the garden.
5. Tradition
There is satisfaction in passing along a tradition that has
been preserved for decades, sometimes hundreds or thousands of years. I enjoy
reading the history behind the heirloom plants I grow. Each year I try to plant
at least one new heirloom and I enjoy learning about the history behind it. The
Cinderella pumpkin is new to my garden this year.
Resources for the Heirloom
Gardener
If you’re wondering where to start, below is a small list of
resources with information on heirlooms as well as sources for buying seeds.
Seeds Savers Exchange
is my favorite source for heirloom seeds AND informational resources on growing
them!
Baker’s Creek offers
another wide selection of heirloom seeds. They don’t offer the educational
resources like Seeds Savers Exchange does, but they still offer quite a variety
of seeds.
There are so many great blogs on gardening out there. Deep Roots at Home is just one
that I enjoy reading for gardening knowledge and for encouragement in my home.
You will surely find a wealth of inspiration there!
What resources for the traditional gardener have you found
helpful? I’d love for you to share yours!
Courtney blogs at
Simply
Nurtured, where she shares her passion
for laying a strong foundation for baby and sells products that
help mothers to do so.
Courtney is married to her best friend
and is a homeschooling mom to 5 children, and she and her husband are expecting
their 6th blessing in April.
Courtney is reminded
daily of God's amazing grace and tries to not take one moment for
granted. She strives to
live simply in order to follow Christ fully and experience joy
abundantly. When she is able to, she loves to spend time reading,
writing, sewing, painting, doing crafty projects, and planning and organizing
projects.
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