Best Garden Blogs

If you have not had an opportunity to visit Best Garden Blogs, then you must. Anna of FlowerGardenGirl created this site to help you find quality gardening websites on the internet by state, zone, and expertise. And tomorrow is an extra special day as she launches her new online garden magazine Toil the Soil.

The first issue is FREE and once you see this beautiful piece of work she has created, I am certain you will want to subscribe for the full year; but hurry, tomorrow is the last day you can sign up for all 12 months, and it is only $20.

February’s issue is all about spring– with seeds, benches, potting benches, potting sheds, spring blooms, azaleas, valentines, mud boots, gloves;

March– potagers, kitchen gardens, greenhouses, vegetables;

April– Chickens...

To see what other wonderful topics are in store for the entire year and for further information, go HERE and sign up now!

Don't you think it is appropriate that Anna has launched her magazine on Valentine's Day? What a sweetheart! Thank you Anna!

PS: you might even find an article by yours truly in this issue.

Organic Elite Surrenders to Monsanto

I just happened upon this article by Ronnie Cummins of the Organic Consumers Association and am appalled by its content. And the US Department of Agriculture is in agreement? Who out there is concerned about our food source and safety?

The Organic Elite Surrenders to Monsanto: What Now?

By Ronnie Cummins Jan 27, 2011

"The policy set for GE alfalfa will most likely guide policies for other GE crops as well. True coexistence is a must." - Whole Foods Market, Jan. 21, 2011

In the wake of a 12-year battle to keep Monsanto's Genetically Engineered (GE) crops from contaminating the nation's 25,000 organic farms and ranches, America's organic consumers and producers are facing betrayal. A self-appointed cabal of the Organic Elite, spearheaded by Whole Foods Market, Organic Valley, and Stonyfield Farm, has decided it's time to surrender to Monsanto. Top executives from these companies have publicly admitted that they no longer oppose the mass commercialization of GE crops, such as Monsanto's controversial Roundup Ready alfalfa, and are prepared to sit down and cut a deal for "coexistence" with Monsanto and USDA biotech cheerleader Tom Vilsack.

You may continue with the article here...

And when you finish with that, here is a more recent update.

Seeds and Seed Exchange

One of the very best things about blogging and being a gardener is the information we share with one another, but another very best thing is being able to exchange the seed from our gardens. Since last fall I have mailed a number of you heirloom seeds that were saved from our summer vegetables.

A most recent exchange was with Meems (Gardening in the Boroughs of NYC), and these are those I selected from her collection and received this past weekend: Melting Sugar Snow Pea, Chinese Mustard Greens and Cayenne Pepper.

Would you look at the lovely little seed envelopes she made from seed catalogs, and here are instructions. Now that is clever and a great idea. Thank you, Meems.


PS: I still have heirloom tomato seeds, beans, hot peppers, cantaloupe, mizuna, tatsoi... should anyone like some.