eNewsletter #6, November 4, 1999
Dear Gardener,
Here on our New Mexico farm, we are planting our overwintering cover crops and mowing mulch, leaving nooks and crannies of habitat necessary for the many birds and other small animals who share our farm. As we finish our fall harvesting of seed plants, they are brought into the greenhouse for seed cleaning and sorting, along with the seeds arriving daily from our network of Certified Organic farmers across the U.S. Then they are brought to our office/production facility in Santa Fe to be packed into our colorful seed envelopes and placed in cold storage...awaiting your orders.
Also at our office in Santa Fe, we are completing our Seed Book 2000 catalog, with 50 more seeds than our 1999 catalog. It will be arriving in your home around New Years Day.
As the holidays approach, be sure to browse this website for our recommendations of garden gifts for you and your friends.
Thank you for your continued support of organic gardening, organic food, and biodiversity.
Dave Smith, Editor
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In this issue...
- Our New Gardencycle Day Planner
- Recommended Garden Gifts
- Vote for Best Seeds of Change Garden
- New Slide Shows
- New Green Prints Articles
- Latest News on Organics and Seed Biotechnology
- New Website Links
- Recent Customer Comments
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Our New Gardencycle Day Planner
We've just published the second edition of our GardenCycle Day Planner (pictured above). With your feedback, we have changed it to Hardcover and given it more flexibility by removing printed month names so it can be started any month of the year. Price is still $19.95. Here is the complete description and order page.
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Recommended Garden Gifts
- Unique Garden Gifts Section
- Our Organic Seed Cards
- Our Organic Seed Christmas Ornaments
- Organic d'Anjou Pears
- Organic Italian Gift Basket
- Garden Board Game
- Viewbird Observation House
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Vote for Best Seeds of Change Garden
This year we announced a "Seeds For Life Contest" and invited you to enter photos of your garden. The customer with the Most Beautiful, Diverse, Organic Garden grown from Seeds of Change seed will be awarded their choice of 10 seed packs per year for the rest of their life.
Now it's time to vote. First, go to the Garden Contest Gallery page and browse the gardens that have been entered. Then, pick your favorite and vote for one only at the email address provided. We will announce the winner on our website and in our next eNewsletter.
Thanks to all of you who entered, and good luck!
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New Slide Shows
Recently I spent a couple of pleasant hours poking around our farm with my camera. We invite you on a virtual visit to our New Mexico Research and Seed Production farm, north of Santa Fe: Wandering Around A New Mexico Farm
We have also posted a short slide show about how our Bulldog Tools are made in England: Bulldog Tools
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New Green Prints Articles
We have added a page with articles from one of our favorite garden magazines, Green Prints. You'll love these down home, personal garden stories: "Wilbo!" and The Thing. Look for new articles that will be posted periodically. Green Prints
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Latest News on Organics and Seed Biotechnology
The USDA is on schedule to release their next round of proposed national organic standards for public comment sometime in January. Additional information about the American Organic Standards can be found at the Organic Trade Association website.
The Food and Drug Administration has just announced a new initiative to inform and engage the public about bioengineered foods. This initiative will begin with a series of public meetings: Chicago, IL (November 18), Washington, D.C. (November 30), and Oakland, CA (December 13). For more information, visit the Federal Register.
You can also send your comments regarding the labeling and pre-market safety testing of genetically engineered foods by visiting Food Safety Now. This website sends your comments directly to the FDA. Written comments are due by January 13, 2000.
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New Website Links
The Vegetarian Food Pyramid describes a diet for most healthy adults. For persons who wish to improve their diet, this model provides a highly palatable, healthful framework for change.
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Recent Customer Comments
"Every day I become more aware of the fact that our environment needs to be healed and that our own health is a reflection of our planetary health. Thanks for making the world a better place." - K.E., Missoula, Montana
"My mother recently and permanently converted to open polination tomatoes. In shady coastal Oregon, where blight regularly converts plants to sad, black slime, your Silvery Fir Tree Tomatoes are still being canned on October 31! We've been arguing this point for years. Thank you." - V.C., Coos Bay, Oregon
"It is an honor to do business with a company which endeavors to sustain a healthy environment as opposed to manipulating public perception. Thank you Seeds of Change for maintaining the genetic heritage of the food we grow and eat." - W.M.
"We here at the Arc of Greater New Orleans were grateful recipients of your superior seeds through your seed donation program. Your generous donation afforded adults with developmental disabilities an opportunity to become involved in a worthwhile and meaningful project. We sowed seeds in our greenhouse, planted seedlings in our certified organic garden. All of our seedlings thrived, and we were able to sell herbs and edible flowers at a local farmer's market (essentially breaking even). The project was so successful we are now looking to expand our growing and marketing efforts, thus creating potential employment at competitive wages for our consumers. All of this would not have been possible were it not for your seed donation project. I am writing first to thank you for including us in your donation program. Second, if you can see your way clear, we'd appreciate being considered in the next donation program. Thank you again, and keep up the good work!" - Judy Maclauchlan, Project Manager ArcGNO
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