Who are we?The Bay Area Seed Interchange Library (BASIL) Project is part of a growing network of concerned farmers and community gardeners dedicated to conserving the remaining genetic diversity of our planet's seed stock. We have created a library of healthy vegetable, herb, and flower seeds that are being made available free to the public. We are a dynamic group that needs your support and involvement! Why be concerned with seed saving?In the last two decades, the majority of the world's family-owned seed companies have been bought out by multinationals such as the Monsanto and Novartis corporations. These companies are not interested in creating sustainable food systems and communities. They are busy replacing carefully bred strains of vegetables and flowers with their own hybrids and patented varieties. Hybrids don't produce viable seed, and the seed from patented varieties cannot legally be collected and used. Instead, the seeds must be bought fresh each year, forcing gardeners and farmers to purchase from corporate seed sources annually. Genetic engineering enables "life science" corporations to control plant traits by "programming" the seeds. Monsanto's infamous implementation of trait-control technology is often referred to as the "Terminator" seed. "Terminator" seeds yield plants that produce no viable seed of ther own. Trait-controlled plants that breed with traditional varieties may pass on engineered traits to the offspring. If non-evolved plant varieties are permitted to squeeze out natural and/or carefully cultivated varieties, seed saving may nearly disappear. Our nourishment or hunger might then depend on chemically dependent or infertile trait-controlled plants. Traditional knowledge of seed saving and plant propagation techniques exists in fewer and fewer minds and communities. In order to create a positive ecological future for the planet, we need to begin teaching each other the skills necessary to save our own seeds. We've got to engage with traditional agricultural knowledge, and work to anticipate the needs of future generations. What are we doing?BASIL is an attempt to bring together a wide variety
of gardeners to lay the foundation for a local seed growers' network
that can take responsibility for developing crops and adapting
them to our bioregion. How does it work?Local gardeners and farmers can "check out" seeds with the agreement that they attempt to grow them out and "return" some seeds of the next generation at the end of the season. If we can create a local abundance of fertile and non-engineered seed, we can participate in the International Solidarity Seed Project by donating our surplus to communities around the world that have difficulty accessing viable, open-pollinated seed. BASIL hopes to encourage good growing techniques by offering seed saving classes, access to literature, and one-to-one help from experienced seed savers. Get involved!The Ecology Center (2530 San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley; cross street is Blake) houses our seed library. Fill out a membership application and sign out some seeds. Tell your friends and fellow community gardeners about our project! Contact BASIL.Links.seed networks and companiesSeed Savers Exchange
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