Free Green Can

Ok, this is cool. I stumbled across the Free Green Can today and I am clapping happy for it. It's a trash can and a recycle bin in one and it is free to anyone that wants to get started or wants to compliment their current program. And according the the website, one is paid to use the free green can which would get anyone jumping. They have video about it, too. Very 10 on the greener meter!

You know the City of Knoxville must hate me. I am always sending them this stuff.

Seed the Day and Rue It At The Same Time

Dagoba, you know how I love Dagoba, is doing Seed the Day. You send them a pic with you and your favorite bar of their chocolate and they will send you a packet of seeds. You can't beat that. Details on their website. The offer actually ends at the end of the month so get moving!

On a more dramatic front, Obama nominates Tom Vilsack as the Secretary of Agriculture. I'm not usually a hugely emotional person when it comes to politics. I'm not usually a hugely political person, period. But what a downward swing this is. Vilsack lobbies for Monsanto *shutter*, the makers of Roundup (which has been shown to be damaging over long term use if I'm not mistaken) and supports things like not putting labels on milk declaring them rBGH (recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone) free because they know that the public would rather not drink the stuff and they know that we're willing to pay whatever it takes to protect our health. Better that we just don't know about that. This would be devastating to companies like Monsanto who are major researchers for these types of hormones and other things too.

With such disastrous chemicals as Agent Orange riding on their coat tails, Monsanto has a long history of covering things up. They recently paid out a staggering $700 million for not cleaning up their mess from back in the 70's to a town in Alabama. They are also in deep with foreign court systems for basically lying about the type of seed they brought into the country for farmers to plant. Not nice business at all.

Then there is my favorite. The "terminator" seed. What did you say? You're asking if this is a seed dressed up like Arnold Swartzenager from the Terminator movie, complete with shot gun, cool glasses and clad in black leather? Nay, I say! If only. This technology produces sterile seeds, my friends. That's right. Commercial farmers would be forced to purchase seed over and over from Monsanto because the seeds that the plants would produce would be non-viable.

Did anyone actually stop to think about this on a global scale? A bunch of morons go into a lab, decide to figure out how to make all seeds sterile so that big companies can decide the fate of the world's food. And in the mean time while commercial farmers are forced to abide by this, who gets completely screwed in the end? Well lets see, uh the WORLD maybe? Cross pollination with these plants would devastate natural forests and fields. It would complete shut down the home gardener. Grow your own only to find out next year that half the seeds you saved are sterile.

And where would everyone have to go to get viable seeds? Hmm? You got it. Monsanto. Even though they say they have no interest in further research on the sterile seed, I still find it terrifying that they purchased the company that came up with the concept in 2007.

Idiots. All of them, complete morons. Once you let it all out into the world, things change. The earth is not a laboratory and life finds a way, strangely enough. I, personally, like things just how they are. I enjoy the fresh foods of my labor and certainly don't need some big company coming in and screwing up the planet more than it already is by letting loose to the world plants that produce sterile seeds. It is just unthinkable.

This is what Tom Vilsack supports. This is the future that he could potentially bring forth. It isn't just the growth hormones, its is much bigger than that. The GM corn that actually causes damage to the liver and kidneys. It's the audacity they show by trying to patient the birth of pigs because they have a specific instrument they use to artificially inseminate. The patients on specific varieties and the law suites they filed against farmers for selling seed they grew. It's Terminator, Agent Orange, DDT, Roundup.

For shame Tom Vilsack. For shame Monsanto. For shame Obama for even thinking that this guy would have the minds and hearts of the American people on his agenda.

Sound your voice! Make you're voice heard. Take action!

Say "No!" to GMO's. Say "No!" to the lack of labeling on our foods. Say "No!" to the cover ups and the lies. Say "No!" to Tom Vilsack and to Monsanto. And for the love of all things sacred, say "No!" to the Terminator seeds. They may be saying that they aren't pursuing research, but look at their track record and make the decision for yourself.

Winter Sown

Make sure to check out Winter Sown. This site helps in how to sow seeds during the winter time. A very informative site AND they also will send free seeds for the price of the stamps on the SASE.

Free Seeds

Seeds everywhere. When you feel as if you can't afford your own seeds, there are some resources so you can grow some seeds for the cost of a couple of postage stamps.

http://america-the-beautiful.org/free_seeds/index.php

They are doing something wonderful here. Saving seeds from landfills, feeding the hungry, beautifying the country.

And there is also Winter Sow. These guys are awesome. You send them an envelope with a couple of stamps on it, they will send you some seeds. In some cases it is your choice, in others, you get a nice surprise.

http://www.wintersown.org/wseo1/YourChoiceTomatoSASE.html

Canning Labels

I just love stuff like this. Free canning labels print offs.

http://alenkasprintables.com/free_labels.shtml

http://asonomagarden.wordpress.com/2008/07/21/canning-lids-download/

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/acProject?lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&extcat=labelscovers&project=canninglabelsandgifttags

http://www.graphicgarden.com/files17/eng/print/labels1e.php

http://rainbowrowgraphics.com/printables/canning%20labels/index.html

http://www.morriscookbooks.com/cc/cc.asp

Other Free Plant Programs

Free stuff is good. Very good.

Check out this offer from Spring Hill. $20.00 worth of plants for the price of shipping. You can't beat that.

Help homeless nursery plants at Free Trees and Plants.com.

Get plants and other stuff from Freecycle.

There are a lot of different ways to get free plants. Hit up the nursery and see what you can salvage from their throw-aways. Landscaping crews are most of the time replacing flowers, see if you can have the ones they've pulled up. Of course, seed and plant swaps from local groups. See if you can dig up the plants from a place that is due to be demolished. There are plenty of ways to get into that garden.