Seed bombing

Granny Smith Apple Tree

As a chef I care about the food that I serve, where it comes from how it was treated, harvested, stored and delivered.  I can only give the best to our guest or the experience would not be worth the effort.  During the growing season I source out as much local organic grown produce, meats, poultry and eggs that I can find.  Alas, the past few years I have noticed a trend that has alarm bells ringing in my head.

GMO’s has made my work in providing the best more difficult along with the farmers and other like minded people that I have had conversations with.  The FDA has aligned with big companies who has paid loads of money to fight the simple rule of placing a label on food product that contain GMO products.  I, as a member of the human race as well as anyone who reads this should feel outraged about this issue and put forth action that will stop this practice and allow us, the human race to decide if we want this product within our food.

I have taken the path of signing petitions and voiced my opinions on various websites along with donations to assist with requiring companies to place labels on food that stats contains GMO.  I feel that I am left with one option that will show the big companies that I will no longer allow this food for my family or my customers.  I do understand that my actions will effect the farming communities if each person who reads this starts the same practice. For this I’m sadden.

Seed Bombing – At the restaurant I work with many types of organic, non gmo vegetables and fruits.  About 6 months ago as I was de-seeding a tomato I was lost in the thought of how one tomato seed can produce one plant which can produce between 20 and 60 tomatoes per plant which also produces an average of 40 seeds per tomato  which if all the seeds will grow should create 240 tomato plants and 14,400 tomatoes.

My thought process sounds a little strange but stay with me here.  If little old me. just me and me alone takes the time to collect all the seeds that I can during a typical work week and find locations where it is apparent that no one will be building along the roadways and abandoned  sites around the town that I live in, plant the seeds and allow nature to take its course what would the outcome be.  Then what if everyone did this.  What would the world be like if they could walk down the road and pick vegetables, can vegetables collect seeds and re-plant the seeds.

I do understand the economic effect on the farmers, markets and related industries. But the ability to have clean food is what will drive me. If the FDA wont fight for us, the human race, then we must fight for ourselves.

Although I’ve not been keeping records of the exact number of things that I have planted over the past few months I am proud to say that I have 10 Avocados trees grown and ready to plant 26 apple trees which required seeds from different apple trees to pollinate.  I quit counting tomato seeds after 20 thousand, pear trees, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, carrot tops, pineapple tops, and so much more.

I do promise that my intentions are not to harm the farmers. that have been placed in a bad siltation, if they fight they could loose there land. Unless its an organic market the major chain does not  care. My vision is simple, 100 people collecting  non gmo, organic seeds and seed bomb areas that will allow growth, and allow anyone to feed there families.