Amy's Reflection:
Seed
Little flame of my life,
we have traveled through winter
with our hearts intact. Now we soften
with the soil to the spring rains. Little secret
given away by the ground, I will tell you
my secret: I want my
people to live.
Look, I have made a house for you
in the earth. Let’s live as sisters
again this summer. Your children
will be my children, and my children,
the songs we sing in our fullness,
remembering you.
This poem of mine attempts to capture my love for seeds, the wonder and miracle of them. Every year I am amazed--I put these little things in the ground, give them just a bit of care, and then they grow into these incredibly beautiful and delicious plants whose lives I take in order to sustain my life. They don't live without me; I don't live without them. Our lives are inextricably intertwined in this bargain: the plants give their lives so that I (and my community) can live and in return I help them reproduce so that their lives can continue. Generation after generation.
John's Reflection:
Always I have been fascinated by seeds--their vivid shapes and colors, their power and mystery. When I joined the Seed Savers Exchange (http://www.seedsavers.org/) in 1982, I fell in love with the stories attached to seeds gifted to me. Most of our culture at the time had not yet awakened to the "heirloom phenomenon" we see today. Matter of fact, most gardeners and farmers had come to believe as they were told by seed companies and university breeding programs that modern hybrids were far superior. These beautiful seeds that I had requested would arrive at my door accompanied by wonderful handwritten stories about the seeds like these:
"My family lost almost everything during the Great Depression, but these beans kept us alive."
"This was the only corn to make ears during the great drought of '34."
"My people carried these beans on the Trail of Tears."
I added my own stories when I sent seeds in return: "Midnight, late July, Aunt Mary's Sweet Corn in full tassel and silk--strong stalks and setting two ears--I feel such powerful ecstatic energy."
Seeds and culture intertwined. There is more encoded in seeds than their DNA. Seeds have stories to tell and they are still waiting for us to listen.
So, yes! I do think seeds have agency. They are my sisters, brothers, and teachers. Since it appears that climate change may encourage us to rethink agriculture, I wonder what kinds of questions should we consider that connote a relationship between us of mutuality and reciprocity?
This poem of mine attempts to capture my love for seeds, the wonder and miracle of them. Every year I am amazed--I put these little things in the ground, give them just a bit of care, and then they grow into these incredibly beautiful and delicious plants whose lives I take in order to sustain my life. They don't live without me; I don't live without them. Our lives are inextricably intertwined in this bargain: the plants give their lives so that I (and my community) can live and in return I help them reproduce so that their lives can continue. Generation after generation.
John's Reflection:
Always I have been fascinated by seeds--their vivid shapes and colors, their power and mystery. When I joined the Seed Savers Exchange (http://www.seedsavers.org/) in 1982, I fell in love with the stories attached to seeds gifted to me. Most of our culture at the time had not yet awakened to the "heirloom phenomenon" we see today. Matter of fact, most gardeners and farmers had come to believe as they were told by seed companies and university breeding programs that modern hybrids were far superior. These beautiful seeds that I had requested would arrive at my door accompanied by wonderful handwritten stories about the seeds like these:
"My family lost almost everything during the Great Depression, but these beans kept us alive."
"This was the only corn to make ears during the great drought of '34."
"My people carried these beans on the Trail of Tears."
I added my own stories when I sent seeds in return: "Midnight, late July, Aunt Mary's Sweet Corn in full tassel and silk--strong stalks and setting two ears--I feel such powerful ecstatic energy."
Seeds and culture intertwined. There is more encoded in seeds than their DNA. Seeds have stories to tell and they are still waiting for us to listen.
So, yes! I do think seeds have agency. They are my sisters, brothers, and teachers. Since it appears that climate change may encourage us to rethink agriculture, I wonder what kinds of questions should we consider that connote a relationship between us of mutuality and reciprocity?
Background Information:
What do you know about our agricultural genetics? Don't feel bad if your answer is "not much"! Why should you care? Cary Fowler has a few reasons in his TED talk "One Seed at a Time, Protecting the Future of Food". Check it out: https://www.ted.com/talks cary_fowler_one_seed_at_a_time_protecting_the_future_of_food
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault might be one part of the solution to rescuing some of our dwindling agricultural diversity, but it's not the only answer. Despite the fact that certain old plant varieties are called "heirlooms," seeds aren't like antique jewelry or furniture--they are alive and in order to stay alive and vital, plant varieties need to be grown out, stewarded, and selected by attentive farmers and gardeners.
Winona LaDuke offers another approach to reclaiming the genetics of our agricultural heritages in her talk "Seeds of our Ancestors, Seeds of Life": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHNlel72eQc.
At 11:47, she talks about the Bear Island Flint Corn that you all were shelling out at our house this week. What a gift that those seeds have been shared with us by the indigenous farmers of this continent!
There are several different ways that people have collaborated with plants to create new crops and varieties of crops. Plant Breeder Frank Morton describes these different processes and defines the terms "hybrid", "GMO", and "open-pollinated" in this article: https://www.wildgardenseed.com/articles/definitions-and-consequences-hybrids-gmos-and-open-pollinated-varieties. There's been a lot of confusion in the media lately about these terms, so please bring your questions about them to class so that we can clear up any confusion.
Winona LaDuke talks about threats to indigenous seed sovereignty as corporations attempt to patent and genetically engineer food crops that indigenous peoples have bred and stewarded for many, many generations. Patenting, genetic engineering, and consolidation in the seed industry affect all of us. They affect the foods that are available to us, their nutritional content, and the level of toxins that end up in our ecosystems and on our grocery shelves. They affect biodiversity, water quality, air quality, and our climate.
Independent plant breeders are pushing back against against corporate control, though. Here's one more recent initiative to "free the seed": check out Plant Breeder Carol Deppe's article "Open Source Success": http://osseeds.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Deppe-open-source-success-Acres-2017.pdf.
Questions for you:
After reading through this information and watching the videos, share your thoughts! We're especially interested in knowing about your previous understandings and experiences (if any) with agricultural genetics. What have you heard in other classes or the media about genetically modified crops, hybrids, open-pollinated varieties, or heirlooms? What do you know about plant patenting? Do you think that plant breeders and/or corporations should be able to patent living organisms? What about patenting specific genetic traits such as "pleasant taste" in melons (yes, there is an actual patent on this: http://www3.syngenta.com/global/e-licensing/en/e-licensing/Catalog/Pages/Sweetandsourmelon.aspx).
I have no previous experience with agricultural genetics. Before this blog and videos I have never heard of the term before. I didn't even know breeding plants was something people do and that there is patenting for such things. I don't think that corporations should be involved in patenting traits such as good taste because it's seem a little ridiculous. We eat food to survive.
ReplyDeleteI do not have any previous experience studying agricultural genetics. In my sophomore seminar (Chinese Food Culture), we did look a little bit at genetically modified or created foods. I remember we briefly discussed meat that had been grown in a lab, and other developments like that, however I still do not yet have a solid understanding on the subject as a whole. I do not know anything about plant parenting or things like that. I think it is interesting and I would like to know more.
ReplyDeleteI do not have any previous knowledge or experience with agricultural genetics besides a brief introduction to it in my Epidemiology class where we discussed the benefits of incorporating Vitamin A into rice, what is known as golden rice.
ReplyDeleteI have very little previous experience talking about agricultural genetics. While studying in Thailand we talked a bit about seed saving and limitations placed on small scale farmers by large corporations trying to maintain control of what can and can't be produced. That conversation feels related to this, however, I still do not fully understand the details of genetically modified crops and how everything ties together. I feel like there are a lot more narratives out there about agricultural genetics that I have no idea about. I think the idea of patenting genetic traits is very interesting. In a way, the genetic modification needed to achieve certain traits could be viewed as being similar to a process of product development that would require a patent to prevent others from getting credit for the creator's work. However, because these are living organisms, I think there is too much ambiguity over who actually created what: nature or the genetic modifiers. If smaller scale farmers have been using a certain type of crop for decades, it seems absurd to me for a large corporation to take credit for that crop and patent it.
ReplyDeleteI have read and talked a decent amount about agricultural genetics, but it is not something I have ever felt like I truly understand, probably because the science aspect of it is so foreign to me. I am mostly familiar with the environmental movement’s discourse of being anti-GMO, but I am not fully confident in saying that I personally agree with that sentiment, again, because I don’t entirely understand what it means. I can say with confidence that crop diversity is of the utmost importance to the well-being of ourselves, our ecosystems, and our world. It honestly just makes sense even on the most basic level, that genetic variety provides protection. Especially with the threat of climate change continuing to grow, adaptability is going to prove essential in the coming years. In regards to plant patenting, I watched a documentary in a middle school science class about Monsanto and their seeds that were genetically modified to not naturally reproduce, which made it so farmers had to repurchase seeds every year. The tearful interviews with farmers about their lack of choice in paying huge sums of money to Monsanto because of the patent were devastating and it is something that has stuck with me ever since. I am decidedly not in favor of plant patenting and the idea that corporations can own the integral components of our food supply.
ReplyDeleteI have never talked (or thought) about agricultural genetics in detail before. When the subject has come up in the past, the people that I interact with have spoken in broad generalizations. (For example, I have heard a lot of off-hand comments about Monsanto being “bad,” but I don’t think that I could very clearly articulate all the reasons why this is the case. I have some general idea, but it’s never been laid out very clearly for me.) In part due to my own ignorance, I have tended to be uncomfortable joining in on these conversations. To me, it feels like one of those subjects where a lack of basic knowledge can be extremely prohibitive. People sometimes talk about topics like genetically modified crops under the assumption that others already have some understanding of the subject. Since I really don’t have this background, it can feel alienating and confusing.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I don’t have any sort of technical knowledge on this subject, the article and videos made me think a lot about the intersection between family history/genealogy and knowledge. Cary Fowler briefly touched on the exercise of printing out the names of extinct apples as a way of highlighting how foods can be traced to our ancestors. My own family history within the past few generations is not particularly connected to the land; I cannot immediately trace my family’s connection to food production or farming. Yet, the talk emphasized to me that we ALL do have this family connection. If we go back far enough in time, our genealogy is one of food production. Food is our most basic need, and throughout time we have always had to address this. Further, as Winona LaDuke reminds us, food holds deep significance to the people who eat it. It is not simply that we have had to produce food, but also that this process has become integral to our ways of understanding the world around us. Moving forward, I want to think more consciously about this fact as I consider the narratives we construct surrounding food.
I hate to bring up Food Inc but it is again where I was first exposed to the idea of patenting and genetically engineering crops. The part of the movie where they talk to the family farmer who is actively battling Monsanto for the right to continue to support his family and fulfill his heritage is heartbreaking. It has always struck me as seemingly impossible to enforce, though I know it’s not, and also pretty intentionally evil. It seems like something a mad scientist would do in a movie, but it’s happening in real life, which is wild. The thing that I am especially interested in, and I think Winona LaDuke speaks about this very eloquently, is how tied up ancestry, history, tradition and culture specific crops and farming are. Looking at food systems can teach us a lot about both the history of our country and the exploitation inherent in that, but also about our personal histories, which is something I’m interested in exploring more.
ReplyDeleteIn the past, I have no experience with agricultural genetics. I may have learned a little bit about it in a Biology course in high school. In terms of genetically modified crops, I have learned that if food is genetically modified, it should have a clear label saying so for consumers. I have also learned that hybrids are a combination of different forms of fruits or vegetables, but I have not really gained a deeper understanding about this particular subject. I have never learned about open-pollinated varieties to heirlooms. I think that plant patenting not prevent, for example, beneficial fruits and vegetables into the United States. In think in some cases, plant breeders and corporations should be able to patent living organisms. For safety reasons, such as because of contamination, it may be necessary. I think that patenting specific genetic traits may be beneficial in terms of available better tasting foods. However, patenting specific genetic traits may not be available to certain types of countries that permits the patenting.
ReplyDeleteI did not previously know about the specifics of the differences between OP and hybrid varieties but I have encountered the topic before. I once watched a segment on "60 Minutes" about farmers who were being sued by Monsanto for having had patented seeds blow over from neighboring fields. I have also read a few articles about the intervention by US companies in the agricultural systems of developing countries. Although these genetically modified organisms increase crop production, they are in some instances quite detrimental to the preexisting crops and agro-economic systems. This also ties in with the many debates over free-trade and its effect on the world economy.
ReplyDeleteFor me, the patent debate is not incredibly straightforward. Although I generally side with farmers instead of "big agriculture" and chemical companies, I do think that scientific innovations that require significant research and funds should be economically supported, whether through patents or other means. In my opinion, however, I feel that genetically modified seeds should be researched and developed more holistically. This is partially based on Cary Fowler's TED talk, and also based on the knowledge I have gleaned from various sources about the importance of genetic diversity.
Biology 101: Peas are biologists’ best friends. Punnet squares, hybrids, pollination, and genetical modified crops were concepts I’ve learned in my biology classes. However, as with all scientific concepts, just knowing about nucleotides does not inform the student of its societal implications. I knew seeds were being patented, but I hadn’t realized that China joined in with the race too.
ReplyDeleteI think patenting alive organisms or any characteristics associated with them is plain stupid and speaks volumes about human selfishness and self-righteousness. What right do we have over the autonomy of other organisms? In the biology department, the general consensus is that there is no scientific proof to the supposed downsides of GMO; my genetics professor argues that GMO is no different from artificial selection. My reaction to that was an internal cringe just because… it’s one thing to artificially select for specific traits, but another to copy paste the literal genetic codes into an order that we want. Even if there are no downsides to the process itself, I don’t know if we deserve such power.