http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/clay56.html
Grow open pollinated seeds
for self-reliant gardening
By Jackie Clay<<<
Jackie Clay is good and I see people linking to her all over the web.
With the millions of seeds that are now saved, why is it that simple trading is not going on a large scale?
40 years ago, I was a fan of Pen Pal magazines, if your letter was published, you got all kinds of answers from all kinds of people.
We often traded seeds, stamps, post cards, books, etc.
It was wonderful, I wrote to one lady in Australia for about 20 years, then we both moved at the same time and lost contact.
Ceylon and Canada were on my pen pal lists and a lovely lady in Maine, who I swapped post cards with.
Some we only talked with and did not swap things, one woman a Navy wife, had only one day difference in our birth dates.
Are we so into the electronic age that it is really too much trouble to mail an envelope?
A cold and windy day, so not able to buckle down to much serious stuff....LOL, or that is my excuse today.
>>>With the millions of seeds that are now saved, why is it that simple trading is not going on a large scale?<<<
Laws, Laws and more Laws....
Look through seed and plant listings - We cannot ship to CA, AZ, WA, OR - etc...
Just look at Delaware Law...
Ҥ 1305. Shipping, labeling and certification requirements.
(a) No person(s) shall sell, ship or give away, by private carrier, commercial carrier or any other means, any plants, plant materials or nursery stock from any nursery, business, or premises within the State, without an accompanying nursery stock certificate as prescribed in § 1303 of this title. The aforementioned information shall be plainly printed upon a tag, label, etc. that is not easily destroyed, which shall be firmly affixed on the exterior and in a conspicuous position upon each carload, box, container, package, etc. It is the responsibility of both the consignee and consignor to contact the Department to obtain a current nursery stock certificate and to examine all shipments for the presence of all certification requirements.
(b) Any person(s) or consignor who ships or moves plants, plant material or nursery stock out of state or internationally by private carrier, commercial shipper, or any other means, is required to contact the Department to obtain the phytosanitary certifications required by the consignee’s location. When the Department finds the aforementioned shipment in compliance with the consignee’s location phytosanitary requirements, it will issue the required phytosanitary certificate to the consignor. The consignor shall conspicuously affix a copy of the phytosanitary certificate to the exterior of each carload, box, container, package, etc. It is the responsibility of both the consignee and consignor to contact the Department to obtain the necessary phytosanitary certificates and to examine all shipments for the presence of all required certifications.
(c) When applicable, all shipping containers must be conspicuously and appropriately marked on the exterior as to whether contents must be held for agricultural inspection or whether the contents have been pre-cleared by the Department, under the terms of a pre-clearance or interstate origin of inspection program (phytosanitary pre-clearance). It is the responsibility of both the consignee and consignor to obtain all required pre-clearances and to examine all shipments for the presence of all required certifications.
( 21 Del. Laws, c. 216, § 10; Code 1915, § 659; Code 1935, § 577; 3 Del. C. 1953, § 1302; 65 Del. Laws, c. 491, § 1; 68 Del. Laws, c. 329, §§ 6, 7; 70 Del. Laws, c. 332, § 1.; )”
Further, on seeds, you must:
“For vegetable seeds in containers of 1 pound or less:
a. Name of kind and variety of seed;
b. For seeds which germinate less than the standard last established by the Department under this chapter:
1. Percentage of germination, exclusive of hard seed;
2. Percentage of hard seed, if present;
3. The calendar month and year the test was completed to determine the percentages;
4. The words “below standard” in not less than 8-point type; and
c. Name and address of the person who labeled the seed or who sells, offers, or exposes the seed for sale within this State;
(6) For flower seeds in packets prepared for use in home gardens or household plantings or flower seeds in preplanted containers, mats, tapes or other planting devices:
a. For all kinds of flower seeds:
1. The name of the kind and variety or a statement of type and performance characteristics as prescribed in the rules and regulations promulgated under this chapter;
2. The calendar month and year the seed was tested or the year for which the seed was packaged; and
3. The name and address of the person who labeled the seed, or who sells, offers, or exposes the seed for sale within this State.
b. For seeds of those kinds for which standard testing procedures are prescribed and which germinate less than the germination standard last established under this chapter:
1. The percentage of germination, exclusive of hard seed, and
2. The words “below standard” in not less than 8-point type.
c. For seeds placed in a germination medium, mat, tape, diluent or other device in such a way as to make it difficult to determine the quantity of seed without removing the seeds from the medium, mat, tape, diluent or device, a statement to indicate the minimum number of viable seeds in the container;
( 36 Del. Laws, c. 91, § 2; Code 1935, § 656; 44 Del. Laws, c. 66, §§ 1, 3; 3 Del. C. 1953, § 1502; 52 Del. Laws, c. 70, § 1; 57 Del. Laws, c. 147, § 1; 57 Del. Laws, c. 764, § 6; 65 Del. Laws, c. 104, § 2.; )”
Do we want to be exposed to:
“(b) The Department shall conduct the aforementioned inspection or examination yearly or as directed by the Secretary, at such time as it deems best, with or without notice. The Department reserves the right to conduct unannounced inspections as frequently as it deems necessary to insure compliance with all sections of this chapter.”
“(c) If the Secretary determines that the provisions of this chapter have been violated, he or she shall order and direct that the nuisance be abated by whatever means necessary (including, but not limited to, destruction, confiscation, treatment or return shipment). The abatement of this public nuisance shall be at the expense of all of the aforementioned person(s) and shall be without any form of compensation. “
Then comes the penalty...
“Any person who violates any section of this chapter or interferes with the Department or its representatives in the enforcement of this chapter, as determined in an administrative hearing, shall be assessed a civil penalty of no less than $100 nor more than $1000 on each count.
( 70 Del. Laws, c. 332, § 1.; )”
Notice that you don’t even get a court hearing - but an “administrative hearing”
Now, how many seeds, plants, cuttings, etc. would you like to exchange?????
A depressing situation to say the least...