Vegetables! (No, Not The Patients In The Icu Ward)

[Bruce]

Speaking of donations... in the past there were some seeds. No big deal to me. And I did not think much about it. A bunch of those seed packs you see at the local garden store or the kind your parents or grandparents got out and planted every spring. In my family, my grand father planted a wide variety of vegetables and my grand mother planted a front and back flower garden. Back in the 60's and 70's.

So a bunch of seed packets were given and then I forgot about them. Well it seems that the family I have looking after the day to day charity affairs had taken those seeds and given them to some poor people who planted them and then raised the veggies and sold them and had so much fun doing it.... they want to do it again! And so do their neighbors.

It reminds me of what is called micro-banking in that small loans are made to farmers or women wanting to buy something to start a small business and this allows them to be self supporting and get off the poverty lines. Very popular in rural Inda and some in the Philippines in some areas. Usually a corporation provides a grant and that money is loaned out in $100 to $300 amounts at like 1% interest.

Well with those seeds I am starting a similar concept. I got on Ebay and found some seed sellers who were OK with making a donation of seeds for a tax deduction. Win -win. I get seeds and they can take off fair market value of the seed from their taxes. I really have no idea on how successful seed sellers are on Ebay, but their donation is an instant $$$ credit for their taxes.

So it appears that I have enough seeds for 50 families or so to do some planting. This is in some ways better than just giving out money or rice. When they plant the seeds and have to add in their work to watch over and then harvest and sell, there is some pride involved beyond just accepting (another) hand out. They have some control over their own lives and a chance to think about what they can do if they plan ahead for the next year.

What costs us in the US (lunch money) to buy some seeds... well those seeds are not so readily available in the Philippines. Especially out in the rural areas. There are established vegetable farms but for the average poor family, the chance to get simple seeds is just not there.

What started out as simply throwing some old seed packets in a box has turned out to be something bigger after all. Hey, for us, we want vegetables... we go to the market and buy them. But for those with no money or very limited money... what do you buy before vegetables... rice and maybe a small bit of fish... then no more money.

Oh my! An after thought. I wonder... do they know that the leaves of the rhubarb plant are toxic.... oh well... there is a learning curve I suppose!

[JJReyes]

My thinking is to do a seed dispersal program in the Philippines after my retirement in 2013. The concept is to locate virus resistant heirloom papaya seeds for propagation. You plant the seeds and anyone can harvest the fruits on condition they dry the seeds and distribute them to others. You can place 10 or 20 seeds in a small, brown packet to give to elementary or high school students. They can plant on their backyard or scatter the seeds when it rains in a vacant property. I don't think the owner would uproot the plants if papayas start miraculously growing. Again, unless the property is fenced, anyone can harvest the fruits to eat or sell at the local market. For some, the fence is a mere inconvenience. My point is papayas can be a cheap or free, highly nutritious fruit for the rural areas.

The difficulty is most virus resistant papaya seeds are hybrids from companies like Monsanto and Harbest (Taiwan). They are GM (Genetic Modified) so you need to keep buying expensive seeds. If anyone has a source for heirloom papaya seeds that resist virus, please let me know. Catbalogan, Samar is a good starting point. Bruce can get the program started by distibuting heirloom seeds.

Edited December 10, 2012 by JJR

[Bruce]

JJR,

Good idea. I got two thoughts. The school kids are a great idea. Also if you made some small laminated signs in the correct language, stating FREE PAPAYAS if you replant the seeds! Post with the plantings. Kids project.

The other is a negative thought that you can turn around to a positive thought. It is about the Land Down Under and their tree, the Melaleuca tree. The Melaleuca tree loves waters. Thousands of gallons of water. In the Land Down Under there are 'things' that eat the tree. Not so in America.

Back in the 1930's some bright guy thought he could dry up the Everglades by planting the Malalecula tree. By the millions. Seeds that is. Dropped by air planes all over the Everglades. Fast forward 50 years and we have 2 things.... (B)illoins of those trees and a population explosion of people living in South Florida and they want to drink shower and flush their toilets.

So an eradication program was started, mostly successful in that now we have many (m)illions of dead trees standing. Whole forests of dead Melaleuca trees. What sounded like a great idea turned out to be a disaster.

So, while I fully support your idea, I hope you can get non genetic seeds that do not require any special products to have then germinate future generations.... Monsanto is a cuss word to many farmers.

I shall contact my 'seed person' about what you are looking for! If available I shall finagle some and start the process on Samar.

Leave it to a guy from Hawaii to think about a papaya... what next?? PINEAPPLES ???? LOL Hey,,, maybe Jim Neighbors will make a donation....