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[MangoPineapple]

Hey guys.

I put in an order for pick up of seeds at my local gardening store. I ordered ALL organic West Coast Seeds brand (All vegetables). When I went to pick up all my seeds, most of the West Coast Seeds brand had already sold out, and they had replaced the seed packets I chose with Mckenzie Seeds brand organic vegetables. The thing is I'm skeptical and want to hear what others think on this. The Mckenzie Seeds website says their seeds are non-GMO. I guess 'Jiffy Pot' now owns Mckenzie Seeds. But I can't tell if Jiffy Pot is owned by Monsanto or not. All I really want is clarification on if these organic Mckenzie seeds are safe to use or not. It's not a brand that I fully trust and I'd never opt for that brand. I might return the seeds, but then I just won't have many vegetable seeds to plant this year sadly. I've looked at organic/open pollinated/heirloom seed companies throughout Canada online, and most say there is a 45 day waiting period before they even ship out seeds due to covid-19 and the amount of orders they are getting. The season starts before then so it's pointless ordering vegetable seeds for them to show up at the end of June. Anyways, I'd love to hear some opinions on Mckenzie Seeds brand.

[MadPlanter]

Don't know about the particular brand name but I can explain types of seeds. It may help to ease your mind is if you intend to have non GMO crops. I fully support that effort and here's the good news.

1. Heirloom seeds are seeds of a stabilized variety that have been perpetual for I believe 60 years or more. All heirlooms were once hybrids until they were stabilized over several generations of selection purposefully for desired traits.

2. Open pollinated seeds are stabilized varieties that haven't been around long enough yet to be considered heirlooms. They too came from hybrids at some point.

3. Landrace seeds are seeds grown in a particular environment for long periods of time to be adapted to that particular environment. They are often unstabilized hybrids that are a mix of several varieties and the fruits there of are extremely variable. However the benefit is they will produce and well at that especially if they were created  in an environment much like your own. The detriment is no fruit uniformity. However I highly recommend you start this process for yourself right now. See work by Joseph Lofthouse on the permies forum.

3. F-1 hybrids are intentionally crossed hybrids that make a stable crop for a single generation. However saved seeds will not be true next generation.

4.  F-2 and beyond are selected increasingly more stabilized each generation until they are totally stabilized usually around the F-4 generation. Then they will be considered open pollinated until the same variety has been around 60+ years or so then they can be classed as heirlooms.

To dispell some misinformation...hybrids are NOT GMO! In fact no GMOs are sold as home garden seeds YET. However many heirlooms are patented names often owned by biotech companies. An example is the heirloom "black beauty" eggplant that I believe the trade name is owned by Monsanto. However it is not a GMO but the proceeds of the sale of that named variety ends up in their pocket.

Interesting stuff.

4 Likes Chicsa, Shamichael, Malak and MangoPineapple like this.

[MangoPineapple]

Thanks for this. That definitely clarifies things and it puts my mind at ease for sure. Once you start actively boycotting Monsanto owned companies, you get a clearer view of just how much Monsanto and Seminis own. Even the seed starting pods from my local gardening store are made by 'Jiffy' which is owned by Monsanto. If only they truly cared about humans, instead of wealth. Seed freedom is something I'll always advocate for!