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From Smithsonian Institution Libraries

“I call on heaven and earth as witnesses today that I have offered you life or death, blessings or curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants will live.”  Deuteronomy 30:19

     Science has provided many wonderful blessings.  Take computers, for instance.  Science has also provided many curses.  Take genetically modified seeds, for instance.

     Back in 1998, a new genetic technology was patented by Monsanto that causes plants to poison and kill their own seeds.  This is a 3 part process. 

     Three new genes are inserted into a plant.  One codes for a toxin that can kill seeds.  Another DNA blocks production of the toxin.  Before seeds are sold, they are treated with another solution that removes the gene that blocks the toxin.  As the plants from these seeds grow,  the toxin is produced.  This causes the new seeds produced by the plants to die, making it impossible for the farmer to harvest seeds for next year’s crops.

     Farmers then have to purchase new seeds each year.  The seed supply is left in the control of the seed companies.  Can you see a danger here?

     We do look for non-gm’d seeds to grow  in our garden.  The dogs love them!    (We did get to enjoy the eggplant and okra.)   I’m excited about harvesting my first seeds from the okra.  Seed harvesting has been very intimidating to me.  Gardening has been intimidating!   Here is a video I found to show me how to harvest okra seed:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4546227_glean-okra-seeds.html

     There are lots of seed companies today who are dedicated to preserving seeds that “reproduce after their own kind.”    Seeds of Change and Baker’s Creek are to companies I have purchased from.   

     I would love to know what seeds you have harvested and how you did it.  I’ll try to let you know how the okra seed harvesting goes.

Marcie

From the garden

     Riddle:  If foods needed to be genetically modified, why didn’t God modify them to begin with?

     Answer:  Because His foods don’t need to be genetically modified;  they were created very good!

     When your car has a problem, to you take it to the dentist?  Do you call the plumber?  What silly questions!  You would try to find the answer from the company that manufactured the car.  It knows your car because it designed it.

     Our Creator knows our bodies, and He designed food that perfectly nourishes our bodies.  Science tells us the protein chain in food matches our protein chain.  How amazing and awesome is our God!  Sadly though, genetically modifying  food changes that protein chain.

     My daughter, Katie, is studying about genetics.  She ran across some interesting information.  As far back as 1995 and before, experiments to genetically modify food to  vaccinate people have been going on.  Think about this.  In our country, laws have been passed to keep food companies from having to label genetically modified foods.   We may eventually be given vaccines through our food and be totally unaware this is happening.  This same Katie had a serious reaction to a vaccine as a baby.  Thankfully afterward, she no longer received that vaccine.  If it had been  in our food, there would have been no way for me to know what caused her seizure.

     What to do?  Become educated as to foods that are genetically modified.  Here is a link to a brochure of genetically modified foods:

http://www.seedsofdeception.com/documentFiles/144.pdf

     Buy organic.  I know this can be more expensive, but through simple changes like having more meatless meals, it can be  done without killing the budget.  (You WILL end up saving much more in doctor bills, too). 

     Raise your own food using non-genetically modified seeds.  This can be done without a lot tools or even much topsoil.  Lasagna Gardening is a book that tells you how it can be done.   If you cut grass or rake leaves, you can build soil.  Again, isn’t God awesome?  He thinks of everything!  Here are two links to non- gm’d seeds:  (I won’t get into their politics

http://rareseeds.com

http://www.seedsofchange.com

     I’ll have a couple more posts on health coming up.  While good  whole  foods are important to maintaining our health,  Jesus is our  ultimate healer :

Isa 53:5
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (KJV)

Blessings,

Marcie

Any idea?

      I’ll give your thirty seconds to quess.

  La la la la la la la (imagine jepardy music).

     O.K. Time is up.  Last year, I started developing a garden spot on top of our rock, I mean hill, we call our farm.  I’ll share on another post how to start a vegetable garden without a tiller, tractor or dirt, but back to the above question because you are all in suspense, right?   

     See that sweet looking Golden Retriever?  Well, she really is sweet and she really loves tomatoes, especially right off the vine.  Did you know that Goldens can pick tomatoes on the run?  Neither did I, but last year I had the most beautiful and prolific tomatoes.  The dogs ate almost all of them.  (Yes, the dogs are still alive.)  By the way, they can also smell when cantalopes are ripe and pick them, too!

     Well, about a month ago, in a burn pile (did I mention we live in the country?), I found the  tomato plant  pictured above growing and with blooms.   Those sweet dogs dropped a tomato in the burn pile last year, and it grew!   I put aside my reluctance to try tomatoes again and transplanted it into the veggie garden on the trellis.   I hope WE get some tomatoes this year!

gratuitous puppy picture

     Here is a great link to directions for the trellis:

http://realestate.msn.com/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=19360765

     Hope it’s a good year for tomatoes.

                                            Thanking the Lord for the rain today,

                                                                           Marcie