"What can I do to help?" That is the very first thing that I always hear from a very dear friend whenever I am going through something in my life. (I am hoping that you all have friends like that!) There is a company here in the USA that sells rare seeds, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. (If any of my friends have received seeds in the mail from me, they are usually from Baker Creek in their black packages.) Last weekend, they announced a fundraiser called "Aid for Ukraine". You may read more just here.
I read that from Friday noon until Sunday night it raised 1.6 million dollars! Isn't that something?
There is a video about the founder of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Jere Gettle. You may see it just here. An amazing story, he started his company with $100 with seeds that he had collected, selling to friends and family. In the early years, his mother drew the pictures for the cover of his catalogs. After 2000, the company really grew with Jere Gettle's understanding of the future of the internet and his passion for heirloom seeds.
Heirloom seeds are pollinated by wind or insects. You can save the seeds and they will be the same year after year. Heirloom seeds are NON GMO. GMO means genetically modified organism where the DNA has been artificially altered in a lab. If you click on that link that I gave you for the video it is explained in much more detail.
I come from a long line of farmers. My father and grandfather and their fathers before them, they all knew how to grow a garden. How I hope I inherited that gardening gene! I am very grateful and proud of Jere Gettle and the good work that he has done for spreading the word about heirloom seeds. I noticed that in the comment about the video that no one mentioned about all the humanitarian work that Jere Gettle has done through his company. There are still people in this world who do a lot of very good things but no one ever hears about them. "What can I do to help?", they say and then, they get about helping in whatever way that they can.
More power to them, I say.
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This photo is from the summer of 2011. All grown by my Daddy who also was an expert at canning his homegrown vegetables. The taste? Out of this world!
And after my last post, I saw a comment by a German artist who lives in London, Lothar Goetz. He spoke of the unspeakable aggression against Ukraine and then used blue and yellow in a painting. He said this: "Colours in a flag are mainly of a symbolic nature but I believe in the power of colour and blue and yellow are both beautiful and strong!"
Everyone will be planting sunflowers this summer!
ReplyDeleteIf only flowers could stop bombing.
DeleteMr Goetz is right about the wonderful feeling it gives to see blue and yellow. I realised very recently how much I like that, after putting a bright blue picture into our yellow shower room. And kudos for putting links to the heirloom seeds .... this is good from just so many points of view. So good for the wildlife as well as for us. Some areas, wildlife cannot cope with the genetically altered crops. And what a fine and really quite amazing sum of money to raise for Ukraine.
ReplyDeleteHello Jenny, I was thrilled when Mr. Goetz gave me permission to use his quote. A real artist, I can't tell you how much I admire them. He showed a staircase where he had painted yellows and blues together from a few years ago and how much it meant to him now.
DeleteMy heart is breaking for Ukraine. The sunflower is gorgeous and I'm glad the world is standing with them except for a few. How wonderful that the seed company is doing this.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping to share some photos from the plants that will be sown from the seeds that I ordered from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds!
DeleteWhen evil seems to be winning, we need reminders of the really good in people.
ReplyDeleteWe really do.
DeleteLots of prayers right now. Thank heaven for those who save our heirloom seeds.
ReplyDeleteIf you want an example of how just one single person can make a difference, you should look up the story of Jere Gettle. Truly extraordinary.
DeleteYou know yellow is my favourite colour, and in combination with blue (or grey) I find it irresistible! My bedroom is blue and yellow, although both in a more pastel version.
ReplyDeleteI remember the sunflower festival from your blog, and of course who could forget your wonderful Dad and his canned fruit and veg!
I thought of you and your love of blue and yellow!!
DeleteAnd the photo of the sunflowers is from my Dad's garden, he grew them also. In fact, in the early days of the Festival, some people would stop at his house and ask if his house was the Sunflower Festival! How he delighted in that story! You had to pay to cut the sunflowers and take them home. You know he invited those who stopped to stop BACK at his house after the festival and he would cut them from his garden for free.
That was Daddy! x
I've learned about heirloom seeds in this post, thank you. I’m not a vegan but love vegetables. You father’s vegetables look so healthy and delicious. Blue is my favorite color and I know it goes well with yellow. My image of the Ukrainian flag is golden-yellow wheat fields as far as your eyes can see under blue skies.
ReplyDeleteYoko
The story of heirloom seeds is very interesting. If not for a few people, many of our seeds would have been lost forever
DeleteI love that description of the Ukrainian flag, thank you for it. x
Thank goodness for all the helpers. People like that supporting the Ukraine will make a difference. I'm praying for all those involved.
ReplyDeleteYes indeed, the helpers and strong prayers!
DeleteIt's uplifting to see when a crisis happens that so many want to help and that's when heroes are born. I know that through prayers God will send regular people to do His work and make miracles happen. I remember your blogs about your Dad's gardening. I've been canning our produce for the last couple of years and it sure makes a difference in taste! I'm hoping to grow more flowers this year.
ReplyDeleteI feel a bit overwhelmed sometimes with all the violence and meanness in the world, I can't help it! If you get the chance to check out Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, please do so! And happy gardening!
DeleteWhat a wonderful post Kay! I always say where love lives peace follows. Sunflowers are such a happy flower and they always face the light!
ReplyDeleteI dearly love all flowers, such a felling of hope that they give.
DeleteWonderful post. I'm happy to see your links and will follow up with a purchase to help the cause. No farmers in my family, not in recent years anyway; but my Dad sure had a green thumb. I need to think about where I might plant some seeds in my yard.
ReplyDeleteHey Sandy! I just planted the seeds that I ordered from Baker Creek! I don't think they are doing the fundraiser just now but I hope to always support a company who does such good things. Happy Spring! It's almost here.
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