Why Use Non-Hybrid Seeds?

Q: Why should I use non-hybrid (open pollinated) rather than hybrid seeds?

A:

• Better Nutrition – Commercial Produce lacks nutrition, research has shown.
• Sustainable Gardening - Saving Seeds is only possible with open-pollinated seeds
• Economic Security – In recessions and depressions, FOOD IS ECONOMIC SECURITY
• Food Supply Independence – If food supplies are challenged, home gardening is freedom.
• Crop Diversity – Participate in saving the original strains from extinction
• Investment Hedge – Seeds are an excellent alternative investment to paper money, stocks and securities, even gold if the markets were to dive long-term.

Many people have heard that it is important, if not critical, to acquire, store and use non-hybrid seeds, and yet want to have an understanding of why. Why non-hybrid? Why insist on using ONLY non-hybrid (open pollinated) seeds instead of hybrid varieties? Well, there are so many reasons we could, and ultimately will, list them all, however here are the most compelling reasons our customers have given for their insistence on non-hybrid, open pollinated seeds:

1. Nutritional Security – Seed varieties are being bred for many, many reasons. Typically for disease and pest resistance, look, transportability and other commercial criteria. Nutritional content is simply not one of the primary or typical criteria of the “hybridization” movement. Profit is. Unfortunately, as a consumer of produce you have no way of knowing whether your hybrid produce has high, medium or low nutritional content unless you take more accountability for the source. That means know your farmers or grow your own food! When you grow open pollinated (non-hybrid) varieties you are growing original strains with much higher nutritional content than varieties that have been bred for color, storability, portability, etc.
   
2. Food Supply Security – The economic crisis facing the United States and the world may come to a head in the food supply system. What are the real threats to food supply from the current economic crisis?
   • If the economic downturn becomes inflationary, the cost of real goods, like groceries could skyrocket. It might become unmanageable very quickly, with cost of items like a loaf of bread going to $100 in paper money. It sounds unbelievable but this has actually happened countless times throughout the world and the signs of its potential abound now.
   • Any reasonably concerned head of family or community would benefit form the simple insurance of non-hybrid seeds. The more the better. Savable, re-plantable seeds are simply a requirement in food security for the individual, family and community. This is no time for little packets of seeds. For a true sense of security in your food supply, ensure that you, your family and community have plenty of non-hybrid- seeds available for use and also for storage.
     
     “2009 Money Printing Risks Igniting Hyper-inflationary Spiral”
3. Lower Cost of Living – In difficult times, one of the best ways to reduce your cost of living is growing your own food. In WWII 1940’s, America’s 20 Million “Victory Gardens” produced the same amount of food as the entire commercial farming industry! The economic crisis of 2009 may demand the return of home gardening as a way to endure and thrive in tough economic times. Saving your own seeds from your personal harvest is not only an immediate way to save money on next year’s produce, it’s the best long-term plan for economic security by lowering your cost of living immediately and permanently.
   
   Victory Gardens of WWII