Okay this is basically a y2k question and I have the answers in all of those files I saved but can someone answer me this?

If I buy seed, corn, wheat, etc. now how long will they be viable if kept in a plastic bucket?

I would like to go ahead a purchase the buggers before monsanto has a chance to ruin what is still available.

-- Stephanie Nosacek (possumliving@go.com), September 19, 2001

Answers

Sorry to say that the corn is all pretty much contaminated already. Get heirloom seed grown by fanatical seed savers in isoation or cages and it might not be contaminated. If they have grown it that way for years. Wheat is more recent, get organic seed and it probably will not be contaminated. Keep it dry and cool and it should be viable for a long time. Other seeds vary depending on what they are. Beans can keep for years, onions and parsnips do not germinate well after one year. Squash seeds are good for several years. If you want them to keep uncontaminated by GMO's don't grow them along with any modern varieties. Hybrid or OP is no indicator, GMO seed can be OP. If your neighbor is growing corn, or if there is any corn around for a few miles, you corn will be cross pollinated and contaminated if it is tasseling at the same time. Either grow yours in special pollen proof cages or grow an extremely early heirloom variety, that will have set seed already before the other corn starts to let pollen loose into the air.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), September 19, 2001.

Well if you've read the USDA alert thread, then you know that all of our seed may not be viable soon.

Little bit farm

-- Little bit farm (littleBit@compworldnet.com), September 19, 2001.