[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Mail] [Sign-in] [Setup] [Help] [Register]
|
Status: Not Logged In; Sign In
Survival Skills Title: Wet summer, more demand could create seed shortage Wet summer, more demand could create seed shortage By MICHAEL J. CRUMB, Associated Press Writer Michael J. Crumb, Associated Press Writer Mon Feb 1, 4:41 am ET
DES MOINES, Iowa – Dreaming of biting into a garden-fresh cucumber sandwich this summer? Better order your seeds now. A poor growing season last year and increased orders from Europe could make it difficult for home gardeners to get seeds for the most popular cucumber variety and some vegetables this spring. Farmers, who usually grow different varieties than home gardeners, aren't likely to be affected. Seeds for what's known as open-pollinated cucumbers seem to be most scarce, but carrots, snap peas and onions also could be in short supply. "I suspect there will be some seeds you just won't be able to buy if you wait too long on it," said Bill Hart, the wholesale manager in charge of seed purchasing at Chas. C. Hart Seed Company in Wethersfield, Conn. "The sugar snap peas we're not able to get at all, and other companies that have it will sell out pretty quickly." The problem is primarily due to soggy weather last year that resulted in a disappointing seed crop. European seed growers also had a bad year, leading to a big increase in orders for American seeds. Demand for seeds in the U.S. soared last year, as the poor economy and worries about chemical use and bacteria contamination prompted many people to establish gardens. Homegrown food seemed safer and more affordable. But some wonder if the wet weather that ruined gardens in many areas last summer will discourage first-time gardeners from planting again. "A lot of people are getting into it, but it was a disastrous year for gardens last year because it was so cold and wet," said wholesale seed distributor Mel Brekke, who owns Brekke's Town and Country near Ames, Iowa. Kathy Gocke of Bondurant, Iowa, said she orders seeds early for herself and her county's master gardener's program and advises others to do the same. "If you do it before the first of January, they have a pretty good stock," Gocke said. Burpee Seeds in Warminster, Pa., bills itself as the largest provider of home garden seeds, and Chief Executive Officer George Ball said the company's huge reserves mean it will have plenty of seeds. But Ball said he understands why others might have limited supplies after a big spike in demand in the past two years. "It was unlike anything I've seen in the past 30 years," he said. Barbara Melera, owner of D. Landreth Seeds of New Freedom, Pa., expects carrot seeds to be especially hard to find because of big orders from Europe, which had a poor crop last year. Also, fewer farmers are opting to grow seeds, she said. Many now have switched to growing corn for the biofuels industry. "In this country, farmers who grow things for seed are becoming an endangered species," Melera said. "The farms producing things for seeds is reduced significantly, and in the past two to three years they can get more money for growing corn for ethanol plants than carrots for seeds." Jennifer Nothwehr, seed coordinator for the Shenandoah, Iowa-based Earl May seed and nursery business, said she hasn't run into shortages, but her company typically orders its seeds from wholesalers a year in advance. They received and packaged the seeds they'll sell this year last fall, and because they set prices last spring, any shortage won't affect them. Nothwehr also said that while popular varieties, like one known as the straight eight cucumber, may be hard to find, others are available. "One of the most popular carrots we can't get, but we have four other varieties we can get if a customer wants to try something different," she said. Hart said his family business has a small retail operation, and he's noticed people coming in earlier than usual this year, possibly because of worries over a shortage of seeds. "I don't know if they're hoping for spring or just hoping to get going," he said. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest Hart said his family business has a small retail operation, and he's noticed people coming in earlier than usual this year, possibly because of worries over a shortage of seeds. There are lots of home gardeners, plus real farmers around me. I'll have to see what their take on this is.
#2. To: Fred Mertz (#1) There are lots of home gardeners, plus real farmers around me. I'll have to see what their take on this is. I let it out on the internet a month ago that I had some expired seeds to give away to local gardening groups and I've been inundated with requests. Especially for cucumbers.
#3. To: mininggold (#2) Many now have switched to growing corn for the biofuels industry. What's your take on this? I'm with mcgowanjm on this: it takes more energy to produce one gallon of biofuel - I forget the amount.
#4. To: Fred Mertz (#3) What's your take on this? I'm with mcgowanjm on this: it takes more energy to produce one gallon of biofuel - I forget the amount. Everything I have seen on it agrees.
#5. To: Fred Mertz. mininggold (#3) (Edited) I used to be sold on ethanol...I had an uncle who was a famer and then, in retirement, a stock picker snd he was sold on it...he and I were in the process of looking for a way to capitalize on the product when he passed away. Since then, I'm less sold on it because of the fact that it DOES require a large amount of energy to produce...I'd prefer to see a move towards hydrogen and solar based energy sources... Even if you put the whole envitonmental issue aside, in our daily transportation, we're using the same means as we have for the last 100 odd years... [Hillary] won't enter the DNC primaries...the only question is what the excuse will be when the time comes. Badeye posted on 2007-04-12 14:40:38 ET Reply Trace #6. To: mininggold (#0)
Here we go again, a self-fulfilling prophecy (vis-a-vis) "shortage of H1M1 vaccine" but this time it will be 'seed hording'. . .
#7. To: _Jim (#6) Here we go again, a self-fulfilling prophecy (vis-a-vis) "shortage of H1M1 vaccine" but this time it will be 'seed hording'. Then take your chances, no one is making you buy seeds now. Even in a normal year many varieties are hard to come by as late as April. Since many are F1s those will be the hardest to find.
#8. To: mininggold (#7)
No shortage, apparently, of 'seeds' (cucumbers in this case) in general, just select varieties. AP just 'fanning flames' hoping to ignite a 'story'. . .
#9. To: _Jim (#8) To: mininggold Could be, wouldn't be the first time news sources created the news. God how I hate the 24 hour news channels.
#10. To: mininggold (#9)
Stampede; they would like SO bad to start a 'stampede' (I am convinced). Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the mediots ignore such developing stories as Climategate ... the news media is the LAST place I go for any sort of detailed info on a story. The LAST place. I came up to speed on the Toyota recall mess in about two days, finding info and detail exceeding what the news mediots were 'putting out' for days - weeks - the last six months by doing web searches and having found a couple key blogs that are run by thinking technical people. News mediots. Yuch.
#11. To: _Jim (#10) I came up to speed on the Toyota recall mess in about two days, finding info and detail exceeding what the news mediots were 'putting out' for days - weeks - the last six months by doing web searches and having found a couple key blogs that are run by thinking technical people. Ford has been asking the Feds for about a year to get the Toyotas recalled. They are tired of having to fix them when they take them in as trade ins.
#12. To: mininggold (#11)
LOL (that made me laugh)
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest |
|
[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Mail] [Sign-in] [Setup] [Help] [Register]
|