It was inspiring to me so I decided to republish it here with all three videos:

Cooking Up A Story: Food News

This 3-part series of interviews with Dr. Vandana Shiva about the future of food is one of the most contentious, revolutionary, profound, and important discussions of any, we have had to date on Food News. This is more than about the safety of biotechnology; it’s about the ability of all of us to have a choice of the foods that we eat, and for our farmers to be able to freely use their own seeds, and grow food in the manner that they choose. In developing countries like India, biotechnology introduces higher costs of production to the farmers, and makes them highly dependent upon a small number of companies to purchase their seeds, and required chemical inputs. Increasingly, farmers whose crops fail to produce anticipated yields are propelled into a cycle of debt that cause many to commit suicide. Food sovereignty of developing countries; ecological preservation of the biodiversity existing in nature; the ability of nations to feed their own people; the preservation of local culture entwined with past farming traditions; and the right of a people to have access to their own seeds, and to choose the traits they wish to propagate, these are all issues that require careful thought and discussion.

In part 1, Dr. Vandana Shiva explains the science of biotechnology (genetic engineering), and the dangers it poses to the world’s food supplies. Dr. Shiva is a scientist (a physicist by training); she is also a social activist, an environmentalist who believes in ecological sustainability (preserving biodiversity), and an internationally recognized leader in the sustainable food movement. As a woman, and as a pioneer, she has taken her stand among the peasant farmers of India, and indigenous people throughout the world as a defender of women’s and of nature’s rights.

In part two, Dr. Vandana Shiva expresses her strong views about the problems of hunger in the developing world; the struggle of farmers in India; biotechnology, and her prescription for the type of farming model she believes the world needs.

Dr. Vandana Shiva, explains the science of biotechnology (genetic engineering), and the dangers it poses to the world’s food supplies. Dr. Shiva is a scientist, an environmental activist, and an internationally recognized leader in the sustainable food movement.

Dr. Vandana Shiva founded the Research for Science, Technology, and Ecology, (RFSTE) organization, inspired by her earlier involvement with the Chipko movement. In 1973, in a mountainous region in the Himalayas, women villagers, in heroic and desperate fashion, clung to the body of trees to protest against their forest being decimated by contractors for the State’s Forest Department. The entire ecology of the region, and thus the local economy of these villagers, depended upon preserving the integrity of their forest. The eventual success of this self-organized environmental movement to protect their own natural resources from exploitation, became a (non-violent) model for future environmental activism throughout the world.

In this final installment, Dr. Vandana Shiva takes us back to the role of organic farming, and to the organic farmer who she believes embodies the best scientists of our time. For Dr. Shiva, as a scientist herself, and a longtime environmental activist, it’s understanding nature and working within its laws that produces peace, prosperity, and a sustainable future. The seed of an organism is the embodiment of life itself; of hope and of survival. The notion that a seed can be owned by a corporation (through a patent), is a power too great to bestow upon any private or public entity. As a culmination of what Dr. Shiva has discussed in her other interviews, she is hopeful that it is not too late for people to stand up to the large corporations that drive our global food system, and to make personal choices that promote local and more sustainable food production.

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Using Native Plants in your landscape is a win-win for you and the environment.  Here are the top ten reasons to use native plants in your landscape:

1. Once Established, Native Plants Require Little Care and Maintenance
2. Native Plants Save Money on Landscaping Cost
3. Native Plants Are Pest and Disease Resistant
4. Once Established, Native Plants Require No Watering
5. Once Established, Native Plants Require No Fertilization (Or Pesticides)
6. Native Plants Survive Harsh Winters and Hot Dry Summers
7. Native Plants Provide Wildlife with Food and Protection
8. Native Plants Help Reduce Erosion To a Minimum (Good For Shorelines)
9. Native Plants Are Non-Invasive
10. Native Plants Look Like They Belong in the Landscape (Gets Us In Touch With Our Surroundings)

About Native Plants:

Native plants can be an overworked gardeners best friend.  They will thrive without much care, surviving the cold winters and hot summers, and are disease and pest resistant! These species have worked for thousands of years to get used to the growing conditions of the surrounding area and are now ready for you to utilize their years of evolution.

You may even be so bold to replace your lawn with all native plants. No Mowing!

Natural landscapes contribute positively to the overall quality of the environment by improving air, water, and soil quality while providing much-needed wildlife habitat (attract butterfly’s and birds).  These plants provide the best overall food sources for wildlife, while requiring less fertilizer, less water, and less effort in controlling pests. Over time this translates to less cost to maintain a garden.

How To Use Native Plants In Your Home Garden:

Use them as you would any other exotic plant.  It is suggested they be planted in groupings paired with other native plants.  For example, Thomas F. Paterson suggests Big leaf and variegated forms of Hosta with Cinnamon Fern (The bold dark green foliage and the light green delicate fronds) or Epidmedium and Pink shell azaleas (The contrast of the light green groundcover and delicate flowers of an upright accent).

Common Themes Include:

Layering: Large trees placed in the back of the landscape. As you work toward the front of the landscape, low-growing species are included. This creates a feeling of a larger space and allows for the best viewing and enjoyment of the variety of species. EInclude evergreen and deciduous trees, shrubs and groundcovers or perennials.

Clustering of Like Species: To create a more natural aesthetic, several plants of similar species are planted together in “drifts” or clusters.

Creating Diversity: Include at least ten different species to create a more interesting landscape and attract a diversity of wildlife. The plants provide food and shelter to a wide variety of wildlife species, Evergreen and deciduous species alike.

Constructed Environments: Lawns, patios or paths to show examples of how plants can be landscaped around constructed features.

Where to Get Them:

You can start your own seed, get them from a nursery, or find them in the wild. As a practical matter, you may find that there are not enough local seed sources to fill the demand from gardeners looking for native seeds. As a rule of thumb, buy plants or seeds from garden centers or nurseries with seed sources that originated as close as possible to the area where you want to plant them. Check with your local nurseries and if they don’t have native plants, request they order some.

We will be starting a list of nurseries that carry native plants.  If you know of or are a nursery that carries native plants, send and email to david[at]ligrows.com with the nursery contact information.  Make the subject of the email “native plant nursery entry”.

Native Plant Restoration Projects/Organizations on Long Island:

Restoring an ecosystem helps the land to regain the balance of native plants that were originally found on the site prior to European settlement. By removing exotic plants that have moved in and sometimes taken over an area, we allow for the conditions that let the variety of native plants, and the birds and animals which depend on them, flourish in balance. Once restored and properly maintained, the diverse web of plants and animals will remain stable for generations to come. – Quote Taken From the FAQ section – EPA Site – Native Plants.

There are many hardworking people dedicated to restoring ecosystems, slowing erosion and cleaning our water right here in Long Island:

Long Island Native Grass Initiative (LINGI)

Long Island’s flora must endure weather extremes that cause erratic cycles of frost and thaw. The winds can be severe and salty, and much of the soil on the island is dry and sandy. Conditions on Long Island are unique, and restoration of its natural areas must accommodate its harsh environment.

The most cost and time-effective renewal projects incorporate the use of seeds and plants that have, over thousands of years, become genetically programmed to withstand these difficult environmental factors.

Native America

Long Island based organization dedicated to the reintroduction of native plant and animal species

The Long Island Sound Study

The Long Island Sound Study is a partnership of federal, state, and local government agencies, private organizations, and educational institutions working together to restore and protect Long Island Sound.

Suffolk County Government – Suffolk County Water and Land Invasive Species Advisory Board

Suffolk County continues to be a leader in invasive species control policies and funding — the need to keep waters open for fishing, boating and swimming, our lands walkable, and our natural areas rich in biodiversity is critical for our county’s future.

Long Island Invasive Species Management Area (LIISMA)

The Long Island Invasive Species Management Area (LIISMA) is a voluntary association of public and private land managers working together to prevent the spread of invasive species.

The Nature Conservancy – Long Island

From the Central Pine Barrens to the waters of the Great South Bay, with your help we can keep Long Island protected for nature and for people. Become a volunteer with The Nature Conservancy ( a wonderful organization ) here.

Internet Resources for New York/Long Island Native Plant Information:

Greenbelt Native Plant Center : New York City Department of Parks & Recreation

Our mission is to provide native plants and seeds from local plant populations in support of the restoration and management of many of the City’s most valuable natural areas.

Fort Pond Native Plants

Fort Pond Native Plants in Montauk, Long Island, New York, began as a vision of James Grimes many years ago. He saw the need for a place where one could find native and less common, worthy plant material, a place where you could learn and come to appreciate unique approaches to gardening and landscaping.

Peconic Estuary Program

There are an ambitious 340 management tasks included in the CCMP; priority topics include Brown Tide, nutrients, habitat and living resources, pathogens, toxic pollutants, and critical lands protection.

NY Times – In the Region/Long Island; Native Plants Are Increasing in Popularity

THE use of native plants in landscapes and gardens has increased markedly on Long Island in recent years, commercial growers say, and the change is likely to continue as regulations increasingly require the use of native perennials and as more species are marketed….

Healthy Nassau – Suozzi and Denenberg take to Canoes to Eradicate Invasive Aquatic Plants

As part of his ongoing Healthy Nassau initiative, Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi and Legislator Dave Denenberg (D-Merrick) were joined by The Nature Conservancy and a group of volunteers to remove invasive plants from Mill Pond Park in Wantagh.

Drosera – Native Plant Enthusiast – New York City Area

DROSERA brings fresh ideas to the understanding of nature through culture, with a focus on urban ecological issues, especially native flora. We strive to provide a home to something endangered – our sense of place and our understanding of the natural world by connecting New Yorkers to their innate love of nature.

Ferns and Native Plants in the Natural Landscape for Long Island

If gardening is reputed to be the No. 1 leisure activity in America today, we better be ready for those people who definitely want this “natural look,” woodland gardens, gardens that attract birds and wildlife, low-maintenance perennials, plantings that “care for themselves.”

Lady Bird Johnson’s Wildflower Center (University of Texas at Austin) – New York Wildflower List

First as the National Wildflower Research Center and later as the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, this special place exists to introduce people to the beauty and diversity of wildflowers and other native plants.

Native Plant Sale To Benefit LI Native Grass Initiative

The use of native plants in landscaping and restoration activities on Long Island is being increasingly encouraged by local government, environmental organizations and scientists, as the impact of invasive species and development on biodiversity are understood.

List of Native Plant Species in Long Island:

Native plants range from trees to grasses, shrubs to wildflowers, ferns to hostas.  There are just too many to list.  But we have scoured out a few lists from our friends at the Cornell Cooperative Extension to get you started.

Compliments of Nassau County Cornell Cooperative Extension, here is a small list of suggested native plants for the Nassau County Long Island home gardener:

• Witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana) Blooms yellow in late autumn
• Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) Sun or light shade, seaside hardy
• Spice Bush (Clethra alnifolia) Blooms late summer, tolerates wet or dry areas
• Shadbush (Amelanchier sp.) Early white flower, contrasting gray bark in winter
• Lowbush Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) Shady woodland shrub
• Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) 15’ tall shrub, acid well-drained soils, pink flowers
• Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) Near ponds and wet area
• Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens) Evergreen, low grower
• Fringed Bleeding Heart (Dicentra eximia) Plant in shade among wildflowers and ferns
• Cinnamon Fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum) Changes from fiddlehead to cinnamon stick
• Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis) Combines well in a border
• Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum pedatum) Delicate – looks well with rough textures
• Polypody rock Fern (Polypodium vulgare) Low growing, attractive in a rock garden
• American Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) Seeds itself, long blooming period
• Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) Early bloomer, good ground cover foliage
• Jack in The Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) Exotic, but native, unique specimen plant
• Yellow and Snow trillium (Trillium luteum, T. grandiflora) Naturalizes as a ground cover
• Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) Good contrast under rhododendrons, self seeds
• Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris) Early flowering, wet areas. Beware not to purchase (Lesser Celandine), a look alike that often has the same common name, but is very invasive.
• Crested Iris (Iris versicolor) Near rocks, dependable
• Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) seeds itself, long blooming
• Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) Establishes a stand, best planted on a slope to see flowering.
• Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense) Deep green ground cover
• False Solomon’s Seal (Smilacina racemosa) Woodland groundcover
• Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) Attracts butterflies, orange flower
• New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae) Clusters of lavender, pink or violet flowers
• Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) Rich purple flowers throughout the summer
• Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia subtomentosa) Bright yellow flowers all summer
• Blue Wild Lupine (Lupinus perennis) Lavender to blue flowers typical of the pea family [Check out our Perrenial Flower Profile for Lupine]
• Penstemons (Penstemon species) Spike like flowers in red, yellow, white and blue
• Evening Primrose (Oenothera sp.) Full sun, well drained soil

Compliments of Suffolk County Cornell Cooperative Extension, here are some suggested native plants for the Suffolk County Long Island home gardener (by Tom F. Paterson):

Some of these planting combinations I particularly would recommend are:

• Allegheny foam flower and Maidenhair fern — a rough textured groundcover with a delicate lacy foliage of fern.
• Big leaf and variegated forms of Hosta with cinnamon fern. The bold dark green foliage and the light green delicate fronds.
• Epimedium and Pink shell azaleas. The contrast of the light green groundcover and delicate flowers of an upright accent.
• Liriope and a stump. A bold dark green grass-like leaf and the character of a grotesque dead object.
• Mayapple and Royal ferns. A stand of light green elephant ear foliage and a tall regal delicate foliate.

The following is a list of some of my favorite ferns and perennials, ones which have continued to be successful, both in production and use in the landscape.

• Cinnamon fern — (Osmunda cinnamomea) Fabulous changes in stages of development from fiddle head to cinnamon stick. Wonderful for naturalizing large areas, in light shade or shade.
• Royal fern–(Osmunda regalis) Different — not invasive –combines well in a border.
• Maidenhair fern — (Adiantum pedatum) Delicate — looks well with rough textures, stone walls, etc.
• Christmas fern — (Polystichum acrostichoides) Tolerates almost any conditions, evergreen.
• Polypody rock fern — (Polypodium vulgare) Low — unusual – need not grow out of or on top of a rock.
• American columbine — (Aquilegia canadensis) Seeds itself – long blooming period.
• Bloodroot — (Sanguinaria canadensis) Early bloomer. Best white.Good groundcover foliage.
• Jack In The Pulpit — (Arisaema sp.) Interesting. Wet spots.
• Yellow & Snow trillium — (Trillium luteum, T. grandiflora) Naturalize groundcovers.
• Virginia Bluebells — (Mertensia virginica) Under plantings for rhododendron. Long blooming, seeds itself.
• Marsh Marigold — (Caltha palustris) Early flowering, wet areas.
• Crested Iris — (Iris cristata) Amongst rocks and near water, ponds, etc.
• Blueflag Iris — (Iris versicolor) Near rocks, dependable.
• Wild Geranium — (Geranium maculantum) Seeds itself, long blooming.
• Mayapple — (Podophyllum peltatum) Establishes a stand, unusual.
• Shooting Star — (Dodecatheon meadia) White form available.
• Allegheny Foam Flower — (Tiarella cordifolia) Good groundcover, moist and wet areas.
• Cardinal Flower — (Lobelia cardinalis) Near ponds and wet areas.
• Partridgeberry — (Mitchella repens) Evergreen, low groundcover.
• Fringed Bleeding Heart — (Dicentra eximia) My favorite perennial. Amongst shade wildflowers and ferns. Blooms April to November.

Also I suggest these native trees and shrubs:

• Witchhazel — (Hamamelis virginiana) Blooms yellow in late autumn. Clump form tree especially interesting, like clump birch.
• Bayberry — (Myrica pensylvanica) Sun or light shade. Seaside hardy. Glossy leaves in the shade — deciduous – always dependable.
• Spice Bush — (Clethra alnifolia) Blooms late summer. Spicy smell. Lovely, striking yellow fall color. Tolerates wet areas or dry.
• Shadblow — (Amelanchier sp.) Early white flower, contrasting grey bark in winter.

Other Useful Internet Resources:

Green Landscaping: Greenacres Native Plants EPA FAQ Page

US National Park Service – An introduction to using native plants in restoration projects

Why Landscape With Wild Plants

Native Plants, Natural Landscapes

A Garden of Possibilites – What Exactly Are Native Plants?

Native Plants Book List

Lady Bird Johnson – Wildflower Center – Native Plant Database

Native Plant Finder – Find recommended native garden plants for your state

New England Wildflower Society

Connecticut Native Plants for the Garden

Invasive Species: Information, Images, Videos, Distribution Maps

New York Invasive Species Research Institute (NYISRI)

We will be starting a list of nurseries that carry native plants.  If you know of or are a nursery that carries native plants, send and email to david[at]ligrows.com with the nursery contact information.  Make the subject of the email “native plant nursery entry”.

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Anybody else tired of paying high dollar for Impatiens?

If you have the space under the grow lights or in the greenhouse, you can benefit from starting them from seed.  I started a tray of them three to five days ago now (early to mid March) and they are starting to sprout up nicely.  Considering they can survive many types of soil, I imagine once I get them sprouted and off to a good start, they should be easy to take care of from there on in.  I don’t want to speak too soon but I can’t wait get them in the ground when the time comes. I’m not even going to say it (that I’m getting well…I can’t say it ; )

I am getting that feeling of spring, that it is flying right on in without notice, but I am noticing and am trying to prepare the best I can (when I can). I am starting many seeds indoors.  I have expanded my grow room by adding shelves and hanging fluorescent light fixtures.  Complete with a min-heater and a timer, Ill just need to add water.  The warm temperature is key to keep a high percentage of germination.

I will post photos of my Impatiens sprouting from seed once I get them in the ground.

I will look to gather seeds from my Impatiens at the end of the year as well.

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First, you need to know the basics when planning the Garden

So far, I have had one request…Brussels Sprouts. I got my mom to expand her garden this year after she loved picking her own home grown carrots. Now let’s see if she can keep up with the weeds. Ill try adding straw around her plants to slow them down.

Personally, I have become a big fan of Edamame (soybean) which means “Beans on Branches.” I usually get it as an appetizer in the local sushi restaurants. It’s great steamed with a little salt. I can eat so many of them.

——–Begin Rant Here—–>

A word about soy – It is one of the 4 big genetically engineered crops grown in America and a large percentage of those crops are (corn, canola and cotton – the others). They are going into the DNA of the plant and putting in all kinds of stuff. And for what? You would think if they are going to do that, then they would at least make it more nutritious for you. Well it turns out they are not more nutritious and the yields are less than before. So my question is why? And the answer is money, of course. These big companies who are “manufacturing” the seeds are taking out patents on the genes they developed for the seeds. So if anyone wants to use their seeds, they are reliant on them for that seed. And so what if you want to save the seed? They figured that one out. They have created a “terminator gene” that forces the plant to basically commit suicide after one year. All this for money, greed, power…the usual.

There is a book called Your Right To Know that everyone interested in organic food and progressive lifestyles should read.

When you see the ingredients in food we buy at the market like soy lecithin, soybean oil, soy flour or soy protein, chances are they come from genetically engineered soy. Unless you buy Certified Organic! Vote with your dollars!

———End Rant Here——>

So where was I, oh yes, I really love soybeans! They are so easy to grow and you can buy organic seeds from Seeds of Change. That’s definitely a select in my garden this year.

Last year I experimented with some tomato varieties and 2 out of 3 were great! But I got stuck tending for and growing these yellow tomatoes that nobody in my house really enjoyed (in comparison to the other amazing ones). They did not have as much flavor and were just strange tasting. The worst part is that I planted 4 of them. That took up about 1/6th of my entire garden. So I learned when experimenting with large plants, try one or two, not four (depending on the size of your garden).

This year I was at the market and I bought a squash that was locally grown. I think it was called a Hubbard. It was greyish and a little blue. I have decided to give that a shot because it has become accustomed to Long Island soil and climate. To find local seeds I am starting and ending right here with the Long Island Seed Project. I have yet to get seeds from them but you can bet this year I will.

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We’ve had a light winter so far and as the seed catalogs come in, I am starting to think about what I will grow this year. I am more and more interested in native plants or seeds that have come from this region, Long Island if possible. My garlic came from upstate.

The Long Island Seed Project is of interest to me.

Their focus is on seeds of interest to the organic gardener, small farmer, seed saver and “backyard breeder”. Here’s the Long Island Seed Project’s Seed List.

I have been receiving waaay too many catalogs. The funniest is when I get mail from the Arbor day Foundation that speaks for the trees and offers you some free trees along with return address stamps with my name and address on them. To be honest with you I keep the stamps, but I am turned off at the foundation for using all this paper from trees to solicit me and preach about trees. It’s too ironic and gets me good.

Since that day I have been tracking down all phone numbers that come with all my junk mail. One by one, I am calling up and getting off their lists. I try and find out how I got on the list but they never know. One woman told me they rent a list of addresses. I want to find out the culprits who started me on the list in the first place. Since I moved here only a year and a half ago, I have purchased gardening products from Seeds of Change and Hicks Nurseries and thats all I can think of. Anyway, Im trying to get to the bottom of this. And just so all you fellow like-minded people out there know, any junk mail you receive usually is required to show who it is coming from. For example, the big plastic bundle I get like once a week filled with supermarket coupons and other advertisements usually comes with a separate postcard that has the famous “have you seen me?” missing child ad. That postcard will have the publishing company information (phone numbers, etc) so you can call them and tell them to take you off their mailing list. They don’t make it easy to get to the person who can do that for you but just go the the main operator and they will know what to do. Just say I would like to be taken off all mailing lists and give them your address. Never give them more information. One guy asked me for my phone number so if I ever called back they would be able to track me. So I said I don’t want to be tracked. That’s the whole point.

Anyway enough of my ramblings about that. You can probably tell I have been hibernating a bit too long already and we are only a bit more that a quarter way through winter.  I have been neglecting this blog during this gardening hiatus called winter.  Usually I would have more time to gather my thoughts and write articles that have been on my mind.  For example, I am reading Your Right To Know by Andrew Kimbrell, founder of The Center For Food Safety.  I am wanting to write more on the topic of Genetically Modified Food Products and what is in our supermarkets but my clients are keeping me quite busy these days.

The other book I am currently reading is Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, with Steven L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver.  It’s a book about a family that has decided to more or less rely on themselves and the surrounding community for all of their food for one years time.  They keep chickens and turkeys and “harvest” them along with their huge garden/small farm.  It’s a great story so far.  I highly recommend it for anyone interested in self-sustainability or anyone that loves to grow their own food (one tomato plant and one basil plant counts too – that’s how I got started and now I’m a gardening junkie).

 Signing off !  Back to my Bear Hole.  Is it spring yet?

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