| Everywhere you turn today the alarms are | | | | Heritage or heirloom seeds are those seeds that |
| sounding and our food supply is ailing as the | | | | were commonly grown during earlier periods in |
| genetically modified vegetables that are being | | | | human history, but which are not used in modern |
| mass produced are cause for concern in food | | | | large-scale agriculture and are largely the seeds of |
| consumption. Today there is a huge need for | | | | choice. The vegetable is tastier, full of nutrition |
| personal ecological conversion and wives, mothers, | | | | and most importantly, there has been no |
| daughters and sisters whether urban or rural, are | | | | hybridization or genetic engineering of the seeds. |
| redefining organic gardening. | | | | Sometimes it is impossible to grow large quantities |
| Sustainable development and caring for a garden | | | | of vegetables at home and women are |
| at home, is happening across America in | | | | networking with their neighbors or church |
| apartments, houses and farms. Not only are | | | | members and creating Community Supported |
| women leading their families towards the benefits | | | | Agriculture (CSA) groups and building |
| of sounder ecological stewardship, but they are | | | | memberships for their endeavor. A CSA is where |
| inspiring their neighbors, and their faith | | | | a group forms a co-op to grow seasonal, organic |
| communities. In the United States and Canada | | | | produce, flowers even raise chickens for eggs. All |
| over 20,000 community gardens have sprung up. | | | | the members pledge their support either |
| Seana Hutchinson of Saint Johns, Florida, mother | | | | monetarily or with personal labor or both, to |
| of two and expecting a third, is feeling the | | | | create a community farm operation. Members will |
| economic pinch at the grocery store. "It is no | | | | share in the seasonal harvest of the produce. |
| longer an option, it is a mandate that I cultivate | | | | Depending on how many members there are, |
| our own organic food supply," she states. "I | | | | weekly baskets of select organic vegetables are |
| container garden and row garden spring and | | | | equally divided and members pick up their basket |
| summer vegetables and herbs, I have learned | | | | and return it the next week for the next |
| canning and I'm enjoying making homemade | | | | selection. It's a great way to get all the vegetable |
| applesauce and breads for the kids." | | | | selections you like without having to plant "big" at |
| This young mother is one of a larger, emerging | | | | home, thereby creating a sustainable food |
| number of women who are also planting and | | | | system. |
| growing their own vegetables. Mothers working | | | | If you are interested in coordinating a |
| outside the home hit their high in 1998 with the | | | | neighborhood group into a CSA, start with Local |
| census showing that 58.7 percent were employed. | | | | Harvest.Org, where you will get start up |
| But, since that time, there has been a gradual | | | | instructions and even directions to a other local |
| decline in working mothers and especially since the | | | | CSA's in your area. It's a terrific website to guide |
| economic down turn. Women are redirecting their | | | | you to a more sustainable lifestyle. |
| efforts to save money, rather than make | | | | With the World Bank echoing the constant |
| money, with food products at the top of the list. | | | | increase of food prices over the past four years, |
| Women are taking the lead in creating family food | | | | there appears to be no future let up in the |
| sources right at home, growing vegetables, herbs | | | | continued rise as food production costs sky |
| and fruits. From the Leopold Center for | | | | rocket. Many people have lost touch with growing |
| Sustainable Agriculture, it is reported that sales of | | | | their own food and will have to relearn the skill. It |
| vegetable seeds in the past year has almost | | | | seems that as women move from the workplace |
| doubled, with a 40 percent increase. Heritage | | | | into the garden that finding that sustainable food |
| seeds are in great demand and heritage seed | | | | source now is a good idea! |
| dealers have seen a definite upswing in their sales. | | | | |