agribusiness

here's a graphic (admittedly a bit blurry) that illustrates the consolidation of control over seeds by corporations like monsanto and the lesser entities in the agriculture business. the use of patented, trans-genetic seeds in a monoculture of crop production both weakens genetic diversity in the plants and constrains the farmer's choice of crops to plant [brush 2004]. chemical inputs further weaken genetic diversity. when seed "designers" see a genetic defense in a plant that can be replaced by a chemical input they can remove that defense making both the plant and the farmer more dependent on agribusiness ( a nifty deal for some corporation like bayer that produces liberty herbicide and liberty-link corn that can withsatand its application) and leaving entire strains of crops vulnerable if the chemical inputs become over-costly or unavaialble [jackson 1980]. this is the reason all the plants (except the elephant garlic which came from burpee seeds because they were the only ones who could get it here in time for fall planting) and seeds in this garden were procured from heirloom seed companies, organic growers, or public access seed banks like j.l. hudson, an underlying philosophy of organic diversity we will maintain throughout the garden's existence.