fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #5523 ]

⌈ Secret Post #5523 ⌋

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08. [SPOILERS for Encanto]

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09. [SPOILERS for Head AS Code and Birth ME Code]

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10. [WARNING for discussion of abuse/sexual harassment/etc]

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Rant time!

So I've been trying to set up a seed library for my organization at the location where I work. I'm not great at organization or planning or anything other than scutwork, but my boss wants me to use a skill I am decent at--gardening.

People check out seeds, grow plants, harvest seeds from the plants, and (ideally) bring those seeds back to the seed library, so other people can do the same.

I have a budget of $0.00, and other local seed libraries got their start by soliciting donations from garden centers and seed companies, so I've been putting together a list of companies and organizations to reach out to and beg for seeds, in exchange for publicizing their generosity in our programs and flyers and stuff.

I'd already crossed Baker Creek/Rare Seeds off years ago after their support of the Bundy anti-government militia that had a shootout with federal agents.

And now I have to add J.L. Hudson Seeds because they updated their website in support of the anti vax pro white nationalist trucker convoy.

Seed Savers Exchange has (temporarily?) suspended their donation program.

Native Seed Search focuses on Native and low income communities and the closest we come is being on Native land.

Idk what to do. Do I just grit my teeth and promote racist antivax shitheads at my job?

Bonus rant: I really wanted to order from JL Hudson, they have stuff that's not commercially available or only available from Baker Creek. Sometimes I think about ordering from one or both of them and then donating an equal amount to leftest orgs to balance it out. I mean, I still order from Amazon, so am I being a hypocrite by giving any fucks at all?

I don't think you're being a hypocrite. It sucks you would have to promote these assholes. :/

AYRT--thanks. I'm just starting to think there's no good options because on the one hand, the biggest of the big seed companies are all owned by Monsanto and their ilk, but it seems like the largest of the anti Monsanto and other megacorp seed companies either started as, or in recent years have become, anti-vax, anti-science, anti-government, pro-white supremacy, and pro-"woo."

I just wish there were more seed companies that didn't make me feel like my conscience needed a bath after giving them my money or free publicity at my job.

Can you get the free seeds from the crappy companies and put them in plain envelopes or tape over the brand names?

Most amateur gardeners aren't going to be researching their donations anyway, and you're getting free stuff from them, so, eh.

This because so many companies suck now and give donations to the political party I hate, I'd have to switch providers and retailers and brands constantly to keep up.

AYRT--I would be divvying up donated seeds into smaller packets regardless, but the organization I work for would be paying them with publicity by having "made possible by the generosity of ~~White Supremacist Nutjobs~~ ABC Seed Company" on our website, flyers, programming, etc.

And I suspect my boss will put the brakes on asking them for donations, because this is the kind of question that gets run by the publicity office or whatever it's called.

Our department by itself has 750+ people, so I know we have a press office or something. I've just never worked on anything that warranted their attention, and I'm 99% sure my boss' job involves vetoing shit that might make us look bad before it gets that far.

Oh, okay. Makes sense! I thought this was more of a one-person effort.

honestly, as a gardener and native plant promoter, I think you're doing the right thing.

As for advice, reach out to any nonprofits in your area supporting anything from prairies to community gardens - they may have less in terms of quantity of sharable seeds, but they will definitely be more willing to share for just a little blurb vs money. I don't know how it is in Canada (I'm guessing from your hints) but in my area of the US, I'm a member of 3 different prairie and native plant organizations that will happily trade my volunteer time harvesting seeds for a portion of said seeds. If you're looking at food crops, a community garden or similar will be helpful.

Alternately, you can put out a newsletter or memo for your workplace suggesting donations from people who would be most willing to donate a few bucks in exchange for priorty access to seeds, and you can then buy seeds from reputable sellers.

AYRT--I'm in the US state abbreviated as CA rather than the North American country abbreviated as CA. Which is one of the reasons the JL Hudson seed company supporting the convoy is such a red flag; they're also in California, but their website is currently plastered with "the pandemic is over, this is tyranny!!!"

Which was especially annoying since I'd assumed, like an idiot, that a company that mailed out seed catalogues using Ursula Le Guin stamps was unlikely to be full up of right-wingers.

I suspect they started as left wing anti-government types and have Frankensteined themselves into an unholy amalgamation of anti-government sentiment with the "my liberty includes the right to cough in your face after refusing to get vaccinated" crowd. I'm working up the steam to send them an angry "you just lost a good customer and free publicity opportunity in one go" email, but I feel like an asshole when I think of being that kind of customer.

Plus I feel guilty because this is the first time I've ever considered buying from a company whose actions I loathe and salving my conscience by donating money to another organization working against what I hate them for. Like I said, I buy from Amazon, but the sheer scale of Amazon makes me think my energy is better spent working toward better conditions and union rights for warehouse workers than avoiding all things Amazon forever.

Not placing a $400 seed order with one of these relatively small seed companies and sending them a nasty email saying I never will again seems more likely to yield results.

The only community garden in our area is run by an anti-vax church, sigh.

So far, my list of places to go begging includes Native Seed Search, the local chapter of the California Native Plant Society (which buys their seeds from, among others, JL Hudson), the local chapter of the Audobon society (who also buys from JL Hudson), and several local nurseries (that buy seed from Baker Creek.)

At this point, I'm thinking I may just start as many plants as I can from my existing seed stock originally from JL Hudson and Baker Creek and add seeds to the library as I harvest them.

But some native plants take years to flower and set seed, and my yard isn't big enough to isolate cultivars of veggies and fruit to prevent cross-pollination.

Maybe I should just tell my boss that if she wants me to do this I can write up a proposal and see if the people who raise money for us could throw some our way.

Argh. This is why I want to stay a low level cog in the machine and not promote much higher, my brain is frying just trying to tackle this minor problem.

Would it be possible to contact heirloom seed exchanges? The ones I knew about were groups of people who just grew the plants and exchanged the seed without being profit making businesses. They have an interest in preserving heirloom varieties, so maybe they would be interested in helping you.

AYRT--I would, but googling and checking out local gardening and plant groups doesn't really turn much up. There's only one nearby community garden and it's run by a conservative church. There are lots of flower societies for things like orchids and roses, but they aren't the same thing.

There are a few other seed libraries run by employees of or volunteers for the organization I work for dotted around for 20 miles or so, but they got their seeds from some of the companies on my "like fuck am I giving you free publicity unless it's me banging a drum screaming about you being racist shitheads" list, and they were started either before the less savory views were being broadcast, or maybe by volunteers who didn't do much research, or (hopefully not) by people who agreed with them.

[ SECRET POST #5523 ]

I need advice too, idk

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