Garden Journal

Open at your own risk: If you’ve opened a bag of Genetically Modified seed, you’ve agreed to the terms of the seed company’s licensing agreement or contract—so read the small print. Those are two of the many warnings and highlights released by the Rural Advancement Foundational International in its “Farmers’ Guide to GMO Contracts.”

The guide serves as a pocket-size complement to the “Farmers’ Guide to GMOs,” a lengthier joint publication of RAFI and the Farmers’ Legal Action Group. The brochure explains the terms of the Monsanto contract (Monsanto is one of the world’ largest developers and manufacturers of GM seeds). Grassroots organizations are invited to distribute the brochure to their own constituencies and can add their contact information to a blank space on the back panel.

You can view the brochure at the RAFI’s Web site (under the “New Publications” section), www.rafiusa.org.

A little networking with your harvest: On Saturday, Oct. 25, Earthhaven Ecovillage in Black Mountain is hosting the Our Village Harvest Festival from 1 to 11 p.m. The event features entertainment, demonstrations, sustainability seminars, food, crafts, tours, children’s activities and more. Local storyteller Doug Elliott will do his native-plant walk in the afternoon and a stage show at night. Cailen & David will offer string music. If you have something special to share, get in touch with event organizers via e-mail at festival@earthaven.org.

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About Margaret Williams
Editor Margaret Williams first wrote for Xpress in 1994. An Alabama native, she has lived in Western North Carolina since 1987 and completed her Masters of Liberal Arts & Sciences from UNC-Asheville in 2016. Follow me @mvwilliams

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