Hi Cathy thanks for your reply, the YOU TUBE video was very interesting. I have been looking into trying different seeds and suppliers only to find that Mr Fothergills as we know has the Johnsons brand, but Country Value also seem to have the same PO address. Country value are produced in Newmarket UK (according to cottage small holders UK)
I have also been viewing other forums around the world and some of the comments are similar in that seeds yields per packet in general are not good.
My google searches seems to say that Dt brown started in UK but its not clear if the seeds are produced there.
It would be interesting to see if any veggie seeds are sourced or produced in Aus for Aus sales etc by any of these suppliers.
Its good that they all do not support GMO though.
I agree that plants/ veggies in my mind do assimilate to the environment they live in so seeds from a different climate etc would struggle to survive when relocated. Seeds that I have saved from my own plants have performed better.
There is a plant nursery in my area that advises people who live only 10 Klm south of them to be aware that the plants they stock are for the Macedon ranges and that taking the plants into the next shire (Bulla) could see them struggle.
I suggest that over time when using a globalised seed that you then need to harvest seeds from the best veggie plants that survive and replant that seed --- then repeating a few times you could get a localised plant/seed. what a lot of work ---SO I would be interested in your idea of local seed exchange and through Marks forum you could even look at taking it to a different level of state by state/ climate zone in Aus and link to the overseas guys as well ??
My uncle 40 years ago planted out an apple orchard in the Ballarat region. He was into heritage type trees from around the world. He was finally able to get it all up and running and now has a great 100 tree orchard for home use. Its interesting to note that the trees that have flourished the most are from loosely similar climates around the world and from climates too cold and or to hot struggled for years but adjusted.
I am grafting many of the trees he has from Europe and USA to a much hotter and dryer area so it will be interesting to see if they make it
Some trees are.
- Court Pendu Plat from southern France 15th century
- Golden Reinette Europe 15th century
- Dutches of Oldenburg 16th century Russia
- Roxbury Russett –year 1640 USA/Americas