We know that we always want to have enough seeds on hand to plant for a couple of seasons. The news today is that the price of basic farm seeds has increased 135% since 2001.
A New York Times headline dated 12 March 2010 reads: "Rapid Rise in Seed Prices Draws U.S. Scrutiny". The first paragraph of the story reads: "During the depths of the economic crisis last year, the prices for many goods held steady or even dropped. But on American farms, the picture was far different, as farmers watched the price they paid for seeds skyrocket. Corn seed prices rose 32 percent; soybean seeds were up 24 percent."
The price increases are for just the last year!
The cost of purchasing new seeds will probably continue to rise in the years ahead. In an economic / societal collapse, the value of viable planting seeds will skyrocket.
2010 is a good year to learn how to save seeds from your garden and to join groups like Seed Savers Exchange.
Heather Coburn has written a good article on how to create a Seed Swap in your area that you may want to entertain this year.
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