HOMA SEED BANK

The need to create Homa Seed Banks
Natural diversity of food crops is necessary so that there are always adaptable seeds for changing conditions on a local scale. Now on a global scale, with the dramatic and erratic climatic conditions and pollution, it is even more crucial that we have a diverse gene pool of traditional food varieties. Diversity means more likelihood that we find disease and pest resistant varieties and adaptable varieties that withstand changeable and harsh conditions.

The variety of food crops has diminished by 75% over the last century.
The loss of diversity is due to the ‘globalisation of seed’, meaning fewer and fewer companies monopolising the seed market. 10 seed companies own and distribute 90% of the world’s vegetable seeds. These companies develop, breed and market chemically dependent hybrids. Hybrids are cross- bred plants to produce big, vigorous, glossy vegetables that usually end up with poor seed that reverts back to its weedy ancestors or are sterile. And now there is genetically manipulated seed where the very building blocks of life are tampered with; for example a fish gene inserted into the genetic material of a tomato plant. The unknown ramifications of such folly on the natural, intricate, interdependent intelligent system of a planet are an obvious reason why not to do this however greed overrides common sense. Much of the propaganda behind GM is to enable the plant to grow reasonably unaffected by the chemical pesticides and insecticides produced and marketed by the same companies that produce the GM seed. This psychologically allows farmers to use chemicals more liberally as they see less detrimental effects.

GM seed is fabricated in labs and bypasses conventional selective breeding. Terminator seeds are also now being marketed which means that the seed has been tampered with in order not to reproduce viable seed forcing farmers to continually buy seed from the companies. Hybrid seed also forces farmers to buy seed regularly from seed companies.

Due to the effort required to manipulate seed there is limited amount of uniform varieties available. This has greatly reduced the amount of cultivars available commercially. Also the growing of seed producing vegetables takes place in agro-chemical monocultures using cheap labour in 3rd world countries. Such a process apart from its dubious ethics produces food with poor nutritional value. The largest seed company Seminis when it was formed through a merger in 2000 held a combined total of 6000 cultivars. By 2004 that number had reduced to3500. So the loss of biodiversity in vegetable crops has continued pace into the 21st Century. These alarming trends have been optimised by the purchase of Seminis by Monsanto in Jan 2005. So the world’s leading promoter of GM now owns the world’s largest vegetable seed company.

This dire state of affairs that threatens our very existence means that it is crucial we source and store non-hybrid, traditional varieties of seed. The March 2005 findings of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, based on the work of 1300 scientists in 95 countries delivered a stark message that future generations can no longer take for granted the earth’s ability to provide the air, water and soil needed to sustain life!
The answer is the creation of Homa biospheres and to source non-tampered seed and keep the cycle of growing and storing in continuum in these Homa biospheres that provide the air, water and soil needed to sustain life.

What Seed to look for?
We need to source organically grown, non-hybrid, open-pollinated [in the field, not in the lab] seed. Even better if all these criteria were met and the seed were also reproduced in Homa atmosphere.
Locally grown vegetables and fruit are best as they are adapted to local seasonal patterns and conditions.

Where can we source seed for a seed bank?
As it is best to find seed adapted to local conditions. Look for local varieties that have been grown in the area for as long as the locals can remember. Ask around.
Home growers often maintain varieties no longer available commercially.
Heirloom seeds are those handed down in one family.
Migrants often brought with them seed which is now adapted to local conditions.
There are Organic non-corporate seed companies where one can source seed .
Also check out local organisations dedicated to building seed banks. Organic/biodynamic/permaculture local support groups and societies often have seed banks.

Adaptation of seed
One can acquire non local seed and adapt it to local conditions though this is time consuming.

However by making the effort we can rebuild genetic diversity. Seed savers have been doing just that- saving seeds, swapping with one another and over time adapting varieties to local conditions and personal preferences, developing thereby new varieties of plants.

Here is an example of seed adaptation from Clive Cowland in the Hunter Valley NSW Australia.
Clive obtained broadbeans from some seed savers from a different climate. The germination and growth was good until the late winter/early spring humidity in his area created rust and fungal attack. He noticed some plants were not as affected as others so he removed those badly affected.
Seed from the few survivors 10 out of the original 50 was picked. These seeds were planted out the next season and when the humidity struck this time 70 of the original 100 did well. The next season, 90 out of 100 and the next, 98 out of 100, now well adapted to the local conditions.

We have noticed for example here at Om Shree Dham in the temperate region of the Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia, that when planting organic seed and growing it in Homa farming conditions that the plant produced seed much larger than the original seed. [see photos]

The end result would be Homa organic seed. Indeed there is also an uplifted energetic quality to the plant and it follows to its seed.
How to produce Homa seed?
Follow the recommendations for Homa farming combined with your preferred organic gardening techniques.

Homa treatment of seeds for planting and growing
Soak seed in cows urine and Agnihotra ash, generally for approximately 2 hours. With large seeds one can then coat them in fresh cow dung and let them dry slightly before planting. Plant seed with Agnihotra ash, while Om Tryambakam Homa is being conducted close by.

Treat the plant every now and then with ash application at its base and with regular ash water spray and or Gloria Homa Biosol around the time of sunrise and sunset when the stomata of the plant open to receive the nutrition and prana that floods the atmosphere at the time of Agnihotra. Add these Homa techniques to your own favoured organic practices.

Pollination
In order to determine purity and production of seed one needs to study up on the sexual behaviour of vegetable and grains. In most of our vegetables, herbs and flowers the male and female parts are in the same flower. These complete flowers allow self-pollination or ease of cross pollination. Some plants such as carrots, parsley and celery require insects to bring pollen from one plant to another.

In the case of Brassicas the plants will produce little seed on their own but will produce a lot of good seed if it is grown with other Brassicas of the same species. However Brassicas will cross breed with other species of Brassica so it is advisable to plant cabbages and cauliflowers at a distance from each other, for example.

An experience of Richard and Lisa Powers in Madison Virginia, USA on their Homa property:

“One has to be careful about saving seed from things that can cross-pollinate. I once saved seed from winter squash that had been planted near summer squash. The resulting produce was something only the hungriest of people could bear to eat. It was hard to imagine how two such wonderful parent plants could have produced such offensive offspring.”

Another factor that is important is that some pollen is dominant over other, eg chilli pollen is dominant over capsicum.

So to prevent cross pollination or domination when both vegetables are flowering at the same time there are certain techniques to keep seed pure. One method is caging the vegetables on alternate days, allowing the bees and insects to do their job. Once both varieties have been individually pollinated, they should both be caged till flowering stops. A less complicated way is to stagger planting of different varieties so they flower at different times. If you have a large farm another method is to plant different varieties at a distance from each other.

It is quite complex so if you wish to be self-sufficient in seed production to ensure ongoing food production some study is necessary. I recommend the Seed Saver’s Handbook.

Harvesting, Drying and Cleaning the seed .
There are 2 types of seeds:
-Seeds in moist flesh eg tomatoes, melons, cucumber etc
-Seeds in dry receptacles eg lettuce, carrots, beans etc.

In both cases choose only the ripest and the healthiest from the healthiest and most vigorous plant.

For fleshy seeds:
Scoop out and put in a container of water and rub together to separate flesh from seed. Or rub fleshy coated seeds through a sieve under running water.
To control seed borne diseases, for seeds with a gel around them like tomatoes, put in water and let ferment for 1 day and 1 night. Wash the seeds well in a sieve and dry in the shade. The fermentation process is important in the case of tomato seed as this process deactivates an anti germinating agent in the gel.

Treatments to deter fungal growth on seeds:
Hot water treatment for disease- soak fleshy seeds in water held at a constant temp of 50 degrees Celsius for 25 min. Sieve and dry and store.

Another way is to soak the seed in fresh cow’s urine. Soak seeds in a mixture of 1 part cow urine to 1 part Agnihotra ash water for 5 minutes and dry in shade for about 2 days before storing.
For soft seed, to prevent germination from soaking, one could try simply spraying the seed with the same dilution mix.
Cow urine is a natural anti-fungicide.

Store seeds with Agnihotra ash to avoid fungal and insect attack.

Store seeds when they are completely dry and free of debris/chaff etc. It is the debris that can harbour insect eggs, fungal spores etc.

For seeds of dry receptacles: leave pods on plant till completely dry before harvesting. In rainy periods take whole plant and hang upside down in a dry shed. When dry, place heads in a paper bag to catch falling seed.
If seed mature unevenly harvest individually.

Some seeds need 2 dryings. First in the pod and then when removed from the pod.

Corn and maize seed are best dried and stored on the cob.

Root Cuttings
One can also cultivate from root cuttings. Store root vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, beetroots, parsnips etc in slightly moist sand and Agnihotra ash in a wooden box in a dark dry vermin proof place. As well as having food storage one can also have cultivars to replant the next year.

Cleaning the seed
Separate seeds from husks by rubbing over a sieve or rubbing heads together over a cloth. Or place in a strong bag and stomp on them.
Clean from debris and chaff.
Put through sieves and then winnow.
An easy method is have 2 large bowls for seed and pour one into the other at a height while a breeze or light wind is blowing. The seed is heavier than the chaff, which blows away. Do this over a tarp to collect escaping seed.

Storing the seed
For Longevity, viability and disease- free seed the most important factor is dryness of seed.
One also has to take into account temperature when storing seeds so different seasons may require different storage techniques. This is what Virginia Ansberg, who practices Homa techniques on her land in the cold north eastern USA, has to share about this aspect:
“Here we store the seeds in brown glass jars inside of large tins on shelves on the north side of the cellar. In summer the cellar rarely gets above 60 or 70 degrees Fahrenheit. I put the seed cans in alphabetical order (Mine start with Arugula and end with Zucchini!) by type of seed, and on the label I also put the seed life (viability) for quick reference. That way I know which seeds have gone by, although I must say I have had several seeds two or three years beyond viability guidelines that did just fine. Some peas and fava beans did very well. In warm climates one might need to refrigerate seeds to extend their life. I know people in the north who have warm cellars who keep their seeds in the fridge.”

Store in labelled paper bags or jars. Include on the label the variety of plant, the date of storage and the likely length of viability time. Consult reference books on this. [see recommended reference books at end of chapt] Store in a dry, cool, moisture proof, insect proof dark space. The cooler the storage the longer the seed viability.
In hot climates one can store in the fridge in moisture proof containers.

There are two streams of thought about seed storage:
1) Store seeds in a vacuum seal as lack of oxygen prevents insect and fungal survival. Eg light a candle on a platform inside the jar of seed, replace lid and the candle will burn up all the remaining oxygen.
2) As the seed is a living thing allow it to breath, i.e., do not vacuum seal but enable interaction with air through holes in the lids of the jars, for example.

Perhaps it is climate dependant. One would think that in a hot, humid climate where fungal growth is more prevalent, a vacuum sealed jar may be the preference.

IMPORTANT-
1) Either way combine seed with Agnihotra ash. This is a preventative for insect and fungal attack and also gives lifeforce to the seed improving its viability and shelf life.

2) Perform Agnihotra regularly where the seeds are stored.

Experiences of storing grain with copious amounts of ash
At Om Shree Dham , we harvested a crop of Spelt grain 5 years ago and stored the seed in dry condition mixed with Agnihotra ash in steel drums. After this 7 year period we opened the drums and found no infestation of any insect at all as often weevils are a problem. We planted the seed and it had a good germination rate, just as fresh seed.

Exposing the seed directly to the sun esp. grain and pulse shortly before storing with Agnihotra ash is a good way of deterring weevils and other insects. Pulse and grain should be stored in clean, food- grade, well sealed, vermin proof bins. If you find weevil attack in already stored grain much can be salvaged by exposing seed to the sunlight on a hot day and then storing again with ash in sealed bins.

Seed Viability test
If you are trading or swapping seeds with others it may be best to test the viability of the seed first. When the right season arrives sow seeds in potting mix in a tray. Count number of seeds first and observe how many germinate. One can do a germination test, as you probably know. Virginia Ansbergs has another quick method: “put several seeds in a wet paper towel in a zip lock bag. It is like a mini greenhouse.”

To maintain viability keep circulating the seed ie plant the seed from last year, the following year so that the seed planted is in its most youthful and vital condition.

Sharing Seeds
Sharing seeds enables communities to be more self reliant. Seed networks where seeds are swapped as opposed to sold are sprouting up all over the place. For a list of local seed networks and Seed Banks do a web search. Try a search on The International Permaculture Seed Exchange or International Seed Saving Institute-both global seed exchange organisations.
For Australia it is www.seedsavers.net

For Homa seed contact your closest Homa Centre.
It would be excellent to include in a Homa International website a Homa Seed exchange section, keeping in mind that custom’s laws of different countries may restrict the movement of seed between countries.

Maria Teresa Uranga from the Homa Farm in Lima writes that she can supply seeds:
basil, red hot pepper, tomatoes, egg plants, lettuce, culantro, parsley, arugula, broccoli.
Maria Teresa Uranga
ESTABLO HUAMPANI
www.huampani.org , mati@huampani.org

Such entries could grace an international Homa website.

Recommended books on seed saving:
‘Seed to Seed’ by Susanne Ashworth
‘G rowing and Saving Vegetable Seeds’ by Marc Rogers, published by Garden Way Publications, Charlotte, VT 05445, USA.
‘The Seed Savers Handbook for Australia and New Zealand’ and ‘ Local Seed Network Manual’ by Michael and Jude Fanton
‘The Seeds of Kokopelli, A Manual for the Production of Seeds in the Family Garden; a Directory of Heritage Seeds’ by Dominique Guillet , Web site: www.kokopelli.asso.fr