Please HELP! I need books and seeds.

[Carey Ma]

Hi guys, some of you know me and my passion for learning and my dream of utopia and some of you know me for my personal mission to produce the healthiest food possible or my eventual goal of building a balanced, hi-rise farm. All these ideas come through reading other peoples work to spark and join ideas for my experiments and theories.

I know there are other fellow intelligent, inquisitive minds here on this site and ask you to help me gather some books and/ or wild/ open pollinated/ heirloom seeds. All I ask is for each member that calls me friend to donate and send, one used book or five US dollars in seeds.

If you read it and think it interesting, I would probably enjoy it too. I'm looking for books on ecology, economy, bio-chemistry, micro-biology, food philosophy, sustainability of any sort, farming practices of any sort, building tech, independent living, gardening of any sort, planning of any sort, teaching manuals etc. I think you get the idea. I like to read!...A LOT! No novels please.

Maybe your church would like to help with my book drive or seed collection?
All collected seeds will be first grown at the orphanage I work with to add attraction value and healthy food for the kids. Check these special people out at www.specialcommune.org. My involvement with them has enriched our respective lives. I feel it's worth my effort. By using my farming methods, they have increased their income from being a charity with less than zero to allowing for some luxuries, new clothes and more outings. The first seeds I got was four years ago from Gary at www.tomatofest.com. Now everything they eat is open pollinated and/ or free range.

Hand picked grass, clover and wildflower seeds would be just as welcome as seeds from Aunt Mary's Blue Ribbon whatever. Am desperate for good fruit and berries.
No living plants or invasive species please!

[Alexandre Letellier]

Carey, I have truck loads of books on permaculture, gardening, green architecture, renewable energy, etc, in PDF format ... I can send you the best ones by e-mail if you like... The thing is that you might have read quite a few already so... 

I guess you have read "The one straw revolution" right ? That's the one that got me started :)

[Sylvia Bernstein]

Carey, we have some of my books that were slightly damaged in the last shipment that we have for just such requests. I'd be more than happy to send one over to you...just shoot me the shipping information.

We also have loads of seeds.  Is there any issue with customs getting them to you?  

[Ian Cameron]

Carey, I'm not sure where this stuff goes to, and I like the idea of heirloom seeds etc. I volunteer at my First Nations school, teaching the kids about sustainable food production, land use management and respect for the environment. I guess that my opinion of seed etc moving about the world is a two edged sword. We have, in our part of the world, a number of imported 'invasive" species that were never intended to be so. Consequently, the natural bio diversity has been altered to some degree or other. It happens all over the world. Just be careful about what you ask for. I would encourage you to explore the local opportunities. Good Luck in making your projects successful.

[Carey Ma]

Please send books and seeds to: No 3 Yangfangdian Rd, 9-1-3, Haidian, Beijing, PRC 100038

@ Alexander: Thank you. PDF would work just fine. My library here is small and it never hurts to reread good books. Who knows what good ideas might be sparked.

@ Sylvia: Thank you. I look forward to reading your book. Do you have any other books you you can share as well? Is there anything you can do to help me publicize my request? I'd appreciate it.

@ Ian:I am fully aware of the impact of invasive plant/ seeds and did mention not to send me any at the bottom of my request. Because I want to keep my strains pure, most of my plants are caged in mosquito netting to prevent (lessen the chance of) cross contamination. Secondly, Monsanto and others have already successfully invaded and devoid this country of open pollinated seeds, replacing them with GMOs and hybrids. I believe I am the only person in this country to have open pollinated seeds in this country. I actively hunt for isolated villages that might still have heirlooms. In fact, in two weeks, I will be heading down south for a few days in hopes of getting some seeds originally grown by a German missionary.

The only native plants to be found around Beijing are up in the mountains, which I have spent three summers collecting but lack varieties I can use on my farm. Thirdly; all three farms I work with are walled so would act as a sort of quarantine, again lessening the chance of ecological contamination. Unlike the States, where there is plenty of land left to nature. Every single square inch here is utilized, again lessening the chance of invasive spread. Bio-diversity here is almost non existent. I can't even find a mouse bigger than two thumbs put together. So in conclusion, I think it relatively safe. As a last resort, we do have a steam generator that can sterilize areas that become troublesome.

I hope you find this explination satisfactory and go ahead with your plan to help me feed myself and others with the best, safest, food possible.

Cheers'all

[Carey Ma]

PS Please ship seeds/ books via Priority Mail provided by the US Postal Service. I have had good luck with them. Please do not declare seeds. If you feel you have to  declare, please write "for personal use" or in the address please write" To Dr. Ma. In care of Rem Men University in association with Little Donkey Farm.

Importing plants and seeds are technically forbidden here as in most countries, however, there was a big push some years ago to import good quality seeds (opening the door for Monsanto and others). Now it is up to the customs agent, whether he/ she feels like going through the hassle and paperwork to deny entry. So it is most likely they will not go after " personal" sized packages. Commercial quantities are another matter. But even with commercial sized shipments not going through the proper channels can most likely be "convinced" to let the shipment through.

On the other hand. I have had one out of five parcel return to sender and another one "lost". None were officially confiscated.