15 November 2005 Brassicas, Genetically Modified Rapeseed

I saw in a movie (The Future of Food) about a Farmer on the great plains of Canada. Farmer Percy Schmeiser had been cultivating his own seed, bred for his farm conditions for 50 years. He noticed his crop could survive the roundup he used around his poles to keep the weeds down. When he complained to Monsanto, they sued, recently won in the supreme court of Canada. Mr. Schmeiser lost all of the seed he'd been cultivating year by year to GM variety. Scary that the court ruled in Monsanto's favor because of patent law. It is unconscionable that it is legal patent life.
Rapeseed (Brassica napsus) is a relative of Broccoli and Kale. The yellow flowers resemble the kale that I let go to seed two years ago, planted last spring and we are still eating the Kale this fall.
There are so many Brassicas around. Turnips, Broccoli, many oriental greens, Brussel Sprouts, Mustard. Even Maca from high up in the Andes Mountains is a Brassica.