Listening this morning to a science podcast I was horrified to hear about the American FDA being close to a decision on whether a genetically modified salmon - dubbed the 'Frankenfish' - should be approved for human consumption.  Not only do they want us to eat it, they think it should not have to be labelled GM!  That I am offended by, you can choose to eat it if you want to... but having no choice is the problem for me.

This atlantic salmon that has a growth hormone from a chinook salmon and DNA from the eel-like ocean pout can grow two kilograms in less than 500 days, as opposed to nearly 700 days for an unmodified fish.  What happens I say 'if' they get out, run with others and breed? Like the European carp in our Australian waterways?  what a disaster.  Oh no, I have heard the breeding fish will be isolated but when humans are involved.. well... mistakes happen that's for sure.

Seeing the FDA and the Bio Tech industry are in each other's pockets, makes me think we won't have much of a choice but I hope otherwise.  Even China of all countries has reservations, and if they do.. well... we all should.  I've also read this week that for the first time since colonisation Americans are expected to live fewer years than the previous generations... Is it all the GM corn crops, that go into 70% of 'junk food' or is it the GM corn that is fed to all the animals - like cows which should be eating grass!

OK I just have to vent somewhere and try and make some difference.. even if it is only in the form of awareness and making informative choices.

Otherwise a family friend Kevin has given me some lovely seedlings.  I have about half a dozen melons I am trying out in the greenhouse.  I have read that you can keep them in pots, and use a support for them to climb - we'll see how they go.  Watermelons and Rockmelons about 6 weeks old.  I also scored some Capsicum seedlings too.


The vegetable patch is full at the moment, I am waiting for the Borage I planted to stop flowering - the bees love it but it has really taken over.  I've got loads of Broad Beans, Leeks, Garlic, Beets, Rocket, Spinach and Carrots with a few Radish, Cabbage and Cauliflower growing in between.....I am eager to replace them with something else, perhaps some Corn, Cucumber or Squash I am thinking.

Just today too on our 21st day of having our hive there was a number of bees kind of just hovering around the front of the hive. Kind of like a pulsing up and down incorporating a somewhat outward rhythm to it - my guess is new bees, getting their flying skills - how exciting.. tomorrow we open the hive again to see what has been happening.