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Consumer Qs with Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black
Gary Black web
Gary Black - Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture

      Q: I am looking for some sources of flower and vegetable seeds. Do you have any suggestions?

      A: Look in the ads of the Farmers and Consumers Market Bulletin. There are a lot of good (and very reasonably priced) seeds there, including old-fashioned varieties. Also, if there is a particular seed you are looking for, you can place a free ad in the Market Bulletin describing it. Subscriptions for Georgia residents are $10 per year. To start a subscription, send a check or money order payable to Market Bulletin to 19 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Room 226, Atlanta, GA 30334. If you cannot find the seeds you are looking for in the Market Bulletin or your local garden center, here are several seed catalogs to consider:

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
P.O. Box 460, Mineral, VA 23117
Phone: 540-894-9480
www.southernexposure.com

Plants of the Southwest
3095 Agua Fria St., Santa Fe, NM 87507
Phone: 1-800-788-SEED (7333)
www.plantsofthesouthwest.com
(not just plants, and not just things for the Southwest)

Johnny's Selected Seeds
955 Benton Avenue, Winslow, ME 04901
Phone: 1-877-Johnnys (1-877-564-6697)
www.johnnyseeds.com

TomatoFest
P.O. Box 628, Little River, CA 95456
www.tomatofest.com

Pinetree Garden Seeds
P.O. Box 300, New Gloucester, ME 04260
Phone: 207-926-3400
www.superseeds.com

Seeds of Change
P.O. Box 152, Spicer, MN 56288
Phone: 1-888-762-7333
www.seedsofchange.com

Park Seed Company
1 Parkton Ave, Greenwood, SC 29647
Phone: 1-800-845-3369
www.parkseed.com

Renee's Garden Seeds
6060A Graham Hill Rd., Felton, CA 95018
Phone: 1-888-880-7228
www.reneesgarden.com

W. Atlee Burpee & Co.
300 Park Avenue, Warminster, PA 18974
Phone: 1-800-333-5808
www.burpee.com

Thompson & Morgan Seedsmen, Inc.
P.O. Box 397, Aurora, IN 47001-0397
Phone: 1-800-274-7333
www.tmseeds.com

      Q: Is there any way to visually tell if kerosene has been contaminated with gasoline?

      A: If the kerosene looks cloudy, it could be contaminated and should not be used. Kerosene should be clear, not cloudy. This is true for dyed or undyed kerosene. If it has a gasoline odor, it could be contaminated and should not be used. But, the only 100% sure way to tell would be to have it tested at the Georgia Department of Agriculture State Fuel Lab. If you suspect you have purchased contaminated kerosene, take it back to the store and contact our Fuel and Measures Division at 404-656-3605.

      If you have questions about services or products regulated by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, visit our website at www.agr.georgia.gov or write us at 19 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Room 227, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail us at info@agr.georgia.gov.

      To learn more about agricultural issues, get garden tips and find sources for flowers, livestock and other agricultural products, consider a subscription to The Farmers and Consumers Market Bulletin. Subscriptions for Georgia residents are $10 per year. To start a subscription, send a check or money order payable to Market Bulletin at the address above.

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