2:31pm Monday 31st December 2007
By Saiqa Chaudhari
A RARE pea last grown in Bolton has been saved from the brink of extinction.
Table-Talk, as it is known, was one of 800 vegetables highlighted by the Garden Organic as having been brought back from the verge of extinction.
The pea was originally donated to the Heritage Seed Library (HSL), which is run by Garden Organic, by a Mr Schofield of Bolton, who had been growing it since 1940. Apparently he had obtained it from a relative in Yorkshire.
According to Garden Organic, hundreds of traditional vegetable varieties like Table-Talk are facing being wiped out through commercial pressures and European Union (EU) regulations, which ban the sale of seeds unless the variety is registered on a national or EU list.
Bob Sherman, director of gardens and gardening at Garden Organic, said: "Multiple varieties are imperative to protecting the food security of the nation, both now and in the future.
"In the simplest terms, multiple varieties offer the world safety in numbers. As the climate changes and new pests and diseases survive we need a diversity of plants in case one of our main crops is affected.
"All these different varieties need to continue to grow in order for them to evolve with our changing world.
"Unfortunately, with so many varieties under the threat of extinction, this is not happening so we need more people to grow and protect as many varieties as possible."
Mr Sherman says people can help to save varieties of vegetables from becoming extinct by becoming members of Garden Organic, by becoming seed guardians for the Heritage Seed Library or by taking part in an Adopt a Vegetable' scheme where members of the public can sponsor one of the endangered vegetables for a year.
Those wanting to find out more about the work of Garden Organic and its Adopt a Vegetable scheme, can visit www.gardenorganic.org or call 02476 303517.
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