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Oh, this is great Aline! It's a lot sooner than I thought it would be! Thanks for sharing! I will spread the info around on FB and elsewhere. So, not at LCC this year, or is that a different one that happens later in the year? Either way, we'll see you there!
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Posts: 118
Great, Amber, we'll meet again! Yes, this is different from the spring propagation fair and seed swap at LCC. Started by Food not Lawns, Heather Flores and Tobias Policha, and others in 1990 in the Whitaker neighborhood, it is a small, much more intimate gathering of seedy folk.
We'll have time to get acquainted.
All who can...Please join us!
Aline
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Posts: 118
Winter Solstice is a good time of year to start planning a seed swap if you don't already have one in your area. We all look forward to warmer, brighter days to work in our gardens, and forming ideas about what we will be sowing come spring.
In this blog post, Heather shares her experience with us...so that we all can create a seed and plant sharing network in our own communities. Here's the URL: http://www.foodnotlawns.net/2008/12/how-to-organize-community-seed-swap_23.html
One of the friends I met at our seed swap in Eugene, OR in November has been inspired to start a seed swap in Omaha, NE.
Kristie has mentioned starting a seed library in her town in Colorado. I think this is another great idea! I'd like her to share how a seed library is organised, and how that is working for them. Also, how can I contribute seeds? The idea is that seeds are taken out of the collection, grown out and some portion returned to the library. This is a good practice, as long as good seed saving principles are followed, and ensures the vitality of the collection.
As a seed company, we accept some returns of unsold packets from our stores each year and these either go back in our collection for replanting, or to our local seed swap for sharing. As a gardener, I grow a few vegetable seed crops each year for our own use and for sharing at these events, since most folks are looking for vegetable seeds.
Sharing is Oneness
Aline
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Posts: 126
Hi Aline~
Yes, we started a seed lending library here in Westcliffe, Colorado. http://westcliffegrows.weebly.com/
Seed libraries are beginning to pop up everywhere! We modeled our library after the Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library in Richmond California: http://www.richmondgrows.org/
Tons of tutorials and free downloads on their site. They did an awesome job.
Two of the people who started our library (husband and wife team) ALSO went to "Seed School" which is taught by Bill McDorman founder of Seeds Trust (www.seedstrust.com) and now the Executive Direct of Native/Seed Search: http://www.nativeseeds.org/
I highly recommend attending/participating in Seed School if you are interested in starting a seed lending library. Saving seeds is an incredibly rewarding and sustainable (and ANCIENT!) practice, yet as Aline mentioned, there are some things we need to learn and know about before we can be successful seed savers. Think cross-pollination and losing the integrity of the species who are hoping to save, accidentally reducing the genetic diversity of a species by not growing out enough of a particular plant, etc.
A few of the reasons we began our seed lending library are:
-growing seed that is adapted to your own bio-region is one of the most successful ways to grow. For instance, I live at 8300 feet. By growing calendula seed that was 'born' and adapted here at my elevation lends to a more healthy and strong plant than if I were to grow a plant out that is from Florida. The seed, we could say, already has it in its genetic make-up to know how to adapt and thrive to conditions here at 8300 feet. High and dry. Whereas seed in Florida knows hot and moist.
-seed saving and seed swapping is nourishing for the soul.
-seed saving/seed libraries will help ensure a sustainable food supply in your community. The world runs out of food, but you won't!
-seed saving/libraries: rest assured it won't be GMO/GE weird-ness if you and your community are saving the seed, right?
-once you get the hang of it, you will actually have a hand in ensuring genetic diversity continues and prospers. This is a HUGE deal right now with our food supply.
For more reasons why check out a blog post I wrote last year: http://www.spirithorseherbals.com/_wp/?p=545
The success of our seed lending library was because 2 people wouldn't let go of a dream. Passion fueled their efforts. Sound familiar? ;-) They then rallied the troops (including me) who faithfully met every week until our seed library was established in our public library. Please know, we are a very small town of 600 people (3000 county wide) and if we can do it, YOU can do it!
xo
Kristie
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Posts: 118
Thanks, Kristie, for your generous contribution to this thread!
The day before you wrote this, we received the January 2012 Acres, USA, with its focus on SEEDS! Your Westcliffe Seed Lending Library gets a mention in Bill McDorman & Stephen Thomas' article, "Sowing Revolution, Seed Libraries offer hope for freedom of food". This kind of national attention is just what the fledgling movement needs!
I also am reading the story of the Seed Savers Exchange in the book Gathering, Memoir of a Seed Saver, by Diane Ott Whealy. There is a quote in it from Pat Roy Mooney which you'll like:
"Community seed banks, farmer-curators, and gardener-curators are going to be what keeps the world alive and keeps the seeds free for all of us to use."
My new friend from the seed swap, Betsy, went to Seed School this year, and is now working with me to learn seed cleaning and sorting, and testing for germination. These are the skills needed to make the most of any seed collection. Thanks to her interest, I am enjoying teaching what I have learned to love about seeds!
Aline
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Do you know of a seed swap in your area? Thinking of starting one? We are pleased to have what must surely be one of the first and best swaps right here in Lane Co., Oregon!
The 12th ANNUAL: FOOD NOT LAWNS SEED SWAP
Build community by sharing surplus harvest bounty with your friends and neighbors at this annual event. Bring your seeds, plants, canned goods, brews, tinctures, food, instruments, friends, or just yourself!
The Institute of Contemporary Ethnobotany and the Seed Ambassadors Project present:
The 12th ANNUAL: FOOD NOT LAWNS SEED SWAP
Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011
1:00 – 3:00 pm
FREE
The Community Room at the East Blair Housing Coop,
940 W. 4th st. Eugene, OR.
(Btwn. Adams & Jackson also accessable from W. 4th alley)
http://plants-people.blogspot.com/2011/11/12th-annual-food-not-lawns-seed-swap.html
In Plants We Trust
http://www.poppyswap.com/shop/greenjourneyseeds