SEED SAVING, A GROWING MOVEMENT con't
Early humans selected the best wild plants to feed themselves, and passed those varieties along to others by saving and sharing seeds.
Four of the most important reasons to save seeds are:
1. Seed Security: By saving your seeds, you control your seed and therefore your food supply—you aren’t depending on seed stores or catalogs for difficult to find seed. Hundreds of excellent plant varieties have been discontinued as big corporations have consolidated the seed industry and focused on more profitable varieties.
2. Regional Adaptation: When you save seed from your own best performing plants, on your land and in your own ecosystem, you gradually develop varieties better adapted to your own soil, climate, and growing conditions.
3. Consistent Quality: By using your own seeds or those of someone you know, you can select your own seed for uniformity and quality. You can control the gene pool for optimal germination, ripening time, flavor, storage, disease resistance and color. After a few seasons, more and more of your plants will have all of your personally selected traits.
4. Preserving Your Heritage and Biodiversity: Today multinational corporations select seed varieties according to their own financial interests; What you get is genetically modified seed sold to thousands of customers, which has likely been modified and tailored to suit a certain climate, and environmental conditions.
Seeds are the foundation of life, from fruits and vegetables to grain and livestock feed—without them, we have no food. The health of our communities and environments are supported by diverse and abundant supplies of locally grown seeds. Sharing seed saving knowledge helps to preserve and promote the use of regionally adapted crops, herbs, wildflowers, and native grass seeds. Developing and supporting community-based seed conservation ensures an abundant, uncontaminated, and diverse supply of seeds is available for our farmers as well as future generations.
Locally, the Valley Organic Growers Association (VOGA) recently held a class titled “Seed School in a Day” that was a powerful, one-day workshop aimed at shifting the seed paradigm back into the hands of our communities. Seed School in a Day offered a comprehensive overview of seed knowledge covering the history, science, business, and craft of seeds. Practical, hands-on activities were balanced with engaging lectures to provide a fun and interactive learning experience. The school was led by the Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance.
In addition, the Delta County Libraries have created a county wide “Seed Library” to facilitate the saving and exchange of regional seeds. They know that seeds contain stories, recipes, and a way of life that is passed from one gardener to the next. By offering a collection of heirloom seeds to grow, harvest, and return, they hope to inspire a community of growers who learn to save seeds for continued and future use. They encourage both children and adults to pursue the discovery of nature thru gardening and the tradition of seed saving. Their efforts inspire a sense of heritage and a community of giving among local farmers, neighborhood gardeners, and anyone interested in growing food, herbs, and flowers. Dedicated volunteers and staff continue to work hard to sort, package, and label the seeds to encourage a rewarding gardening experience for our local growers!
Early humans selected the best wild plants to feed themselves, and passed those varieties along to others by saving and sharing seeds.
Four of the most important reasons to save seeds are:
1. Seed Security: By saving your seeds, you control your seed and therefore your food supply—you aren’t depending on seed stores or catalogs for difficult to find seed. Hundreds of excellent plant varieties have been discontinued as big corporations have consolidated the seed industry and focused on more profitable varieties.
2. Regional Adaptation: When you save seed from your own best performing plants, on your land and in your own ecosystem, you gradually develop varieties better adapted to your own soil, climate, and growing conditions.
3. Consistent Quality: By using your own seeds or those of someone you know, you can select your own seed for uniformity and quality. You can control the gene pool for optimal germination, ripening time, flavor, storage, disease resistance and color. After a few seasons, more and more of your plants will have all of your personally selected traits.
4. Preserving Your Heritage and Biodiversity: Today multinational corporations select seed varieties according to their own financial interests; What you get is genetically modified seed sold to thousands of customers, which has likely been modified and tailored to suit a certain climate, and environmental conditions.
Seeds are the foundation of life, from fruits and vegetables to grain and livestock feed—without them, we have no food. The health of our communities and environments are supported by diverse and abundant supplies of locally grown seeds. Sharing seed saving knowledge helps to preserve and promote the use of regionally adapted crops, herbs, wildflowers, and native grass seeds. Developing and supporting community-based seed conservation ensures an abundant, uncontaminated, and diverse supply of seeds is available for our farmers as well as future generations.
Locally, the Valley Organic Growers Association (VOGA) recently held a class titled “Seed School in a Day” that was a powerful, one-day workshop aimed at shifting the seed paradigm back into the hands of our communities. Seed School in a Day offered a comprehensive overview of seed knowledge covering the history, science, business, and craft of seeds. Practical, hands-on activities were balanced with engaging lectures to provide a fun and interactive learning experience. The school was led by the Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance.
In addition, the Delta County Libraries have created a county wide “Seed Library” to facilitate the saving and exchange of regional seeds. They know that seeds contain stories, recipes, and a way of life that is passed from one gardener to the next. By offering a collection of heirloom seeds to grow, harvest, and return, they hope to inspire a community of growers who learn to save seeds for continued and future use. They encourage both children and adults to pursue the discovery of nature thru gardening and the tradition of seed saving. Their efforts inspire a sense of heritage and a community of giving among local farmers, neighborhood gardeners, and anyone interested in growing food, herbs, and flowers. Dedicated volunteers and staff continue to work hard to sort, package, and label the seeds to encourage a rewarding gardening experience for our local growers!