Tuesday 13 March 2012

Seedy Saturdays

Seedy Saturday and Sunday events are in full swing across Canada.  These community events facilitate the sharing or swapping or purchase of open pollinated seeds. Sometimes the focus is on heritage seeds but mostly it is about getting unmodified seeds and maintaining biodiversity. The events also keep seeds in the public domain which helps avoid trade marking by large companies.
Speckled Roman Tomato  http://www.annapolisseeds.com
Exciting (to a gardener) is the fascinating variety of seeds. My imagination goes into overdrive and I see them all growing in my backyard. Scholars from around the world flock to my garden......Oops. This is why I sternly tell myself beforehand, "JUST ONE NEW PLANT" and manage to keep it to three.

By the time I leave I've visited most of the booths, listened to guest speakers and chatted with like minded people. I've gleaned valuable advice, discussed changes in the environment with the "elders" and imbibed copious amounts of tea. I depart, clutching my little brown bags of seeds, a tired, happy and contented girl.                 

The first Seedy Saturday was set up by Sharon Rempel in 1990. Read more about Sharon and her work at http://www.grassrootsolutions.com/

Here in Calgary Seedy Saturday is March 17th 10-3 at the Hillhurst-Sunnyside Community Centre    

Seeds of Diversity lists events across Canada at http:// www.seeds.ca/ev/events.php
http://www.seedsavers.net/ has a list of seed saver groups in Australia
http://www.seedsavers.org is an online resource in the U.S.                           
http://www.seedysunday.org/ in the U.K. They have a nice “how to start your own event” section



8 comments:

  1. And now I've found you!! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving such sweet words. I truly appreciate them and appreciate you recommending my book Roots Shoots Buckets & Boots. That was a back-breaking labor of love for me, but it has repaid me with friendships with gardeners all over the world.

    Let's keep in touch. I am a bit behind on visiting blogs or posting because of new additions to art work due for my children's bird book.

    All simple pleasures to you,

    Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island

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    1. Thanks Sharon. I will definitely keep in touch. I can understand the pressures on you to a certain extent as I freelance write for magazines. Looming deadlines have me moaning quietly to myself like some ancient ghost in a remote Sottish castle. I know I could never tackle writing a book, that is admirable indeed.

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  2. What a wonderful event! Until I started gardening, I thought of plants as just plants. Now I know they were once a seed - and how precious that little kernel of life is to all of us in the world. I think it's so exciting that people are introducing older seeds back into the trade, and hope we always have unmodified and varied seeds to share!

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    1. You are so right. I didn't pay much attention to this subject until I saw the documentary Food Inc. Now I'm much more aware and actively support growers who are preserving our seed heritage.

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  3. Susan - what a great post! We need to look after our plant heritage and what's better than growing fruit and veg that our great grandparents grew... then passing on the seed to the next generation. Your comment about "just one new plant" made me smile :-)

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    1. Hi PJ, I haven't got into saving my own seeds so I'm a bit of a mooch. Fortunately, most gardeners are generous souls.

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  4. I went to the event on Saturday. It was really crowded, and I forgot to take my extra seeds, but I got some wonderful garden stakes, seeds and a pepper plant. I recommend Seedy Saturday to everybody for next year. Thanks Susan for reminding me to go with this post!

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    1. Mary, I am impressed! I'm going to want a walk around your garden before leaving Calgary.

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