Harvesting Seeds and So Much More

Seed are life.

Yet many seeds and plants that have populated the planet for eons are at risk of disappearing because they don’t fit the corporate farming model. It is estimated that 75% of plant diversity has been lost over the last century. That’s where Seed Savers Exchange comes in.

Diane Ott Whealy and I in her magical heirloom garden. Photo credit Molly Moe

Seed Savers Exchange

First- I want to give a shout out to the Seed Savers Exchange for their recent Summer Conference at Heritage Farm. I’m still buzzing with all the new information I brought home. I had to share some of what I learned with you all!

They’ve built a vibrant community of dedicated volunteers and staff, all starting with co-founders Diane Ott Whealy and Kent Whealy in 1975. I was lucky enough to meander through Diane’s gardens with her at the beginning of the weekend.

Today, the 890-acre Heritage Farm in Decorah, Iowa grows over 20,000 plant species and has 13,000 members. Meeting some of these wonderful members and staff at their annual conference has increased both my understanding of seed saving and my excitement for it.  I mean with an onsite Seed Swap with people from all over- how could I not get more excited!?!

Plus, plant people are the best people!

If you garden, you’ve likely already benefited from the work of Seed Savers Exchange staff, volunteers and members. There are treasure troves of information on their site and at the store- visit online or in person, often!

Heirloom vs Hybrid Seeds

Patience with Nature

Checking out trial garden seed crops. Photo credit Molly Moe

One thing to keep in mind when starting to save seeds is the at we’re really just helping nature along. Waiting long enough for Mother Nature to do her work is a big part of the initial learning curve. …Both waiting for the seed to be ripe enough on the plant and waiting long enough for the seed to be dry enough to put into storage!

In general, plants will tell you when their seeds are ready. They give you signs, like color changes or simply starting to fall off the plant.

Not all seeds are as showy with their seed ripeness, which brings me to Heritage Farm Field crew Leader, Rochelle’s advice, “spend a little time learning about the plant you are saving seeds from. Each crop has some specific information on how to work with it- but don’t be afraid to mess up. There are so many easy plants to start with.”

Riding back from the orchard with Rochelle

Wise words from a wise woman (who also really likes driving the farm)!

 Should we save our Own
or Buy from Seed Savers Exchange?

BOTH!

Yes, we can all save the Easy To Save Seeds at home. There are many beautiful books on seed saving, and I’ve got an article on the easiest to save for home gardeners.

Happy Seed Saver, Jim- Ready to Help!

Seed Savers Exchange also has a great person-to-person way to keep these home saved seed lines open. They call it “The Exchange” and it is a community of gardeners and seed stewards, sharing and swapping unique varieties you might not find anywhere else. The Yearbook is the printed edition of the Exchange, the gardener-to-gardener seed swap. Printed annually since 1975, the Yearbook is an unrivaled source of unique seeds, grown by home gardeners across the world. The SSE houses around 20,000 varieties at their headquarters.

Participants in the Exchange have saved thousands of rare heirlooms from extinction by connecting with new seed stewards to carry on seed saving traditions to the next generation. Many of the heirlooms that have entered the marketplace in recent years were shared here first, and many more heirlooms are still only found in the gardens of this community.

Legends from Southern Exposure Seeds! Photo credit Molly Moe

The Exchange works to keep biodiversity strong and garden traditions thriving. To give you an idea, they have over 8,400 listing for tomatoes. So this is a true non-profit. Actually, as one of the staff said, “we’re one of the few groups who actually want to go out of business. If enough people save enough seed and replant it- we won’t need to exist.”

And that spirit runs through everything they do. They even invite other seed companies to their events, talk about true community.

If you’re looking for a more local and small-scale way to start seed swapping check out you local Seed Library!

 Seed Storage

This is one place I could get MUCH better as I am saving way more seed varieties this year. It is recommended to store seeds in a cool dark place. And usually in a glass jar or plastic bag. Air tight containers will hold seeds viable for longer, you just need to make sure they are fully dried out before sealing it to avoid growing mold instead of more food 😉

For the last decade or so, I mostly keep my home saved seeds in paper bags or paper envelopes in a cool dark area. Sometimes clear glass jars too.

Seed Saving Next Steps

Once you get the hang of it, Lee Buttala, former ED of SSE suggested, “try to grow a few plants dedicated for seeds. Many plants grow in such a way that you can’t use them for both eating and seed saving.”

I hope I’ve inspired you to start saving your own seeds!  Like most things in life getting started is the hardest part- so please ask for help! Ask me- or find another local seed saver, there is such a great community of people working to ensure diversity in seeds.

Off to collect some calendula seeds… and dig into some of the amazing food ripening in my gardens!

Dig In!
Michelle