Local Seeds`

Keeping Seeds in the Hands of the People

An Update from the Local Seeds Coalition

What do Seed Libraries say they need most?
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been part of a team listening to seed librarians, farmers, community organizers and anyone else who’s raising their hand to volunteer in a seed-based coalition project.

From tiny seed libraries in rural towns to big-city systems with staff and community partners, one message keeps coming through: “We need better ways to reach our community.”

The Seed Library Network has long been gathering and sharing educational and outreach tools. The Local Seed Coalition builds on that work by connecting an even broader group: from tiny community projects to regional seed companies, educators, farmers, and more. Building a local seed movement will take all of us.

This July and August, our team of volunteer interviewers (including 3 seed librarians!) will be conducting over a hundred in-depth conversations to learn what’s working, what’s missing, and what could help all of us better serve our communities.

We’d love to hear about your challenges with collecting and distributing local seeds (via an interview or form). Sign up here to get more involved in other ways.

Julia Dakin

Getting the Most Seed Diversity to the Most People

Here is a conversation with Julia Dakin (Going to Seed & Local Seeds), Bevin Cohen (Small House Farm & Michigan Seed Library Network), and Rebecca Newburn (Seed Library Network & Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library) hosted by Greg Peterson and Bill McDorman of the Urban Farm Podcast and The Great American Seed Up.

Seed Saving Class Online

Seed Saving in Community - July 29th

Register, sliding scale $10-20

Learn how to save common vegetable varieties as well as steps community members can do to start adapting their seed for a rapidly changing climate. This class is for home gardeners, seed librarians, and Master Gardeners. Participants will get the recording of the presentation, the slide deck, and a resource guide. This presentation is free to use in your community to teach seed saving classes and includes speaker’s notes. All images are license free. These slides will also be available in French and Spanish.

🎥This class will be recorded if you are unable to attend live.

🥬 Instructor: Rebecca Newburn, Co-Founder of Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library and Founder of the Seed Library Network.

Bill McDorman

Register, $29
Self-paced

Bill McDorman is a master seedsman having run a small, high altitude seed company for years before moving on to be the Director of Native Seed/SEARCH and then co-founding the Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance. He and his wife Belle Starr created Seed School and travelled around the United States educating thousands of people about how to save seeds. Now you can learn that information in a 7-week , self-paced online seed school for $29.