January 2015
Happy New Year!
It's a new year and a whole new gardening season - time to explore the possibilities for your summertime flowers and vegetables!
It's also the beginning of our membership season, and we hope that you'll take a moment to join or renew your membership if you haven't already done so. (See the box to the right for your details).
What's in a membership? Members receive our annual Member Seed Directory fully loaded with seeds for 2015 (there are 3059 varieties offered this year!), and of course, four issues of Seeds of Diversity magazine.
But more than that, Seeds of Diversity's members keep seed saving alive in Canada. They're behind Seedy Saturdays and Seedy Sundays, they rescue thousands of precious, rare seed varieties, and they inspire gardeners all across Canada to protect our food diversity and heritage. Your $25 membership doesn't cost much, but it makes a big difference because it supports all the great work that we do together.
Join or renew today! Visit seeds.ca/member.
Your New Member Seed Directory
Have you ever heard of Litchi Tomato, Wonderberry, or Ground Cherries (hint: they're species not varieties!)? Have you grown a purple potato or a Jerusalem artichoke?
This is the place to find the most interesting assortment of garden seeds: Seeds of Diversity's Member Seed Directory, now available for 2015.
Every year our members save thousands of varieties of rare and unusual seeds, and offer them to other members, usually in exchange for stamps or Canadian Tire money. Fruits, vegetables, flowers, herbs, grains and even some trees and shrubs are listed.
The Gila Monsters of Skye Glen
Angie Koch, the Seeds of Diversity’s Seed Library Co-ordinator, was not optimistic about the C. mixta squash seeds she was giving me. Our group of Cape Breton farmers had volunteered to help with renewing the Seed Library's collection of cucurbits, and I wasn't too optimistic about these particular seeds either.
Call for Biennial Growers
Do you have experience saving seed from biennial vegetables? Are you interested in helping Seeds of Diversity renew and expand our Seed Library? We’re looking for reliable growers to grow out biennial vegetable varieties this season and in future years.
Pollinator Patch: Ontario’s Pollinator Health Proposal
Last year, in November, the Ontario government released its new proposal to protect pollinator health. The government is now calling for feedback on its proposal, which is outlined in a discussion paper called, “A Proposal for Enhancing Pollinator Health and Reducing the Use of Neonicotinoid Pesticides in Ontario”.
In this issue
Your New Member Seed Directory
The Gila Monsters of Skye Glen
Pollinator Patch: Ontario’s Pollinator Health Proposal
Not yet a member?
An annual membership to Seeds of Diversity gives you access to our seed exchange, seed grow-out programs, and our online news.
Have you renewed your membership for 2015?
Check the box on the top of this sidebar to confirm when your membership expires. Renew today to make sure you don't miss the next issue of Seeds of Diversity magazine, or the annual member seed directory. Thank you!
Volunteer at Seedy Saturdays!
Would you like to volunteer to staff a Seeds of Diversity table at your local Seedy Saturday or Sunday event? If so, contact mail@seeds. ca. Thank you!
UPCOMING SEEDY EVENTS
Quality assurance in ecological seed production
Webinar. Wednesday January 28.
4.00 - 5.30 pm EST.
Collaborative Seed Production workshop
with Bob Wildfong and Kim Delaney
February 1, 1.30-3.00 pm
Guelph Organic Conference
We depend on donations to do our work.
Thank you for your support!
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