January 2016
Happy New Year!
The 2016 gardening season starts now, unless you're the kind of gardener who starts planning for the next year on the day they put their garden to bed in the fall. Isn't that the best way to do it?
Have you renewed your membership for 2016?
Check the box on the right 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 members!
Volunteer at Seedy Saturdays!
There were over 130 Seedy Saturdays and Seedy Sundays in communities across Canada last year. This year, we expect there will be even more! We always like to hear from volunteers who would like to staff a Seeds of Diversity table at a local Seedy Saturday or Sunday event. Can you help? Contact us at mail@seeds.ca
And if you're organizing an event in your community, contact us at mail@seeds.ca for friendly help with promotion, contacts with vendors and volunteers, and connecting with other organizers.
Sourcing Canadian Seeds
It’s the time of year to cozy up with seed catalogues! While many of you may prefer to leaf through paper copies of catalogues from your favourite companies, some of you may be interested in finding new sources or researching sources for Canadian seed online. Check out these online services to identify sources of Canadian, heritage, organic, regionally adapted or other hard-to-find seed and enjoy a beautiful, diverse garden this summer.
VSPN: Moving Forward in 2016
The new year at Seeds of Diversity means it’s time to gear up for another season of skill development, network expansion and seed production for the Vegetable Seed Producers Network (VSPN). We’re responding to the valuable feedback we have received from existing members over the last year and during a meeting we held with VSPN growers at the Ecological Farmers of Ontario Association (EFAO) conference in December. Now one year old, the VSPN has learned to walk, and is getting ready to run ahead in 2016.
Seed Bombs for Pollinators
Last week I received an inquiry from someone wondering which pollinator plants are ideal for seed bombs. Goodness, you may be thinking, world events being what they are, do we really need to add more destruction to our planet with seed bombs? For those who are unfamiliar with the concept, these are bombs that Mother Earth embraces, for they spread more of her around, feeding creatures and brightening concrete jungles. They are essentially small balls of seeds, along with carriers like clay and compost to hold them together. They can be launched into spots that are otherwise hard to reach or plant.
In this issue
Not yet a member?
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UPCOMING SEED WORKSHOPS
Essentials of Seed Growing on Market Gardens: Crop Planning and On-Farm Selection
Thursday January 28, 2016
1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
OMAFRA, 1 Stone Road, Guelph ON
8th Organic Seed Growers Conference
February 3-6, 2016
Corvallis, Oregon
Check the conference web site for amazing Canadian content!
Ecological Seed Production Intensives
London: February 17, 2016
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Location TBD
La série Sauvegarder nos semences
Saturday January 30, 2016, 13h à 16h
Dépôt Alimentaire du NDG 2146 Marlowe Ave
Montréal, QC
SEEDY SATURDAYS AND SEEDY SUNDAYS
Saturday January 30, 2016
Denman Island, BC
Bowen Island, BC
Cambridge, ON
Saturday February 6, 2016
Qualicum Beach, BC
Cache Creek, BC
Hamilton, ON
Brantford, ON
Naramata, BC
Cook's Creek, MB
Sunday February 7, 2016
Creston, BC
Saturday February 13, 2016
Niagara South, ON
Salt Spring Island, BC
Winnipeg, MB
Similkameen, BC
Wednesday February 17, 2016
Montréal, Villeray, QC
Saturday February 20, 2016
Ladner, BC
Penticton, BC
Mississauga, ON
Victoria, BC
Wingham, ON
Kitchener, ON
Bridgewater, NS
Almonte, ON
Sawyerville, QC
Durham, NS
Deep River, ON
Churchbridge, SK
Charlottetown, PE
Rossland, BC
Sunday February 21, 2016
Musquodoboit Harbour, NS
St-Apollinaire, QC
Hazelton, BC
St Andrews, NB
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