Community Seed Exchanges Cultivate Diversity
The neighborhood just got a whole lot seedier, and that’s a good thing. It’s nearly spring, and in neighborhoods across Canada, there are seed exchanges going on. Dubbed Seedy Saturday or Seedy Sunday, these events bring together local gardeners who are the stewards of local, heritage and non-gmo seeds.
Saving seeds promotes food security
What’s beautiful about saving seeds is that given a small amount of space, anyone can do it. It’s an accessible way to get people involved in the next step of food security: grow your own, save your own. Seed exchanges have been going on for years, neighbors trading neighbors a few broad beans for some lovely snap peas. The moniker “Seedy Saturday” came into common use over 20 years ago in Vancouver, Canada. Since then, these one-day seed swapping events have become springtime community hubs.
Kalev.com has written a fantastic article about local seed exchanges and their value in climate change adaptation, promoting food biodiversity and security, as well as adding a measure of pleasure and satisfaction to your own gardening experience.
Back to April 2013 Newsletter
