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Seedy Saturday Season Underway - Highlighting Salt Spring Island

We're well into Seedy Saturday season for the year, with ~100 events being held across the country. Each organized independently by local communities, what these events hold in common is that they bring together gardeners, farmers, seed companies, nurseries, gardening organizations, and community groups to learn from one another, exchange ideas, and purchase or swap seeds and plants. Every event hosts a Community Seed Exchange where participants can share seeds saved from their own gardens.

To organize your own Seedy Saturday, contact mail@seeds.ca for our helpful booklet, logistical support, and free promotion on our website. Visit our events listing to find a Seedy Saturday near you!

Here's a report from Salt Spring Island, who held their annual Seedy Saturday this month:

On Feb 8th Salt Spring Island's local chapter of Canadian Organic Growers (Island Natural Growers) held their 19th annual Seedy Saturday at the Farmers Institute. This is our main fundraiser and a popular event drawing around 500 people mostly from the island. We suggest a donation of $5 at the door with tickets given for door prizes. This year we had 40 vendors and exhibitors of which 27 were local, including seed vendors, live plant vendors, food vendors, garden clubs and other farm and conservation organisations. We had 30 volunteers including the coordinator.

Seed Exchange

Our seed exchange happens simply with a few dedicated volunteers collecting seeds brought usually in need of packaging. We lay the seeds out on tables generally organised in categories and request a $0.50 donation per packet from those without seeds to offer. This year we had hoped to engage people at the table by facilitating the exchange of personal stories about the seed varieties to be shared. However, our high hopes fell short, with vendors, workshop planning, and publicity demanding so much attention. We would love to learn some ways this is highlighted in other communities.

Workshops & Activities

We hold workshops in a separate room upstairs about every hour. Topics range from soil ecosystems, composting, seed saving, tree pruning (outside in the orchard), projects in Kenya and India, local farmland activities, and pest management. This year we were excited to introduce our new Seed Library which is open at our public library every Friday from 12-2 in the spring. We also host a Friday Film night and a Sunday farmer workshop the same weekend. Daniel Brisebois and Linda Gilkeson were wonderful presenters on the Sunday.

This year we had a Kids Treasure hunt which had the kids going to specific vendors who agreed to participate. The kids were given instructions and a half egg carton with soil (their mini earth lab). The hunt linked the cycle of life of a seed and what it needs to grow. Vendors gave seeds to plant or answers and hints to the next step.

~Erin Harper

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