When asked why she felt seed saving is important to local food security, Ferber related that “because we import most of our food, our province is vulnerable, so the more we can grow ourselves, the more food self-sufficient and secure we will be”. She explained that “because of our unique challenges, such as acidic soils, and a short growing season, seeds from away are often not as successful. Seeds that have been naturalized in the local climate perform best.”
One of the main motivations for including seed saving in the publication was to preserve this traditional skill. Ferber described how “it wasn't that long ago that every family had a kitchen garden and that saving one's own seed, or buying and bartering for seed from local farmers, was commonplace”. She added that “seed knowledge is still current here - there are still many farmers and older folks who retain this knowledge and who are willing to share and pass on this skill”.
By: Su Morin, Seeds of Diversity Canada – Atlantic Region
Father Browne (a supporter of the garden) showing two community garden children how to save seeds for next year.
Credit - Brother Jim McSheffrey Community Garden in St. John's
