RCSSN - The Seed Circle Project

Introducing our Seed Circle Project – A living Seed Bank of locally adapted seeds.

We are seeking expressions of interest from any local gardeners in the Albany area who would like to take part. You do not have to have seed saving experience as you can learn from other members as you start with the basics and progress to growing some of the trickier plants/seeds. 

 

What is it? The Seed Circle Project is a group of local gardeners who opt to grow locally adapted seeds suited to our southern coast. Support and guidance will be offered by the current Rainbow Coast Seed Savers’ Network.

How does it work? Each member selects a crop variety they would like to grow. They then commit to sowing, tending, harvesting, cleaning, drying and storing the seeds. At regular meetings members share the seeds and information they have on the varieties they have grown. At this stage we are anticipating a bi-monthly get together of members.

What are the benefits? Using this approach, we spread the risk of losing valuable seeds, we leverage our abilities through each members efforts. Members get to focus on one or two varieties and not become overwhelmed by the experience of growing and saving multiple seed varieties. We reduce the chances of cross-pollination of varieties and make saving seeds much more manageable for backyard gardeners. Over the course of several years we build a reliable supply of seeds and increase the varieties available to members, we ensure the survival of our own locally adapted varieties and can focus on better quality seeds and produce. Gaining valuable information and local knowledge are one of the major spin-offs of meeting in groups such as this.

If the Seed Circle has twelve members and each person chooses a variety, after one year, the Seed Circles’ seed bank will contain seeds from 12 varieties. The following year, each person chooses another variety and now there are 24 varieties. And so it goes…

What do I need to become a member? Enthusiasm is a great start. If you are happy to commit to the full cycle of selecting, sowing, growing and harvesting the seeds to share then you are someone we would like to meet! Having a safe, reliable bit of dirt of your own to grow your seeds in is helpful, but not completely necessary - as long as you have access to a garden or space to nurture the plants where they can complete their full growing cycle. There is no membership fee.

Do I need seeds? No. The Rainbow Coast Seed Savers’ Network already has locally adapted seeds to contribute and members are welcome to share their own seeds. Due to the nature of the project we are using open-pollinated/heirloom/traditional/non-hybrid seeds.

Interested in taking part? If you are genuinely keen to either become a member or to find out more about the project please use one of the following contact methods below to express your interest. Over the next few weeks we will be getting the word out to other keen gardeners/seed savers. In due course we will be in touch to invite you to the first meeting of the Seed Circle Project!

The best option for getting information is to comment below and we will follow up from there. Otherwise you can go to our Facebook page and comment under the post that relates to this blog post.