by Angie Lavezzo, CFSA Communications Coordinator | Friday, Sept. 10, 2021 –
The art and practice of seed saving has seen an encouraging resurgence over the last decade. There’s been an uptick in seed swaps, the explosive growth of seed libraries, and the continued endurance of organizations like Seed Savers Exchange that facilitate the distribution of rare seeds.
Seed saving is an incredibly satisfying and valuable skill that can be easily incorporated into our seasonal growing plans.
Lee Barnes, who runs the Southeast Seed and Plant Exchange (SSPE), has been a longtime supporter of CFSA and a fixture at our annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference. The SSPE is a donation-based organization that provides seeds and plants to anyone who needs them, free of charge. You’ll often find Lee and his vast assortment of seeds set up at conferences and seed swaps all over the Southeast.
Lee is organizing seeds that he’s saved. Taking good historical notes is important.
Lee is a long-time seed saver and a champion for encouraging others to start saving themselves. He grew up working at his family’s business, a local feed and seed store. He oversaw weighing out and packaging up seeds when folks needed to buy something.
One of the tomatoes they carried was German Johnson, now a well-known and beloved heirloom. At that time, German Johnson wasn’t commercially available, and Lee started thinking about what would happen if the aging farmer that provided the seeds to his family’s shop could no longer do so. Lee began to save seeds of the tomato and sent a supply to Seed Savers Exchange and Southern Exposure Seed Exchange.
Both companies helped bring the tomato into the limelight.
Lee sharing stories and seeds at the seed exchange table.
Lee started SSPE with a deep passion for educating people on how to save their seeds. Getting seeds and their stories into the hands of growers impresses the weight of the plant/grow/save project on them. “Seed companies are generous with their donations to the exchange, but seeing a seed come back to me after having been grown out and saved after years makes my heart sing,” Lee says. “Seed saving is passion, education, knowledge sharing, and empowering. These skills translate into real, local action to help change our communities for the better.”
“Seed companies are generous with their donations to the exchange, but seeing a seed come back to me after having been grown out and saved after years makes my heart sing.”
As a longtime seed saver myself, I’m often struck by the loyal and caring community that seems to flourish in seed-saving groups. I have met more dear and longtime friends by trading seeds and sharing their accompanying stories than in any other area of my life. The pandemic has put a pause on in-person seed swaps, but we’re still finding ways to trade. Lee and I have both seen an uptick in virtual seed saving groups and good old-fashioned letter writing.
Lee and I will facilitate the virtual seed swap during this year’s Sustainable Agriculture Conference, Nov. 5-15, and are very excited to connect with old and new friends to exchange seeds and stories.
We may not be together in person, but we’ll have a “room” where we can talk about seed saving tips, ask questions, and talk about exciting varieties. So if you’re a seasoned saver, or just have a smidge of new curiosity, come listen in and chat with us! Bring your tall tales, short tales, lists of what you’re looking for, and what you’ve got to trade and meet us at the 2021 conference!
Since 1986, CFSA’s annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference has drawn farmers, foodies, researchers, educators, and activists for a celebration of innovation in local sustainable agriculture.
In 2021, the ten-day conference will be in two formats: virtual and on-farm intensives. All virtual workshops will be a blend of formal presentations, panels, discussions, and Q&As with speakers from the Carolinas and beyond.
Whether it’s curiosity over how to join Angie and Lee at the virtual seed swap, what exciting workshops you can count on watching, or how to register today, learn more over on our conference website!