Last week I gathered up all the seed that had been arriving from fellow Seed Saver members and started to prepare it for planting.
Seed Savers was started in 1975 by Diane and Kent Whealy. It a is an organization devoted to saving the genetic diversity of plants. One of the simplest and, to my mind, most spectacular ways it does this is with the yearbook. Each fall member can send in a list of the seeds that they have to offer. These are compiled into a book which looks like and reads like a phone book. The best phone book I have ever read. Members look through the book and decide what seeds they would like samples of. The person offering has a code which you look up and fill out a form to send to them directly along with a small amount of money to cover postage etc. In a matter of days or a few weeks the packets of seed return. It is quite an amazing resource.
Each year I save all of my heirloom tomato seed. I am selecting plants of each variety to acclimatize them to our own 'Terroir' at Eatwell Farm.
I have been a member of Seed Savers for many years now and I firmly believe that it is a National Treasure.
www.seedsavers.org