Organic seed seller Petra Page-Mann chats with Greg about bio-regional adaptations in seeds, genetic purity in seeds, a special heatless habanero, and her seed company which is focused on organic seeds with genetic purity and transparency.
Greg chats with an organic seed farmer and educator Don Tipping who shares his story about how he started growing seeds. Don also explains how and why a couple cooperatives got started including the Open Source Seed Initiative. He has been able to open his farm to host intensive seed academy classes and he guides Greg through the topics that are covered.
We hear an enthusiastic and fun guest as Penn chats with Greg about her passion for growing and saving seeds. Penn tells how she got started in the seed business and why she enjoys her job so much. Besides making the act of saving seeds sound really fun, she also explains why it is so important.
At one time, seed saving was a necessity. Gardeners and farmers carefully selected and stored the best seeds from their harvests, ensuring they had seed for planting in subsequent years. The knowledge of pollination, purity, harvesting and storage of seeds was all part of survival and learned within the family and community.
Greg is enthralled by the story telling of Forest who brings us along on the adventures of a seedman. Forest felt the pull of his calling in the late 1960’s and has been actively gardening and harvesting seeds ever since. Moving through a few seed company projects over the years, he has also harvested skills, friends, experiences, and an appreciation for the importance of native seeds.
Greg takes the time to get to know Lyn and is moved by his persistence and dedication to making a difference in his community. Lyn tells how he has always been doing something with food, and how he has worked with some well-known chefs on his way to opening up his own very special restaurant.
Catherine shares with Greg some of her tricks that she has figured out for growing herbs in her garden in Phoenix. She explains how she learned about new herbs by asking her farmers market customers about their heritage, and how she experimented to expand her knowledge and skills.
Today on The Urban Farm Podcast we have Bill to talk about seeds and playful plant breeding!
Our Elemental Connection to Seeds By Carla Woody Twenty years ago I was first introduced to indigenous traditions through the Native teachings of Peru, and then over the years to…
Seeds and Soak in Idaho By Belle Starr It is astounding to think that at the turn of the last century everyone saved their own seeds. Seed saving was part…
