Got Whippoorwills? Razorbacks? Red Rippers? Pencil Cob? Hickory King? Creasebacks? Turkey Craws? Want some? Come to the 3rd Annual Floyd County Seed Swap on Saturday, March 5.
The Seed Swap includes a lecture on seed saving basics from 11 a.m. to 12, followed by the seed swap from 12-2 p.m. at the Rome Floyd County Library. Participants include Berry College’s Environmental Studies Program, Action Ministries Rome, Keep Rome Floyd Beautiful, the Rome Federated Garden Clubs, Inc. and interested farmers and gardeners. The Seed Swap was started because farmers and gardeners have a legacy of heirloom seeds and plants that are in danger of being lost, and sharing of seeds and plants will encourage production of diverse varieties for posterity, food security, beauty, and sustainable landscape management.
Anyone can bring seeds or plants to swap or share. If you do not have seeds or plants, you could bring envelopes or garden implements or stories, anything to share or trade with other gardeners.
“We conserve the heritage of the Ridge and Valley province and Floyd County as we share good stories, beautify our yards, feed our friends and family, and of course, trade seeds and plants, said Berry associate professor Brian Campbell, who coordinates the swap.
Berry College’s Environmental Studies program will establish a master collection of endangered seeds and related cultural and agronomic information, and distributes such seeds at annual Seed Swaps. Berry College students and professors document the seeds, grow them out in campus gardens to distribute the next season, and catalogue them in a database of local varieties.
If you have family heirlooms that you would like to donate or have documented, or for more information, please contact Campbell, bcampbell@berry.edu or visit the ABC Project website: https://sites.berry.edu/abc/.
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Written by Public Relations
