upcoming AR seed swaps

[johno]

Hello fellow Arkies! The following is a CAAH! (Conserving Arkansas' Agricultural Heritage) press release for it's upcoming seed swaps around the state. This year they are in several locations, and they start soon!


Press Release CAAH! Seed Swaps Spring 2010

CONWAY -- Spring is just around the corner and so are the annual seed
swaps!

In addition to the third annual Ozark Seed Swap at the Ozark Folk
Center State Park and the second annual Faulkner County Seed Swap at the
Faulkner County Library, Conserving Arkansas’s Agricultural Heritage
(CAAH!) has teamed up with Master Gardeners, Americorps volunteers, and
several Arkansas farmers and organic gardening groups to host Seed Swaps
in five new communities. This year, Seed Swaps will also be held in El
Dorado, Fayetteville, Jasper, Russellville, and Searcy.

Last year’s swaps were a huge success with hundreds of gardeners in
attendance and a remarkable number of heirloom varieties exchanging
hands.

“Based on the interest in the previous Seed Swaps, we hope to
establish self-sustaining swaps in each of these communities,” said
Brian C. Campbell, assistant professor of anthropology, in the
Department of Sociology at the University of Central Arkansas. “The
objective is to re-orient the public to the sustainable practice of
growing local food to supplement one's income and to connect the younger
generation interested in sustainability with the older wiser generation
with experience growing their own food.”

Arkansas farmers and gardeners have a legacy of heirloom seeds that are
in danger of being lost, and the sharing of these heirloom seeds will
encourage their production for posterity, Campbell said.

“Trading open-pollinated seeds conserves important genetics that may
otherwise be lost, in addition to the invaluable stories of Arkansas's
agricultural history,” he said.

Part of Campbell’s research is an applied project to document,
conserve, and distribute heirloom or open-pollinated seeds of Arkansas.
There is a seed bank on the UCA campus. Seeds are grown on campus and in
community gardens.

Campbell’s research team provides seeds and logistical help at each
of the swaps.

“Saving seed allows the plants to adapt to local conditions and
produce well without the need for expensive, harmful chemicals, and
saves the grower money because there is no need to purchase seed each
year,” Campbell said.

Residents are encouraged to bring seeds and stories to swap with other
Ozark seed savers. If you do not have any seeds to swap but want to get
started, attend a swap or two and mingle with gardeners and farmers who
can help. Gardeners and farmers can also bring envelopes, plant
cuttings or garden implements to share.

“We can conserve the heritage of Arkansas while we share good
stories, beautify our yards, and of course, get free seeds,” Campbell
said.

There is no charge for admission.

Seed Swaps will be held at the following locations and times:

Mountain View

Feb. 13, noon-3 p.m.
Ozark Folk Center, Administration Building
1032 Park Ave Mountain View, AR 72560
Contact: Tina Marie Wilcox [e-mail] 870-269-3851

Fayetteville
Feb. 14, 1:30-4:45 p.m.
Fayetteville Public Library 401 W. Mountain St., Fayetteville
AR 72701
Contact: Katy Deaton [e-mail]
El Dorado
Feb. 20, 1-4 p.m.
Barton (El Dorado) Public Library 200 East 5th St., El Dorado
AR
Contact: Nancy Arn 870-863-5447
Searcy
Feb. 27, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
ASU- Beebe, Farms Classrooms 1000 West Iowa St., Beebe AR
Contact: Sherri Sanders 501-268-5394 [e-mail]
Jasper
March 6, 10 a.m. -5 p.m.
Newton County Library, Community Room Jasper, AR 72641
Contact: D’Coda [e-mail] Jennifer 870-446-2983

Conway
March 13, 1-4 p.m.
Faulkner County Library 1900 Tyler St., Conway AR 72032
Contact: Amy Campbell 706-248-2597 [e-mail]
Russellville
March 27, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Pope County Fair Grounds, Old Entertainment Building
1602 SR 124 Russellville AR 72802
Contact: Crystal Bowne 479-567-5707 [e-mail]

The Seed Swaps are sponsored by the University of Central Arkansas
Department of Sociology’s CAAH! project, the Ozark Folk Center State
Park and a range of local gardening groups and public libraries. The
seed swaps would not be possible without the donation of facilities in
each city and the hard work of UCA students, AmeriCorps volunteers and
many hard-working, generous farmers and gardeners across Arkansas.

CAAH! is a project dedicated to preserving agricultural folkways.
Through this project agricultural tradition is spread by saving seeds in
a central seed bank and giving them to gardeners throughout Arkansas
along with the stories and meaning that have become a part of their
essence.

The results of the project are the collection of information on
endangered seeds, promotion of a seed sharing resource, and the
rejuvenation of traditional Ozark seed swaps and passing on of seeds (as
is being encouraged by the University of Georgia's Southern Seed
Legacy). For more information on the CAAH! project, visit CAAH! website
at: www.arkansasagro.wordpress.com

[pugs]

johno,

We expect reports from all of them, since you'll be at each and every one of them.

This sounds great. I wish I could go just to experience it all.

Pugs

[ozarklady]

Okay, I know seed swap means trading seeds.
But what do you do at a "seed swap"? I mean... is it just a bunch of folks carrying around seeds... with posters or what? Is it like 4h exhibits at the fair? Please elaborate a bit...
Do you buy seeds if you don't have any to swap? I see Fayetteville coming up in 4 days...

[flowerpower]

John, are you going to be able to attend one of these swaps? Sounds like alot of fun.

[johno]

I went to the Mountain View swap today, along with Greenzone and his better half. We had fun, but attendance was at best 1/3 of last year's. I only brought three things in bulk, to overcompensate for bringing practically my entire collection last year. It worked out fine. I wish it had been busy like last year, at least for GZ's sake - they drove a LONG way. I think they gave away a LOT more than they received. But that's a good thing in the grand scheme.

I enjoyed talking to Dr. Campbell again. And I talked to the film maker, Zach, about why the movie isn't available yet. I'm satisfied with the explanation - it turned out to be such a story and there was so much good footage that they are still making it. Should be done in a couple months... and it should be worth the wait.

Also got to visit with my favorite long lost cousin, Mr. Bonner, whom I met at last year's seed swap. Our clans go back at least 500 years in Scotland.

I'm considering going to another swap in Jasper on the 6th of March. We'll see as the time draws near.

[johno]

Ozarklady - sorry I missed your post until just now! It's very informal. Bring seeds if you have extra to spare, don't if you haven't. There may be some displays, or not. It is entirely up to the individuals attending. Last year I saw people trying to buy seeds, but their money was no good (meaning they got them for the asking). Just go and have fun! My experience in Mountain View was based largely on the people there, Fayetteville might be a little different.

[Alan]

Glad to see so many seed swaps going on! That's awesome!