Why Buy Locally Grown Seeds?

By Joy Story

The main reason to attend Seedy Saturdays over the next two months and buy locally grown seeds is to support those farmers who make the effort to grow them.

If farmers failed to produce seed for us gardeners, we would never have the varieties and diversity of foods that we now enjoy.  Have you ever tried to save squash seeds only to discover the following season you are growing ‘Mystery’ Squash that tastes bland and rots in storage?

Maintaining true seed is no small feat.  Some crops need miles separation or cross pollination is probable.  Other crops need over 200 plants to maintain purity.  That is not easy for a gardener.

When we support local seed growers, the seed we plant is adapted to this region for climate, disease, pest resistance and changing environmental conditions.

When we support local seed growers, we keep seeds available in our communities and not only when the seed racks appear in the grocery stores or nurseries.

Most seeds do not store for long.  It is essential that we plant out our seeds, grow them on and then save those seeds to keep their vitality.  Only then will we be contributing to true “food security.”  Keeping seeds in a box will not save us.  It’s our local seed growers who do this for us.

When we support local seed growers, we are putting our money into local hands and not large corporations who are doing more damage to our seed stocks, our environment and the farmers around the world.

Support what you believe in with your hard earned dollars.  If you love it, support it!