Sat 5/16 @ 10AM-2PM
Whether you’re a home gardener or you farm for a living, growing starts with seeds. And seeds have become controversial, as huge corporations have patented seeds, making them more expensive and contributing to the loss of biodiversity.
That’s where seed banks, such as the Cleveland Seed Bank, come in. They preserve native, open-pollinated, heirloom seeds and teach others to do so, and make this seed accessible to growers.
“In addition to assisting in preserving biodiversity, seed sharing and saving expands opportunities to access healthy, affordable, and culturally appropriate food,” they tell us. “Our mission is to inspire and educate our community on how to save seeds in an effort to create a sustainable, biodiverse seed supply which supports our local food system.”
The Cleveland Seed Bank has distributed more than 25,000 seed packers since it was founded seven years ago, through its seed libraries in partnership with regional library systems and through its annual seed swap events. Become a member now and they’ll send you some!
They also host their Heirloom Tomato and Pepper Plant Sale, taking place Saturday May 16 at United Methodist Church at 4200 Pearl Road, moved from the previously announced location at Coffee Coffee Coffee in Old Brooklyn. Plants come in 3.5” pots for $3.50 and $1 from each goes to the Cleveland Seed Bank. They offer more than 50 varieties but if you want to be assured of getting your favorites you might want to go to their website and pre-order.
They’ve also instituted some safety measures in light of the expected crowd. Read about those here.
In addition, they’ll have milkweed available, a native plant they promote heavily because it provides a host for monarch butterflies.