Seeds of Diversity

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Seed of Diversity, Semences du patrimoine, is a Canadian charitable organization that aims to "search out, preserve, perpetuate, study, and encourage the cultivation of heirloom and endangered varieties of food crops", particularly Canadian plants, and to educate the public about their use. [1] It has been called "The Canadian NGO leader in two key areas of food system sustainability: crop genetic diversity and the redesign of pollination strategies". [2]

Contents

Seeds of Diversity originated in 1984 [3] as the Heritage Seed Program of the Canadian Organic Growers organization. [4]

Members of Seeds of Diversity propagate and share seeds and other plant material, and the organization also runs a "seed library" using seed-storage technology. [5] Educational materials related to seed saving are a major focus of the organization. [6] Seeds of Diversity acts as a central organizing force for Seedy Saturday events across Canada. [7]

History

In 1984, Canadian Organic Growers organized a conference on the loss of genetic diversity in food crops, with Kent Whealy the director of the U.S. organization Seed Savers Exchange as keynote speaker. Inspired by that conference, COG's Heritage Seed Program was initiated to help salvage Canada's crop-plant heritage, with Alex Caron as coordinator. In late 1987, after the HSP had lain dormant for about two years, Heather Apple, as a long-term organic gardener, past president of the Durham, Ontario chapter of COG, and a Seed Savers Exchange contributor, responded to a request from Alex Caron and volunteered to reinitiate the programme. [8] Her aim was to develop it as a grass-roots seed-saving organization modelled after the Seed Savers Exchange, [9] and beginning with an announcement in August 1988, she produced a separate newsletter for the program [8] which became a magazine by December 1988. [10]

By the second seed offering from HSP at the end of 1988, 14 contributing members of the program were offering 141 cultivars. [11]

In 1989, the Heritage Seed Program received a 5-year grant from the W. Garfield Weston Foundation which allowed activities and publicity to expand, and grants from various organizations were subsequently applied for and received. [11]

In 1995 the Heritage Seed Program of Canadian Organic Growers became incorporated and changed its English name to Seeds of Diversity [11] while maintaining the French name Semences du patrimoine.

Projects

Pollination Canada

Honey bees, which have traditionally been emphasized as important crop pollinators in Canada, did not exist in North America before they were introduced there by humans. In Western countries including Canada, [12] honey bees have recently become prone to colony collapse disorder, which threatens the production of many insect-pollinated crops. Native bees are also in decline, which is partly due to loss of nesting sites in plant debris and in open untilled ground, and partly due to reduced diversity of food plants. [13]

Seeds of Diversity initiated a project called Pollination Canada [14] [15] with the aim of increasing awareness of native bees and alternative pollinating insects in order to protect them, so that farmers and urban gardeners can decrease their dependence on honey bees. [2] Pollination Canada has 28 other partner organizations. [16]

The Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security

In February 2013, Gretchen Bauta, Canadian philanthropist and daughter of W. Garfield Weston, launched through the W. Garfield Weston Foundation, a program to be administered by USC Canada and Seeds of Diversity. The aim of the program is to work with regional partners to "build a more secure and diverse ‘made-in-Canada’ seed supply" by promoting the production and use of locally adapted and diverse seed for crop plants. [17] [18]

See also

Publications

Related Research Articles

Kiwifruit Edible berry of several species of woody vines in the genus Actinidia, native to China

Kiwifruit or Chinese gooseberry is the edible berry of several species of woody vines in the genus Actinidia. The most common cultivar group of kiwifruit is oval, about the size of a large hen's egg: 5–8 centimetres in length and 4.5–5.5 cm in diameter. It has a thin, fuzzy, fibrous, tart but edible light brown skin and light green or golden flesh with rows of tiny, black, edible seeds. The fruit has a soft texture with a sweet and unique flavour.

Alfalfa Perennial flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae

Alfalfa, also called lucerne, is a perennial flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae. It is cultivated as an important forage crop in many countries around the world. It is used for grazing, hay, and silage, as well as a green manure and cover crop. The name alfalfa is used in North America. The name lucerne is the more commonly used name in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. The plant superficially resembles clover, especially while young, when trifoliate leaves comprising round leaflets predominate. Later in maturity, leaflets are elongated. It has clusters of small purple flowers followed by fruits spiralled in 2 to 3 turns containing 10–20 seeds. Alfalfa is native to warmer temperate climates. It has been cultivated as livestock fodder since at least the era of the ancient Greeks and Romans. Alfalfa sprouts are a common ingredient in dishes made in South Indian cuisine.

Pollination Biological processes occurring in plants

Pollination is the transfer of pollen from a male part of a plant to a female part of a plant, later enabling fertilisation and the production of seeds, most often by an animal or by wind. Pollinating agents are animals such as insects, birds, and bats; water; wind; and even plants themselves, when self-pollination occurs within a closed flower. Pollination often occurs within a species. When pollination occurs between species it can produce hybrid offspring in nature and in plant breeding work.

Outline of organic gardening and farming Overview of and topical guide to organic gardening and farming

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to organic gardening and farming:

Beekeeper

A beekeeper is a person who keeps honey bees.

Fruit tree pollination

Pollination of fruit trees is required to produce seeds with surrounding fruit. It is the process of moving pollen from the anther to the stigma, either in the same flower or in another flower. Some tree species, including many fruit trees, do not produce fruit from self-pollination, so pollinizer trees are planted in orchards.

Pollination management

Pollination management is the label for horticultural practices that accomplish or enhance pollination of a crop, to improve yield or quality, by understanding of the particular crop's pollination needs, and by knowledgeable management of pollenizers, pollinators, and pollination conditions.

Beneficial insect

Beneficial insects are any of a number of species of insects that perform valued services like pollination and pest control. The concept of beneficial is subjective and only arises in light of desired outcomes from a human perspective. In agriculture, where the goal is to raise selected crops, insects that hinder the production process are classified as pests, while insects that assist production are considered beneficial. In horticulture and gardening, beneficial insects are often considered those that contribute to pest control and native habitat integration.

Seed saving Practice of saving plant reproductive material

In agriculture and gardening, seed saving is the practice of saving seeds or other reproductive material from vegetables, grain, herbs, and flowers for use from year to year for annuals and nuts, tree fruits, and berries for perennials and trees. This is the traditional way farms and gardens were maintained for the last 12,000 years.

Seed company Business that sells seeds for flowers, fruit, or vegetables

Seed companies produce and sell seeds for flowers, fruits and vegetables to commercial growers and amateur gardeners. The production of seed is a multibillion-dollar business, which uses growing facilities and growing locations worldwide. While most of the seed is produced by large specialist growers, large amounts are also produced by small growers that produce only one to a few crop types. The larger companies supply seed both to commercial resellers and wholesalers. The resellers and wholesalers sell to vegetable and fruit growers, and to companies who package seed into packets and sell them on to the amateur gardener.

Heirloom plant

An heirloom plant, heirloom variety, heritage fruit, or heirloom vegetable is an old cultivar of a plant used for food that is grown and maintained by gardeners and farmers, particularly in isolated or ethnic minority communities of the Western world. These were commonly grown during earlier periods in human history, but are not used in modern large-scale agriculture.

Kent Whealy was an American activist, journalist and philanthropist who co-founded Seed Savers Exchange and promoted organic agriculture and the saving of heirloom seeds. Raised in Wellington, Kansas he was inspired by the works of agricultural geneticists Jack Harlan and H.Garrison Wilkes to use his training in communications to promote the protection of genetic diversity in agriculture.

Saturation pollination is a pollination technique for agricultural crops in areas dominated by non-crop plant species that are preferred by pollinators. The technique involves keeping a larger number of bee colonies than normally maintained for honey production so as to exhaust the preferred plants and ensure visitation of the crop plants by the bees. The technique is applied in areas that are normally avoided by beekeepers because of poor honey yields.

<i>Vaccinium angustifolium</i> Berry and plant

Vaccinium angustifolium, commonly known as the wild lowbush blueberry, is a species of blueberry native to eastern and central Canada and the northeastern United States, growing as far south as the Great Smoky Mountains and west to the Great Lakes region.

Seed Savers Exchange, or SSE, is a non-profit organization based near Decorah, Iowa, that preserves heirloom plant varieties through regeneration, distribution and seed exchange. It is one of the largest nongovernmental seedbanks in the United States. The mission of SSE is to preserve the world’s diverse but endangered garden heritage for future generations by building a network of people committed to collecting, conserving, and sharing heirloom seeds and plants, and educating people about the value of genetic and cultural diversity. Since 1975, Seed Savers has produced an annual yearbook of members’ seed offerings, as well as multiple editions of The Garden Seed Inventory, and The Fruit, Nut and Berry Inventory. SSE also publishes Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners. The nonprofit has sold seeds to about 600 retail stores in the United States and Canada.

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (SESE) is a cooperatively-owned seed company. SESE is a source for heirloom seeds and other open-pollinated (non-hybrid) seeds with an emphasis on vegetables, flowers, and herbs that grow well in the Mid-Atlantic region. SESE also supports seed saving and traditional seed breeding through their product line, through lectures and workshops, and by working with over 50 small seed-growing farmers in the Mid-Atlantic and other parts of the United States. SESE publishes an intermittent email newsletter and blog for gardeners, as well as the Southern Exposure Seed Exchange Catalog and Garden Guide.

Seed swap

Seed swaps are events where gardeners meet to exchange seeds. Swapping can be arranged online or by mail, especially when participants are spread out geographically. Swap meet events, where growers meet and exchange their excess seeds in person, are also growing in popularity. In part this is due to increased interest in organic gardening and heritage or heirloom plant varietals. This reflects gardeners' interest in "unusual or particular varieties of flowers and vegetables," according to Kathy Jentz of Washington Gardener Magazine (Maryland).

Heather Elizabeth Apple Canadian writer, artist and educator (born 1948)

Heather Elizabeth Apple is a Canadian writer, artist, and educator, with an interest in organic horticulture. She was awarded a 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal in 1992.

The Seed Savers' Network (SSN) is an Australian not-for-profit organisation, based in Byron Bay, New South Wales. Since 1986, SSN has organised gardeners and farmers to collect, multiply and redistribute garden seeds in Australia and also within peasant organisations worldwide.

Will Bonsall is an American author, seed saver and veganic farmer who lives in Maine. He is a regular speaker about seed saving, organic farming and veganic farming.

References

  1. ↑ "SoDC official web site, Our Objectives" . Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  2. 1 2 "The J.W.McConnell Foundation, Active Grants Database".
  3. ↑ "TidesCanada: Uncommon Solutions for the Common Good".
  4. ↑ Carol Martin. Cultivating Canadian Gardens: The History of Gardening in Canada (p. 11) (PDF). National Library of Canada.
  5. ↑ "SoDC official web site, Canadian Seed Library".
  6. ↑ "SoDC official web site, Publications" . Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  7. ↑ "SoDC official web site, Events" . Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  8. 1 2 "From Our Archive: Heather Apple introduced the Heritage Seed Programme in her first newsletter in August 1988". Magazine of Seeds of Diversity Canada. 18 (1/2). 2005.
  9. ↑ Susan Haldane (1990). photography by Peter Sibbald. "Apple's Seeds: Back to the future in the Heritage Seed Program garden". Harrowsmith. 89 (78–83).
  10. ↑ "Magazine Article Index: Heritage Seed Program 1988-1995". Seeds of Diversity. Archived from the original on October 4, 2013.
  11. 1 2 3 Martin, C. (2000). A History of Canadian Gardening. Toronto: McArthur & Company.
  12. ↑ Renée Johnson (2010). "Honey Bee Colony Collapse Disorder" (PDF). Congressional Research Service.
  13. ↑ Barbara Aggerholm (Apr 19, 2013). "Organic grower tries to 'Bee Friendly' to pollinators". The Record.
  14. ↑ "Bee Friendly Farming® and Bee Friendly Gardening in Canada" . Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  15. ↑ "Pollination Canada" . Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  16. ↑ "Pollination Canada partners".
  17. ↑ "The Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security" . Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  18. ↑ Sarah Elton (9 July 2013). "How farmers are saving seeds and building a Canadian collection". The Globe and Mail.
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