Any gardener or farmer will say he has many reasons for saving seeds. Using Open-Pollinated Seed varieties gives us better control over our crops, selecting varieties that grow well in our garden and are adapted to the local climate.

Heirloom seeds connects us to our cultural heritage and to the oldest wisdom of farming, saving seeds.  

 

Why Save Seeds?

 

Growing clean natural food

All over the world and since the beginning of farming open-pollinated seeds were grown naturally, under local growing conditions. Grown in a natural way and passed down in heritage, heirloom seed varieties acquired many traits and Resistances to pests, disease and different climates. Usually grown using organic farming techniques.

Gourmet delight

Heirloom seeds are praised by gourmet chefs for their unique taste and appearance. The best restaurant work closely to local farmer demanding the best tasting products, vegetable, fruits and culinary herbs that are grown locally in season.

 

Economical

Choosing seeds that are drought resistance can save on your water charges. Saving your own seeds cuts down on expenses.

 

Selection & Breeding

Selecting the best varieties for your personal use and saving the seeds for next year. By growing the best plant you possibly can, and selecting the best fruits for next years seeds you could breed the variety for stronger better genes.

 

Keeping Tradition

Using traditional heirloom seeds connects us to our cultural heritage, saving seeds as farmers always did and sharing them with future generations connects the old with the new.

 

Saving Rare Seeds

Selecting varieties that are not in commercial use and few people are saving seeds from, maks you an important link in the worldwide seed conservation effort.

 

Share with the community

Seeds can be shared with your family and loved ones. Many organic farms host seed sharing events where you can share your seeds and select new varieties from your fellow seed saving gardeners.

 

“Helping the Bees”

Growing plants for seeds is usually of longer duration than growing food for the dinner plate. Flowering plants, blossoming for pollination, provide food for wild bees, and thus helps the bees in these difficult times.


 

In recent decades heirloom seeds have been decimated due to the development of modern commercial agriculture. Modern agriculture prefers specific properties suitable for commercial mass production, resulting in many varieties which have been neglected and driven to extinction. If a plant variety is not grown for a few seasons, and the seeds are not germinated, the genetics of the plant becomes extinct and lost forever. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) revealed that 75% of the agricultural genetic diversity has gone extinct during the 20th century. It is estimated that over 90% of the world’s heritage seeds have vanished.

Today, a wide range of varieties are collected and stored in seed banks worldwide. The seed banks are the link to our heritage and ensure that we do not lose these varieties forever.