2011 Arkansas Seed Swaps Co-sponsored by Conserving Arkansas’s Agricultural Heritage

Heirloom Butterpeas from our garden. Photo by Bryan Moats

Do you have save heirloom seeds? Are you interested in learning more about seed saving?

CAAH, Conserving Arkansas’s Agricultural Heritage, will sponsor ten seed swaps around the state of Arkansas beginning the 2nd of February. Anyone is welcome to come to bring seeds to swap and share. If you don’t have seeds to swap, bring envelopes or garden implements, or anything else you might have to swap with gardeners. Or just come and learn more about the importance of seed saving and swapping! As noted in the event’s press release, “Arkansas farmers and gardeners have a legacy of heirloom seeds that are in danger of being lost, and sharing of seeds will encourage production of diverse varieties for posterity and sustainable food production.” See below for times and dates and more information!

CAAH is a program of the Sociology Department at the University of Central Arkansas and they will be partnering with the Arkansas Flower and Garden Show, Arkansas Sustainability, Network, Churches, Libraries,Master Gardeners, Garden Coalitions, the Ozark Folk Center State Park, the Southern Seed Legacy, and any interested farmers and gardeners around the state. As noted in the press release, “The CAAH! project establishes a master collection of endangered seeds and related cultural and agronomic information, and distributes such seeds at annual Seed Swaps. University of Central Arkansas students document the seeds, grow them out in CAAH! gardens to distribute the next season, and catalogue them in a database of local varieties. For more information on the CAAH! project, our website address is: http://www.arkansasagro.wordpress.com

Here’s a list of the places and contact info for each location. If local food is important to you this is a great way to be involved!

If you are in the Russellville area and planning to be involved, I’d love to talk to you! I planning on doing a radio and newspaper piece about the event and its importance. Send me an email to meredithmartin_moats (at) yahoo.com or leave a comment below. Thanks!