Categorized | Agriculture, Featured

Seed exchange includes seed initiative, networking

Seeds and native agriculture (Hawaii 24/7 photo by Karin Stanton)


MEDIA RELEASE

Farmers and gardeners interested in learning to grow, select, and save seed and in building food self-reliance resources are invited to the 8th annual Hawaii Island Seed Exchange from 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, June 19, at the Amy B. H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden in Captain Cook.

The exchange begins at 9 a.m. with a meeting to review the recent Hua Ka Hua — Restore Our Seed Symposium, which reignited a partnership statewide between farmers, gardeners, and professors and extension agents from University of Hawaii at Manoa and Hilo who attended.

The next step is to form “seed working groups” around the island to share knowledge and network on variety trials and field days on farms and gardens.

“At the symposium, we also learned just how much knowledge has been lost regarding the growing, selecting, processing, and saving of any type of seed. Fortunately, the 100-plus farmers and gardeners who attended the symposium want to change the future of seed growing in Hawaii,” said Nancy Redfeather, hawaii Island Seed Exchange coordinator and program director for The Kohala Center’s Hawaii Island School Garden Network.

The meeting will be followed by networking and the seed exchange, and a hands-on demonstration on “Growing, Selecting, Saving, and Cleaning Lettuce Seed,” by Redfeather, co-owner of Kawanui Farm.

The event is free for anyone bringing seed, roots, cuttings, or huli of food crops to exchange. For anyone not yet a seed saver, there is a $10 fee. Cuttings and roots are welcome, but no potted plants, because of concerns about the little fire ants.

Bring a picnic or purchase lunch provided by the Lotus Café from 12-1 p.m.

Also, “The Story of Seed,” a documentary compiled from presentations at the Hua Ka Hua Seed Symposium, on Na Leo Community Television (cable channel 53) at the following dates and times:

* 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 19
* 7 p.m. Sunday, June 20
* 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 22
* 9 p.m. Thursday, June 24
* 8:30 a.m. Friday, June 25
* 7 p.m. Saturday, June 26

For further information, contact Redfeather at 322-2801 or nredfeather@kohalacenter.org.

(Hawaii 24/7 photo by Karin Stanton)

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