Seed Saving for City People

800 West 36th Street,Baltimore MD 21211

29 April, 2023

Description

Let’s gather together and remember and relearn the time-honored practice of seed saving. · Prior to 1800, all farmers and gardeners worldwide swapped or saved their own seeds. There were no seed companies as seeds were considered part of the public commons, a precious collective inheritance, so our community has something to eat. We will discuss why we save seeds, basic botany, cross-pollination versus self-pollination, OP versus hybrids, and best practices in seed saving. We will set achievable goals for our own seed saving this year. We will share some seed projects stewarded by the Baltimore Free Farm including One Seed One Community where neighbors grow and save seed from their small patch of ‘Pinkeye Purple Hull Cowpeas,’ a traditional food crop of West and East Africa and the African diaspora including the Black American South. This workshop is a more specialized subject, focusing on annual vegetable seed-saving, and assumes that participants are coming with an intermediate level of gardening knowledge. Enthusiastic beginners are welcome too! We will gather in the basement of St. Luke’s Church on the Avenue in Hampden, Baltimore. We will start at 3:30 and go for about two hours with a break. There is one flight of stairs and no elevator to access the basement. The address is 800 W. 36th Street, Baltimore MD 21211. There is metered street parking on Chestnut and 36th St. There is free residential parallel parking if you drive around. The neighborhood is busy, so budget enough time for parking. The church is across from the 21 and 94 city bus lines. Donations are appreciated but not required. Donations will be divided amongst the Baltimore Free Farm and St. Luke's Church. For questions email: [email protected]