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  • From: Mark Schonbeck <mark AT abundantdawn.org>
  • To: "Ira Wallace" <ira AT southernexposure.com>, "Merl" <merl AT mymailstation.com>, "Hub Knott" <hubknott AT yahoo.com>, "Jeff McCormack" <herbs AT gardenmedicinals.com>, "Kelly Medford" <Kanne4 AT hotmail.com>, "Kelly Medford and Avi Askey" <kanne3 AT hotmail.com>, "Tim Fields" <kathy81 AT webtv.net>, "William Hale" <wnhale AT louisa.net>, "Andy Hankins" <ahankins AT vsu.edu>, "Andy Wilson" <awilson AT pvcc.cc.va.us>, "Attra, Steve Diver" <steved AT attra.org>, "Barbara Rosholdt" <Rosholdt AT erols.com>, "Carl Cantaluppi" <carl_cantaluppi AT ncsu.edu>, "Center for Historic Plants, Monticello" <chp AT monticello.org>, "Central VABF" <CentralVABF AT yahoogroups.com>, "Cindy Connor" <sunfieldva AT aol.com>, "Don Yellman" <dyellman AT earthlink.net>, "Douglas Pfeiffer" <dgpfeiff AT vt.edu>, "Growing For Market" <growing4market AT earthlink.net>, "Jean Mills" <jeanmills AT aol.com>, "Jim Riddell" <jriddell AT vt.edu>, "Kate Meyer" <kwmeyer AT mindspring.com>, "Katherine Smith" <persimmon AT rockbridge.net>, "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>, "Michael Lachance" <lachance AT vt.edu>, "Peter Hatch" <education AT monticello.org>, "Richard McDonald" <the_edge AT boone.net>, "Ron Juftes" <7Springs AT swva.net>, "Ron Morse" <morser AT vt.edu>, "Sandy Zoumbaris" <sjz AT cstone.net>, "Steve Moore" <sandcmoore AT juno.com>, "Tony Bratsch" <abratsch AT vt.edu>, "Toots Klippstein" <rklippst AT avenue.org>
  • Subject: [Market-farming] Re: Seed Saving Workshop - preliminary inquiry
  • Date: Sun, 29 Dec 2002 16:37:10 -0500

Dear Ira and Pam,

I think this is a great idea, and very timely. I think there might be a number of growers interested in this workshop and in growing seed for small regional seed companies - like Southern Exposure. The price could be a barrier for many growers - so I think a grant would be very important. I wonder if any of the Southern Region SARE programs might go for this project - try contacting Paige Patton at the SSARE office, 770-412-4787, ppatton AT griffin.peachnet.edu. Other possibilities might include some of the larger (but still sustainable) seed companies like Johnny's or Fedco.
Either Jean Mills or Archer Christian (e-mail archer AT rose.net) might have some ideas as to possible funders to underwrite some of the costs of this event.
Lastly, I would be happy to promote this workshop through the Virginia Biological Farmer (quarterly) and also my VABF New River Chapter newsletter (brief, informal, comes out at irregular intervals several times a year).

Best wishes,

Mark Schonbeck

PS - do you want me to forward your e-mail out to a wider range of growers and gardeners in Virginia? These are the 60 or so folks on my list to receive sustainable ag updates, action alerts and information on conferences, etc. Let me know - I won't do so unless you give me the go-ahead.

At 12:20 PM 12/29/02 -0500, Ira Wallace wrote:
Hello,
This message is from Ira Wallace of Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (SESE),
and Pam Dawling, Garden Manager of Twin Oaks Community, both in central
Virginia.
We are interested in organizing a workshop for organic gardeners who want to
seriously explore growing and saving seeds. These would be market garden
size growers, who might want to sell seed to smaller regional seed
companies.
After you read the information below, we hope to hear whether this idea
appeals to you.
We envision gathering two or three resource people who can teach fundamental
seed selection and breeding skills, using organic and sustainable
techniques. The workshop focus would be on selecting for adaptation to local
Mid-Atlantic conditions. We'd learn which crops are easier to grow good seed
for in this region, and which are harder, and we'd learn techniques to deal
with those challenging crops. The workshop would include hands-on experience
with seed cleaning and grading.
We are interested in Jeff McCormack and John Navazio as possible teachers.
Jeff was a founder of SESE and Garden Medicinals Herb Catalog. He has a PhD
in botany, specializing in pollination ecology. John is the co-founder of
SEEDS (Sustainable Education for the Ethical Development of Seed). He has a
PhD in plant breeding and currently works for Abundant Life Seeds.
We imagine hosting about 20 participants, although if there's more interest
we could turn it into a small conference. We hope to do this event in the
Fall or Winter of 2003, in central Virginia. Such a workshop would likely
cost $150-$200 per person unless we are able to secure a grant to help with
expenses.
What we are looking for is: who might be interested in participating, any
leads towards a grant, and who might help us in organizing. Questions?
Comments? Suggestions? Ideas? We hope to hear from you by January 15.

Sincerely,

Ira and Pam

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange

Saving the Past for the Future





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