Stewardship Stories, Varieties
In 1937, Nestor and Amber Keene acquired a very special Bibb lettuce from Nestor’s Aunt Mae Smith of Millheim, Pennsylvania, who had, in turn, received it from “local folks named Zimmerman who had grown it for decades in Brush Valley.”
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Stewardship Stories, Varieties
In July 2015, a few Seed Savers Exchange preservation staff members drove about an hour-and-a-half from Decorah, Iowa, to Genoa, Wisconsin. Their mission? To meet Marilyn Leum, longtime steward of the ‘Lorenzo Trussoni Heirloom’ safflower, at an annual picnic held on the Fourth of July at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church.
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Stewardship Stories, Varieties
Here at Heritage Farm—the Northeast Iowa home of Seed Savers Exchange—the ‘German Pink’ tomato is perhaps best known as “tomato number one” or “the tomato that started it all.”
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Seed Rematriation, Stewardship Stories
Rowen White reflects on her ancestral seed collection and the sacred significance of diverse corn varieties within the Haudenosaunee community. Through a journey of seed stewardship, she explores the cultural dimensions of biodiversity, emphasizing the role of cultural memory, tradition, and community relationships in preserving and restoring these seeds that have witnessed generations of history and nourished diverse cultures.
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Wait a second, you thought Seed Savers Exchange only stewarded seeds? Think again! Heritage Farm is home to two herds of Ancient White Park cattle, cared for by Seed Savers Exchange. These heritage cows are part of an ongoing conservation effort and an important part of Seed Savers Exchange’s mission.
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Stewardship Stories, Varieties
Lina Sisco of Wadena, Missouri, was one of the original listed members of the True Seed Exchange (as Seed Savers Exchange was known until 1979) and the donor of the beautiful and popular ‘Lina Sisco Bird Egg’ bean.
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Russ Crow’s earliest gardening memories are with his father, planting tomatoes. Inspired, Russ convinced his father to build a 2×2 foot plot in the yard to cultivate. “I planted it entirely in radishes. Solid radishes,” laughed Russ, nostalgically.
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Ron Thuma has spent a lifetime serving his community as a civic leader, an educator, a firefighter, and a model gardener.
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Kathleen Plunkett-Black grew up in Vermont, gardening with her father. One year, he decided to let Kathleen and her two siblings each have their own small plots planted with anything they wanted. “I picked celery, my brother picked peanuts, and my sister picked Brussels sprouts,” she remembers, laughing.
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John Swenson’s successful career in law translates seamlessly into every aspect of his life including his passion for alliums (the genus that includes garlic, onions, and leeks).
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