Education & Events
Education and seed access are at the heart of Seed Savers Exchange's nonprofit mission.
Events
Seed Savers Exchange offers a mix of virtual and in-person events throughout the year. Learn from our knowledgeable staff as well as experienced growers and seed savers in our network, and support our nonprofit mission to save America’s heirloom seeds.
View All 2025 Events
2025 is Seed Savers Exchange's 50th anniversary! Check out our entire year of engaging education and community events.
2025 Events
Become a 2025 Event Sponsor
Reach the Seed Savers Exchange community with your business by becoming a sponsor.
Sponsorship
Sign up for Event Updates
Subscribe to Seed Savers Exchange email newsletters to be one of the first to hear when event details are announced.
Event Alerts
Heirloom Plant Sale
Friday, May 9-Saturday, May 10, 2025 Seed Savers Exchange’s Heirloom Plant Sale returns to the Lillian Goldman Visitors Center at Heritage Farm in Decorah, 10 AM to 5 PM. Select from dozens of heirloom vegetable, herb, flower plant varieties, trees, fruit bushes, and more. Proceeds support Seed Savers Exchange's nonprofit work to save and share open-pollinated seeds.
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Virtual Conference
Seed Savers Exchange is offering a virtual conference series experience May 2, June 6, and July 11. Join us online for inspiring speakers and a chance to connect with the larger seed community.
Register Today 50th Anniversary Conference and Celebration
Seed Savers Exchange turns 50 in 2025! Join us onsite at Heritage Farm to celebrate half a century of mission-driven preservation of America's diverse and endangered garden and crop legacy. Activities will include speakers, farm tours, workshops, a seed swap, and live music.
Register TodaySpeakers Bureau/Guided Tours
Have an event you'd like to invite a SSE staff member to present at? Please complete this event request form. Please note, as a nonprofit, Seed Savers Exchange depends on the financial support from hosting organizations to send our staff on the road. You may also use the Virtual Presentations form to request catalogs or other materials for your event. To request a guided tour of Heritage Farm (available May-September) complete the appropriate form and a staff member will reach out to confirm.
Virtual Presentations Request
Request a Tour
Gardening & Seed Saving Guides
Garden Planning
Seed Starting
Plant Care
Soil Health
Crop-by-Crop Guides
Isolation Methods
Pollinators
Seed Saving
Gardening & Seed Saving Terms
Community Seed Donations
Seed Savers Exchange donates seeds to schools, community gardens, seed libraries, and nonprofits who freely give the donated seeds and resulting produce. We also have a disaster relief seed donation program. To learn more, and to apply, click the links below.
Those who have not completed the application process will not receive a seed donation.
Herman's Garden
The financial support of Herman Warsh and Maryanne Mott helped to establish our headquarters in Decorah, Iowa: Heritage Farm. To honor their support, we donate seeds to nonprofit, educational, and community organizations and gardens in need through our Herman's Garden Seed Donation Program.
Due to customs restrictions and shipping costs, we cannot honor requests outside of the United States. We cannot accept requests from individuals or from projects where seed or resulting produce will be sold.
Seed Access
Seed Savers Exchange is dedicated to preserving and sharing heirloom seeds. The organization started with a small group of people in 1975 and nearly 50 years later SSE has continued to expand how it shares seed.
Seed Access (Video)
Before you can plant seeds to start your own seed saving journey, you need seeds to plant. So where do you get them? Sometimes it can be as simple as knocking on your neighbor's door. Watch this video to learn about and explore a number of seed sources, including seed exchanges, seed donation programs, seed catalogs, and more.
Watch Now
The Exchange
Seed Savers Exchange facilitates The Exchange, the largest online community of gardeners and seed stewards, sharing and swapping rare and "homegrown" seeds you might not find anywhere else. Anyone can browse the Exchange, but you must have an account on the Exchange to request or list seeds.
Explore The Exchange
Community Seed Network
The CSN is a joint initiative of Seed Savers Exchange and SeedChange (Canada). Connect with other community seed savers and advocates in your area, access resources on how to start your own local seed swap, micro or community seed bank, guides and templates for seed libraries, and much more!
Visit the CSNRecipes
Browse Recipes
Article Library
Articles
Webinars/Video Series
Welcoming Seeds Home: Seed Rematriation Webinar Series
ABOUT THE SERIES: This series highlights seed rematriation efforts funded through a North Central SARE Partnership grant awarded to Seed Savers Exchange. Join us to learn how Indigenous farmers, activists, communities, and nations are welcoming seeds home to grow and share.
2022 Virtual Conference “Connecting Through Seeds and Stories”
Watch the session recordings on SSE’s YouTube channel @SSEHeritageFarm.
Sessions include
- Stories of Heritage Farm with Diane Ott Whealy
- And more!