50th Anniversary Celebration and In-Person Conference
Join us at Heritage Farm to celebrate half a century of mission-driven preservation of America’s diverse and endangered garden and crop legacy.
Welcome
To commemorate the Seed Savers Exchange network—and all that it has accomplished since 1975—SSE will host a celebration and in-person conference on August 8-9, 2025, at its Heritage Farm headquarters outside Decorah, Iowa. The event will feature speakers, farm and garden tours, workshops, demonstrations, seed swaps, and live music.
Our featured sessions are being finalized, and descriptions will be added and updated as information is confirmed. Check back for more details and subscribe to Seed Savers Exchange event emails to stay up to date on all 50th anniversary event news.
Join Us!
Register today for the whole weekend speakers, workshops, tours, and entertainment, or choose from individual day passes Friday or Saturday. Limited Heritage Farm primitive campsites are available. All campers must register for the full weekend.
Thursday, August 7
12:00 – 4:30 PM CT
Conference and campground registration and check-in at Heritage Farm, 3074 North Winn Road, Decorah, Iowa 52101.
6:00 PM CT
Lawn chair night and trivia on Washington Street hosted by Impact Coffee, sponsored by Seed Savers Exchange, in downtown Decorah.
Friday, August 8
8:00 AM – 7:00 PM CT
Conference and campground registration and check-in at Heritage Farm, 3074 North Winn Road, Decorah, Iowa 52101.
9:00 AM CT – KEYNOTE – Diane Ott Whealy, co-founder of Seed Savers Exchange, in conversation with Mike Bollinger, executive director
10:15 AM CT – Workshops/Tours/Demos
- Garden and Property Tours
- Seed Saving & Adaptation Demos
- Community & Culture Workshops
- Conservation & Land Management Workshops
11:30 AM CT – Workshops/Tours/Demos
- Garden and Property Tours
- Seed Saving & Adaptation Demos
- Community & Culture Workshops
- Conservation & Land Management Workshops
12:30 PM CT – Lunch Break
On Friday, food trucks will be available on Heritage Farm for guests to purchase dinner. You may also want to try one of Decorah’s restaurants or bring your own food.
2:00 PM CT – KEYNOTE – Alice Waters, chef, author, and food activist
3:15 PM CT – Workshops/Tours/Demos
- Garden and Property Tours
- Seed Saving & Adaptation Demos
- Community & Culture Workshops
- Conservation & Land Management Workshops
4:30 PM CT – Tours/Seed Swap/Pollination Stations
- Garden and Property Tours
- Seed Swap—It’s not required to bring anything to the seed swap. If you have seeds you’d like to share, please bring them! If possible, bring them in a labeled container with the crop type, variety, and year grown. If you have extra ziplock bags, paper packets, or other potential seed containers for seeds you receive, bring those as well. Seed Savers Exchange will provide empty, blank packets and writing utensils for participants to use. Please review this blog for guidelines on the types of seeds that are allowed and prohibited at seed swaps hosted by Seed Savers Exchange.
- “Pollination Stations.” This time is set aside for a more relaxed, conversational style, providing a collaborative opportunity for guests to gather and discuss shared interests.
5:30 PM CT – Dinner Break
On Friday, food trucks will be available on Heritage Farm for guests to purchase dinner. You may also want to try one of Decorah’s restaurants or bring your own food.
7:00 PM CT – KEYNOTE – John Coykendall, head gardener at Blackberry Farms, in conversation with Michael Best, director, Executive Farm Management Program, North Carolina State University
8:30 PM CT – Film Showing
Documentary film showing with panel: Peg O’ My Heart
Saturday, August 9
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM CT
Conference and campground registration and check-in at Heritage Farm, 3074 North Winn Road, Decorah, Iowa 52101.
9:00 AM CT – KEYNOTE – Amy Goldman Fowler, gardener, author, artist, and philanthropist
10:15 AM CT – Workshops/Tours/Demos
- Garden and Property Tours
- Seed Saving & Adaptation Demos
- Community & Culture Workshops
- Conservation & Land Management Workshops
11:30 AM CT – Workshops/Tours/Demos
- Garden and Property Tours
- Seed Saving & Adaptation Demos
- Community & Culture Workshops
- Conservation & Land Management Workshops
12:30 PM CT – Lunch Break
Owamni and NATIFS will provide Saturday lunch. This meal is included in your ticket price.
Owamni is an award-winning, full-service Indigenous restaurant in Minneapolis, Minnesota, founded by James Beard award-winning chef Sean Sherman, The Sioux Chef. In 2023, Owamni was acquired by nonprofit North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS). NATIFS is dedicated to addressing the economic and health crises affecting Native communities by re-establishing Native foodways.
2:00 PM CT – KEYNOTE – Sean Sherman, founder/executive director, NATIFS & Owamni, founder/CEO of The Sioux Chef, in conversation with Linda Black Elk, ethnobotanist and food sovereignty activist
3:15 PM CT – Workshops/Tours/Demos
- Garden and Property Tours
- Seed Saving & Adaptation Demos
- Community & Culture Workshops
- Conservation & Land Management Workshops
4:30 PM CT – Tour/Pollination Stations
- Garden and Property Tours
- “Pollination Stations.” This time is set aside for a more relaxed, conversational style, providing a collaborative opportunity for guests to gather and discuss shared interests.
5:30 PM CT – Dinner Break
Wisconsin Foodie Luke Zahm will create this ticketed dinner and highlight food grown on Heritage Farm—menu details to come. Tickets must be purchased in advance. We will not be able to accommodate requests after August 1, 2025. You must register for the two-day or Saturday-only events to be able to purchase tickets for this dinner.
You may also want to try one of Decorah’s restaurants or bring your own food.
6:30 PM CT – Musical Entertainment
Lissie to perform.
7:30 PM CT – Barn Dance
Barn Dance with Western String Home Band.
Plan Your Trip
Everything you need to know to plan your weekend in Decorah, Iowa for the 50th anniversary conference and celebration.
Accessibility
We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible event environment for all attendees. We strive to provide an event that is welcoming, accommodating, and supportive of diverse accessibility needs. If you have questions, please feel free to contact [email protected].