What is one lesson you’ve learned from nature or gardening that changed you?
Patience
Pollinators!
Bees
Plant with LOVE and good thoughts
Plants bring peace… joy…
Memories from SSE’s 50th Anniversary
Memories from SSE’s 50th Anniversary: A Scrapbook
At Seed Savers Exchange’s 50th Anniversary Celebration and Conference this past August, guests of all ages were invited to step into the hayloft of the barn and take part in one of our most meaningful activities: the 50th Anniversary Scrapbook.
While planning for this milestone event, we thought hard about how we could best gather stories and memories from our community, reflections that not only honored SSE’s 50-year history but also captured the personal experiences of those who have been part of it. A scrapbook felt like the perfect way to do this.
A scrapbook is more than paper and glue; it’s a living collection of memories, stories, and art. At the stations, attendees of all ages had the chance to sit down, reflect, and let their creativity flow. With access to a wide variety of supplies, they wrote about gardening lessons, shared family recipes, reflected on seeds they love to grow, and expressed themselves through collage and other art. Each page has become a unique piece of our shared story.
The finished scrapbook is a beautiful blend of community contributions and digital pages featuring photos from the conference. Some entries are lighthearted and artistic, while others share deeply personal connections to seeds and gardening. Together, they reflect the incredible diversity of experiences that Seed Savers Exchange and its extended community have helped make possible over the last half-century.
Collecting these stories and memories was more than just a creative exercise. The project showcases the impact Seed Savers Exchange has had since its founding and the deep ties we have cultivated and today share with our members, supporters, and visitors. People traveled from more than 30 states to celebrate with us, each bringing their own perspective and story. Seeing those stories come together in one scrapbook reminds us that support from our community is what makes SSE’s mission thrive.
As we celebrate 50 years, we are so grateful to everyone who took their time to share their stories, creativity, and reflections with us. This scrapbook not only honors the past but also shines a light on the importance of our work moving forward: to preserve seeds, memories, and connections for generations to come.
View the complete 50th Anniversary Scrapbook here.
Sharing memories through art
How have seeds or plants helped you feel connected to your family, land, culture, or self?
Family: One of the best parts of having a garden is the endless opportunities for connection with family. From hand-pollinating squash with my kids, to a “coffeewalk” with my husband while we admire the bees and flowers. Plus we can’t forget the meals shared that come from the garden!
Land: After 8+ years in the military we moved often. Now living in the Midwest, I love to grow regional produce from all of the places I’ve lived. Being able to grow and share something like New Mexican Hatch Peppers with my community is so special.
Self: After leaving the military, I grew my first garden. I found so much solace and peace in my 3 little garden beds. I began diving into educating myself on soil health, which led me to move back to the Midwest where I grew up, and enroll in a sustainable horticulture program. I hope to help other vets once I graduate.
‘I want to be a giver.’
My first horticulture job was as a garden advisor at Tagawa Gardens in Parker, Colorado. They are known for their roses!
My Fave Beet Salad
2 lbs red beets, wrap in foil, bake @ 400 degrees F until tender. Chop and cool.
2 oz beet greens, chiffonade
2 oz greens of choice
Handful mint, torn
2 oz pecans to top
Dressing
1 oz shallot, minced
1 fl oz lemon juice
1 fl oz red wine vinegar
2 fl oz extra virgin olive oil
Lemon zest
Salt and pepper
Brenna Reineck, Lindenhurst, Illinois, Zone 5b
@brennainthegarden (Instagram)
Seed Savers
grow
GROW
grow
Grow
GROW
How lucky are we to know what abundance looks like.
Maecy Beams
I come from at least 3 generations of gardeners. Some of my earliest memories are sitting in the grass watching my mom garden. I remember looking forward to picking green and wax beans at my grandma’s house, and the rows of jars at my great-grandma’s—pickles, tomatoes, and beans.
My grandma loved roses—they always were in her house and lined her gardens. Since she passed we all planted rose bushes to keep the tradition going and growing.
My husband passed away this spring and his favorite flower and scent was lilacs. He’s visited me 3 times since through bluebirds in lilacs, lilac candle, and lilacs in a cut arrangement. May he visit me many more times.
When my great uncle Ralph passed away, at his funeral we all were given seed packets. He passed away in his garden holding a rhubarb stalk, which the family harvested all the rhubarb and made bars to serve at the reception—a truly perfect memorial for Ralph.
I’m the head librarian at Andersen Horticultural Library and we have the 3rd largest collection of seed catalogs in North America.
Kristen Mastel
Keep Growing
I requested my first Seed Savers Exchange catalog the year my oldest daughter was born. I tried a container plant…it failed. Next years I expanded to a 4×4 raised bed…they failed. Every year, I keep trying and expanding. I keep learning. Now I have a tiny urban farm in Springfield, Missouri. With fruit trees, brambles, chickens, and 500 square feet of garden bursting with food and flower.
My daughter is 17.
Never stop trying. Never stop learning.
Keep Growing.
Stephanie Urich
Fried Green Tomatoes
- Thinly slice
- Soak in buttermilk
- Toss in cornmeal
- Fry until golden brown
- Salt, pepper
- Enjoy!
Brandon and Stephanie Urich
Keep Growing
“What we do in these couple of years will determine what happens in the next thousand years.”
(Word collage) Described, truly, strong, extremely, gardeners, nice, beautiful, flavor, plants, excellent, absolutely, tenderness.
Lila Urich
Draw a seed’s dream, what kind of world does it imaging while it waits to grow?
Kaleb Urich
Surprised by joy!
1st campout 1987
Lifetime member!
Carrie Roe
ADAPT cut flower trial 2024
Listing:
Red Marietta Marigold (from 2024 ADAPT)
Mystery Seed Swap Marigold (from a CBG seed swap)
Aunt Foss’s Lettuce (from the 1st CBG seed swap)
Dark Green Romaine Lettuce (from 2024 ADAPT)
SSE has inspired a lot of what I’ve done personally and professionally over the years. At work I started a seed swap and present seed-saving demos! Being a lister and taking part in ADAPT is so much fun!
Chicago Botanic Garden (CBG) Lenhardt Library Seed Library
FALL is still gardening season…
SSE
50 years of Community, Seeds, and growing joy.
Zelda
Vegetables and Fruits I’ve grown.
A seed that means a lot to me…
Cosmo seeds that self-seed in my garden each year. They now blended with each other and every year there are new blends of which, light pink, and dark pink.
The first seed I got from Seed Savers Exchange. [Zinnias]
Francine
A few of my favorite things…
Angel Burns
Download the Full Scrapbook Here
View scrapbook pages, memories, and photos from SSE's 50th Anniversary Conference and Celebration