Episode 166: Saving Seeds, Saving Ecosystems

This podcast is a collaboration between Quivira Coalition and Mary-Charlotte Domandi of Radio Cafe.

Seed Savers Exchange is a small non-profit that's making a big difference. For a half century, they've been saving seeds, getting them out into gardens, telling their stories — and cultivating biodiversity that has been badly diminished with the rise of corporate agriculture and seed production.

It may seem counterintuitive, but the best way to save seeds is to plant them, according to Mike Bollinger, executive director of Seed Savers Exchange. While the non-profit does maintain a seed bank, much of their work is devoted to getting seeds out into the world, into gardens and farms where they can thrive and multiply — and nourish those who grow and share them.
Located in Decorah, Iowa, Seed Savers has a large farm where they cultivate genetic diversity, including vegetables, flowers, fruits, and even heritage livestock. You can get and share seeds through their exchange and their seed catalog.

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