The Save Our Seed Project is dedicated to facilitating a Certified Organic seed growing and distribution network in the Southeast so our growers will never need to purchase seeds from outside of our region again. We believe that for seeds to perform well here in the Southeast, they must be selected in the Southeast. Success of this project will mark a boon for local Certified Organic consumers, growers, and seed producers.

 
Visit the Save Our Seed Home Page
Just A Few Huge Reasons to Eat Organic
See Our Save Our Seed Resource Guide
See Our Certified Organic Seed Sourcing Service
Fill Out Our Organic Seed Availability Survey
Check Out Our Up Coming Workshops.

The Official Saving Our Seed Project Home Page
10 Partners Working with Southeast Farmers and
Extension Agents in the Production of Organic and Heirloom Seed

We are very excited about the creation of
One Seed at a Time
A southeast Organic Heirloom Seed Bank and Curation Facility
Click Here for more information or to make a donation.

Click Here to learn how you can save better seed than you can buy.

The limited availability of organic and open pollinated heirloom seed adapted to area conditions is negatively impacting the growth of organic agriculture in the southeast through:
  • Recent heavy consolidation within the seed industry
  • Unique offerings dropped as seed companies shift to more profitable, widely adapted hybrid varieties
  • Minimal attention paid to the needs of the organic farming community
  • Low availability of certified organic seed required under the USDA's National Organic Program

On-farm seed saving is a dying art, and with its disappearance is the loss of many generations of farmer selected and bred crop variety improvements.

Seed production and saving can be an excellent avenue for:

  • Diversifying farm income
  • Supporting local enterprise
  • Accessing regional varieties
  • Preserving our food's genetic heritage
  • Putting seed variety control back in the hands of farmers

 

Click Here to participate in our online survey to let us know what how we can tailor the project to meet your needs.

Publications:

The Save Our seed project has published the following guides for producing seed in the Southeast:

The Organic Cucurbit Seed Production Guide

The Organic Pepper Seed Production Guide

The Organic Brassica Seed Production Guide

The Organic Tomato Seed Production Guide

The Organic Bean Seed Production Guide

The Isolation Distance Guide

The Organic Seed Processing and Storage Guide

Also, please feel free to download these free seed production resources.

Clemson University Agricultural Budgeting Tools (Requires Microsoft Excel)

Plans to Build a Small Electric Seed Winnower

Plans to Build a Small Grain Dehuller

Plans to Build a Grain/Seed Thresher

Plans To Build a Hand Operated Seed Winnower

Plans to Build a Hand Operated Vacuum Packing System for Seed Storage

By increasing the availability of seed adapted to the southeast's unique growing conditions, on-farm seed production can greatly support the growth of organic agriculture in the region.

Saving Our Seed is a USDA SARE funded project designed to train southeast farmers and extension agents in the production of organic and heirloom seed. Through a coordinated research and seed production training program, southern organic farming organizations, Crop Improvement Associations, Foundation Seed Producers, small seed companies, and farmers will work together to increase the availability of regionally adapted, open pollinated, certified organic seed and establish a southern seed network.

Saving Our Seed partners include:

On-Farm Grow-Out Program


Saving Our Seed is organizing an on-farm organic seed grow-out program for the 2005 seasons, with the aim of developing detailed regional seed crop production manuals, supporting the creation of a seed network for southeast growers, and increasing seed production practices and knowledge sharing in the southeast. Each season, the program will focus on several crops, identified as top open pollinated, regionally adapted organic seed needs by our recent grower survey. The crops for the 2004 season were tomatoes, beans, soybeans, and cover crops. CFSA has worked with thirty southeast certified growers over the course of the season to plant and manage the seed crops. Seed production management plans, as well as seed from our collaborating partners, will be provided to all participants.

In 2005, our three focus crops are Brassicas, Peppers, and Squashes. We will also continue to focus on Tomatoes, Beans, and Cover Crops. Growers will be asked to maintain field records, and attend all seed production workshops. Though we do ask that a portion of the season’s end seed is returned in support of the SOS project, growers will be able to keep half of their produced seed, and will be given assistance in finding marketing opportunities for the seed, if desired.

We are currently looking for certified growers to participate in the 2005 on-farm grow-out program. We are also seeking folks that are interested in raising Certified Organic winter cover crop seed this year. If you are interested in participating, or in getting more information, please contact Cricket at (540) 894-8865.

Information

For more information about Saving Our Seed, please contact:
Cricket Rakita
Seed Project Coordinator
286 Dixie Hollow
Louisa, VA 23093

Phone: (540) 894-8865

Resources

For a current list of seed production resources:
books, websites, and seed companies,

Click here to view our seed resource guide.

Click here to read the 2003 Seeds and Breeds conference preceding. (Warning, this is a 5 megabyte file, it may take a long time to download)

Click Here for some important reasons to eat organic food.
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Last Updated 4/27/06

The Save Our Seed Project
286 Dixie Hollow, Louisa, VA 23093
Phone: (540) 894-8865 Fax: (540) 894-8060
Email Cricket Rakita