Learn more about the Mother Earth News fair in Puyallup, WA, here.
SATURDAY, JUNE 4
10:00 – 10:45 a.m. Seed Basics: What is F1, OP, PVP, Treated, Etc. Ira Wallace, Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, Organic Gardening Stage Good seed is the basis of an abundant garden. Learn about the common terms and abbreviations used in seed catalogs and gardening article like F1, OP, PVP, treated and non-GMO and how they affect your seed saving and gardening success.
10:00 – 10:45 a.m. Gardening with Heirlooms Diane Ott Whealy, Seed Savers Exchange, Mother Earth News Stage Discover how Seed Savers Exchange began its work with heirloom seed. Find out the benefits of choosing nonhybrid seeds. Learn to incorporate heirloom vegetables into your backyard garden for an efficient, productive and colorful harvest. It’s the best way to eat seasonally and locally!
3:00 – 4:45 p.m. Apple Grafting with Seed Savers Exchange Lindsay David Lee, Seed Savers Exchange, Classroom Schedule Learn to grow your own apples and help Seed Savers Exchange rescue antique varieties at the same time. With a sharp knife, rubber bands, rootstocks & scion wood you can reproduce your own trees, renew an aging orchard, or participate in scion exchanges. See how simple and gratifying grafting your own tree can be.
4:00 – 4:45 p.m. GMO Workshop Kristina Hubbard, Organic Seed Alliance, Organic Gardening Stage The problem of contamination by genetically engineered (GE) seeds and crops threatens the development and growth of organic seed systems. The Organic Seed Alliance is on the front line of efforts that aim to confront this threat to organic integrity. Come hear updates on our efforts and learn how to get involved.
5:00 – 5:45 p.m. Safeguarding Seed for Future Generations (Keynote) Micaela Colley, Organic Seed Alliance, Mother Earth News Stage Industry changes have eroded plant genetic resources essential to sustaining life. We’ve lost skills for stewarding and improving seed ecologically and ethically, and many farmers no longer participate in plant breeding or conservation. The Organic Seed Alliance fights these trends. Learn how to help safeguard seed.
6:00 – 6:45 p.m. Organic Seed Alliance Benefit Auction Mother Earth News Stage
SUNDAY, JUNE 5
10:00 – 10:45 a.m. F1 vs. OP?! Getting Straight on Hybrids and Open-Pollinated Varieties John Navazio, Organic Seed Alliance, Organic Gardening Stage Hybrid (or F1) and open-pollinated (or OP) varieties have a long history of controversy and confusion regarding the differences and potential advantages for your garden or farm. Learn about how F1s and OPs are made and the implications for plant breeding, seed saving and preservation of biodiversity
11:00 – 11:45 a.m. Herbs: Plain and Fancy (Talk & Tasting) Ira Wallace, Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, Organic Gardening Stage Come and enjoy an assortment of sweet and savory herbal delights then learn how to grow them in your garden, use them in your kitchen, save their seeds and increase your self sufficiency.
4:00 – 4:45 p.m. Varieties at Your Fingertips: Plant Breeding on Your Farm or in Your Garden John Navazio, Organic Seed Alliance, Organic Gardening Stage Learn the fundamental skills to breed your own vegetable varieties or improve seed varieties for your organic farm or garden conditions. This workshop will cover recommended approaches for breeding self- and cross-pollinated crops through mass selection and progeny testing on any scale.
4:00 – 4:45 p.m. Biology and Ecology of Seed Saving Shanyn Siegel, Seed Savers Exchange If you’re interested in seed saving, understanding some basic concepts before you get started will make the process easier. Learn the difference between open-pollinated and hybrid seed and gain understanding of plant taxonomy, reproductive structures and pollination methods.
