Organic Seed Alliance’s (OSA) Dr. John Navazio has received an award from the American Horticultural Society (AHS) for his book, The Organic Seed Grower. Each year the society recognizes outstanding gardening books published in North America. Dr. Navazio was one of six authors recognized in 2013.
“I am truly honored by this award,” said Navazio. “To have an organization like the American Horticultural Society recognize the importance and need for an advanced seed growing manual for organic farmers is fantastic. I wrote this book to build a foundation of knowledge for any grower to safeguard and improve the seed of the crops that we depend on for our livelihood and sustenance. The importance of having well-maintained seeds of our crops in the hands of many people can not be underestimated in our quest to have agricultural communities thrive and flourish long into the future.”
The Organic Seed Grower is a comprehensive manual for the serious vegetable grower who is interested in growing high-quality seed using organic farming practices. Detailed profiles for each of the major vegetables provide users with practical, in-depth knowledge about growing, harvesting, and processing seed for a wide range of common and specialty vegetable crops, from Asian greens to zucchini.
“Though this book is aimed at seed producers on a larger scale than the average gardener,” writes the AHS book committee, “all book committee members agreed that the issue at its core—food crop biodiversity—is a crucial topic for a much wider audience.”
The committee chair, Susan Appleget Hurst, adds: “There’s nothing else like this guide with so much detail about how to protect the diversity of open-pollinated plants.”
The Organic Seed Grower was published by Chelsea Green and can be ordered at this link. To set up an interview with Dr. John Navazio, contact Kristina Hubbard at kristina@seedalliance.org or (406) 493-6965.
