A free two part educational event featuring two of New Mexico's seed experts, Michael Reed (La Orilla Farm, The Permaculture Institute) and Joshua Cravens (Jardin del Alma, project director of the Arid Crop Seed Cache). Both are core members of Save New Mexico Seeds, an organization dedicated to preserving and protecting New Mexico's heirloom seeds from GE contamination.

Part 1: A Philosophy of Seeds: Past, Present, and Future.
January 21st from 1:00-3:00 pm.
Michael Reed providing an in-depth discussion focusing on the following:
“Plants have been domesticating humans for many thousands of years, providing us with food, shelter, medicine, clothing, and beauty. In return, we have cultivated and nurtured them, and brought them with us in our travels across the earth. Seed is the vessel through which this contract has been bound. The basic act of planting a seed creates an immediate link with every human culture that has ever existed, since civilization began. But increasingly the contract is ignored or has been willfully broken, and the intimate dance of humans and plants is under assault.

This talk will include in-depth discussions of the history of human/plant cooperation and coevolution, the real and imminent threats to this partnership (including, but not limited to, GMOs), and very practical suggestions for direct healing action.

Part 2: Seed Growing 101
January 28th from 1:00-3:00pm
Joshua Cravens who will focus on Seed Growing 101:
“Organic Seed is the foundation of organic agriculture. However, most growers just purchase their seed and think very little about how important their seed choices are. There is a definite need for many more, knowledgeable organic seed growers to make the organic model sustainable. This workshop will cover many seed related topics such as: isolation distances, the importance of population size, how growing seeds can diversify your harvest, what to look for when buying seed, understanding the difference between hybrids, open pollinated and heirloom varieties, what seed crops grow best in the southwest, along with a step-by-step how to grow and clean seed. Any grower can benefit from this workshop and gain insight into the foundation of our farming systems.”
Seating will be limited so please bring your own chair if possible.

Seating will be limited so please bring your own chair if possible.

Contact: 541-221-2879
empressofkale@gmail.com