Seed School

Zachary Paige will lead a three-day immersive training where participants will learn all things seed saving, including: seed sourcing, pollination/isolation, harvest, cleaning, winnowing/threshing, storage, germination testing, and more so participants will learn how to save seeds successfully for their own operation—that is, those seeds best adapted to their particular environment.

This engaging hands-on workshop will touch on the history, structure and growth of the modern seed industry, its extreme centralization, and the worldwide grassroots counter-movement that’s creating new opportunities (especially for smaller and mid-sized operations) to learn how to save seeds. Participants will learn everything from basic terminology to innovative new strategies for transitioning their operation with seed-focused and sustainable methods.

Registration: Space in the School is limited to 12-15 participants who have a deep passion for saving seeds and an interest in sharing the information they have learned with others. If this sounds like you, please fill out this questionnaire so we can learn a bit about where you are in your seed saving journey and what you hope to gain from participating in the School.

We’re able to offer this three-day intensive learning experience because of generous grant support from WCIF. Registration is $80 per person ($60 for SFA members). No one will be turned away due to inability to pay.

Schedule

Friday, Oct. 3: 2pm - 7pm

Saturday, Oct. 4: 9am - 6pm

Sunday, Oct. 5: 8am - 12:30pm

Meals: Please bring a water bottle and snacks etc. for between meals. The following meals will be covered:

• Friday night dinner
• Saturday breakfast, lunch, dinner
• Sunday breakfast and lunch to-go

Lodging: During registration, please let us know if you need lodging (recommended for those driving more than 2 hours) and if you are willing to share a room. There are 2 rooms on the farm, as well as the Pelican Motel in Pelican Rapids. If not lodging, and you are driving, let us know your distance that you will be driving each way and if you need mileage assistance (funds limited).

Lodging Options:

• Lodging on the Farm in a room (2 rooms available). These are outbuilding insulated, heated rooms detached from plumbing/amenities. (The main farmhouse is 30 feet from these room and bathroom/shower availability.)

• Camping (If this sounds fun, it might be cold but we have woodlands!)

• Lodging at the Pelican Motel in Pelican Rapids

To bring:

• Seed saving-related equipment or stories to share.
• Water bottle, snacks etc. for between meals.
• Any seeds you would like to share or cleaned (not required)
• Winter clothes and boots -- it could be snowing this time of year!

Address: 26253 485th St. Vergas, MN 56587

Speakers: Zachary Paige, Olivia Olson, and other speakers TBA

Zachary Paige has helped teach over 30 Seed Saving courses and schools over the years, but the reason this Seed School is so special is that we will be integrating seed saving techniques from harvest, to processing, to cleaning, to storage of all major vegetable categories. Saving Biennials, learning about pollination isolation, germination, seed maturity and viability and so much more!

 This Seed School is supported by funding from the West Central Initiative Foundation.