Introducing..
Exeter's second Seed Swap & Permaculture Day!
When?! Saturday 20th March 2010, 10am-4:30pm
Where? St Sidwell's Centre, Sidwell Street, Exeter
Why?! ...
The Exeter Seed Swap and Permaculture Day 2010 is Exeter's second seed swap! Last year we had an unprecendented 400+ people attend!
The Seed Swap is a not-for-profit event that aims to promote the saving and free exchange of local varieties of fruit and vegetable seeds, in a comfortable and inspiring space. Saving your own fruit and vegetable seeds helps to maintain a diversity of plant varieties that are well adapted to our local soil conditions, and to the local climate. It increases biodiversity and genetic variation, and reduces the risk of disease, and reduces the need for chemical fertilisers.
Did you know that it is illegal to sell certain varieties of seeds? These are known as F1 varieties, and are patented (‘owned’) by a handful of major seed companies. However, it is entirely legal to swap these seeds, so long as no monetary profit is made in the exchange of the swap. The Seed Swap, therefore, reduces our reliance on seed corporations and encourages independence for those who may wish to sow seeds that might not be available all-year-round from the few licensed sellers because they are considered profitable enough to grow on a large scale.
The ability to select and save seeds and maintain desirable plant attributes is a valuable skill in its own right, for without this knowledge and understanding of home-growing and seed-saving, our reliance is completely in the hands of industrial agriculture and large corporations. Do you know what variety of carrot grows best in Devon soil?
The Exeter Seed Swap aims to bring together the whole local community of growers and potential growers, and their valuable varying knowledge. There will be stalls hosted by allotment holders, individual growers, related charities and organisations and more, all aiming to educate and inspire others, to share wisdom and advice, and to exchange local varieties of seed which can then be propagated more widely in the following growing season. The bringing together of individual gardeners and growers will help to create a deeper unity between Exeter’s varying agricultural enterprises, to help create a greater community with a sense of common purpose.
This event also aims to explore the concept of permaculture; of creating sustainable human culture that lives in harmony with nature, and sustainable community agriculture- sustainable ways of living, clean/green technologies and low impact living. It will bring together an array of local and larger organisations that are helping to pioneer sustainable futures in the world. The 2010 event will feature local, organic plant and seed sellers, green stalls and community organisations, green campaigners and groups, organic refreshments, and, of course, the main seed swap and plant exchange area. You are invited to a day of inspiration, within an uplifting atmosphere, based indoors and out, with a comfortable, relaxed space to enjoy the day’s discoveries over a hot mug of tea, exchange wisdom with the people you meet- and perhaps sow a few of the seeds that might aid in creating a lifetime of positive change for our children.
This event is brought to you, entirely voluntarily, by Zion Lights: www.zionlights.co.uk If you would like to be involved in this event, or if your organisation, group or tribe would like to participate, please email Zion at exeterseedswap@gmail.com. You are most welcome to help co-create this event!
Website:
www.exeterseedswap.co.uk
Facebook event:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=322717573534&ref=ts
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