I will post extra fast, for the next little bit, to make up for lost time.
Why Go to Pot?
Many edible plants are quite lovely, and can be used for decorative purposes as well as for functionality. If you already have a garden patch, container growing can significantly extend the effective growing season for annual warmth-loving vegetables like tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, tomatillos, New Zealand spinach, and peppers. Given proper setup and care, all these can be grown as full-time container plants if there’s no room for a ground-bound garden. As a bonus for the patio gardener, container plants typically have less trouble with pests, weeds and disease, compared to plants in traditional gardens. Lettuces typically have shallow roots and thrive in shady environments, making them ideal for ’salad bowl’ planters on shaded porches or patios. Most herbs do just fine in pots or planters; perennials like rosemary and oregano can live quite happily outdoors for most of the year, come inside for the hard frost, and continue producing all year long. Annual herbs like basil or chamomile may not last all year, but will usually outlive their outdoor cousins if they’re moved to a sunny indoor spot before first frost.
By starting plants from seed indoors and growing them in pots, before transplanting them into your traditional garden patch, you’ll not only save money — you can get a head start on early-yielding varieties, and have fruit while your neighbors still only have seedlings. Especially if you use heirloom seeds, saving your own seed from year to year, the reduced expense (compared to buying seedling plants) over the course of just a few seasons can be substantial. And of course, no matter how much tasty fresh food your in-ground garden produces, you can always boost yields by expanding beyond its borders!
There are many reasons for gardeners (and food lovers!) to choose container planting. With a little information and consistent tending, a container garden can be a valuable and beautiful addition to an ecovore’s local food resources.
Like any planting project, container gardening requires some thoughtful planning before the gardening gloves ever go on.
Smart Seed Choices
By choosing highly productive pot-friendly plants, you can ensure that your efforts result in the greatest possible amount of homegrown food. Some plants produce vigorously for an entire season, while some take a long while to mature and then yield a small amount of goodies. If you’re planting for decorative purposes, this doesn’t matter; but for a kitchen garden, consider the following plants for maximal output from limited patio space.
Cool season crops: beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, lettuce, radishes, green onions, and Swiss chard.
Warm season crops: cucumbers, peppers, New Zealand spinach, summer squash, tomatoes, eggplant, beans, tomatillos, and herbs.
Consider using heirloom plant varieties if you want to save your own seed, for next season, and get the most flavor out of your container garden. For very heavy yields, consider early-maturing prolific hybrid plants. With either approach, for some plants such as cucumbers and tomatoes you have a choice between ‘bush’ and ‘vine’ varieties. Bush type (‘determinate’) plants often were developed specifically for container growing, and can do well in smaller spaces with minimal supports; but vine-type (‘indeterminate’) plants tend to be more prolific, with longer periods of yielding fruit. If you have the flexibility to provide vertical supports, with netting or a trellis, indeterminate varieties can be a good choice even in very small spaces.
To get the most from each pot, overlap your cool and warm season plantings. Beets mature quickly, and do so long before tomatoes; so grow beets in the pot where you’ll eventually transplant tomato seedlings, and harvest the beets before your tomato plant needs the whole space (beet greens are also good in salads, btw!). Eggplants take almost all summer to mature; grow mesclun or lettuce around the eggplant until it gets too hot to do so, or until the eggplant’s size requires the whole area.
It’s very important to carefully assess the amount of sunlight available, for each container’s location. Most of the plants listed above, with the exception of lettuce and some herbs, require a full 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day in order to thrive. If you only have shady space, plant things that can thrive in shade; optimistically planting a squash or tomato, in less than full sun conditions, is likely to lead to disappointment. Plant realistically, for the lighting conditions that your plants will have.
Pots and Baskets and Barrels, O My!
Selecting a container for your well-chosen seeds or seedlings also deserves careful consideration.
Size, weight, and drainage are all important factors to consider. Plants need room for roots: when in doubt, use the bigger pot! Look for planters with 15 to 120 quart capacity. Do some research about how much room your specific plants need, and then give ‘em a bit more. Squished roots don’t put fruit on the vine! Also, the larger the pot the less you’ll have to water the plant that lives there. If you live in a region prone to unexpected early or late frosts, weight may be a factor to consider: it’ll be easier to move a plastic pot than a ceramic one, if weather threatens your patio garden. Avoid wooden containers treated with creosote, penta, or other toxic compounds, as these can leach into your food plants. Redwood and cedar are good for planters, as they’re rot resistant and can be used ‘naked.’
If you like shopping for such things, the Earth Box and upside-down tomato containers are two of my favorites; for those of us who look for ways to do things on the cheap, versions of both these fab planters can be made at home — find directions here or here. For creative cheapniks, planter options are virtually unlimited: buckets, old workboots, juice or milk jugs, orange crates… just about anything that can hold dirt can grow plants. For starting seedlings you plan to move outside later (either into large pots or into the ground), you can use large oatmeal cannisters, coffee cans, cracker boxes, and other containers salvaged from the recycling bin. If you rummage or make your own plant pots, though, make sure to allow for thorough drainage. Drain holes should be at least 1/2″ in diameter for small or medium-sized pots; for larger pots, holes should either be larger or more numerous. For best drainage, place a small bit of screening or cheesecloth over the hole, and put about an inch of coarse gravel between the soil and the bottom of the pot. Though moisture in the soil is vital for growth, roots stuck in standing water can’t survive.
Watering Strategies
Since container plants are at much higher risk for drying out than their cousins in traditional gardens, it’s vital to monitor moisture levels carefully. Plants in containers always need more watering than plants in the ground. Building or buying a self-watering container is one way to save time and trouble; there are also high tech and low tech watering systems available, for decreasing water-related maintenance of container plants. There’s a nifty ‘Plant Sitter‘ system (definitely on my birthday ‘wish list’ this spring!) that basically mimics a self-watering container — watering from a reservoir as needed, based on soil moisture content. None of these strategies, though, can substitute for careful attention from the gardener: check moisture levels often, for all your container plants.
Plant-friendly Dirt
As well as drying out easily, container soil also loses nutrients due to the necessity of frequent watering. So it’s important to make every effort to make sure your plants have top-quality potting soil, that retains moisture and is rich in nutrients. Soil for container plants should be very lightweight, with a higher percentage of humus or similar moisture-retaining material than would be needed for a traditional garden patch. Pre-mixed soil for container gardening is available through gardening supply stores — Gardener’s Supply Company offers drought-resistant, organic, and self-watering container soil mixes — or you can make your own. In addition to peat moss or humus, you can also boost moisture retention in container soils with Terra-Sorb Crystals, which soak up water and gradually release it in the soil near your plants’ roots. Once your container garden is established, nutrients will be lost regularly due to plant growth and drainage from watering. Most container plants benefit from having fertilizer added about every two weeks. Low-cost/ high quality organic fertilizer can be easily obtained by the home gardener, through composting kitchen waste. However you choose to address the issue, the important thing to remember is that container plants need container soil… unmodified yard dirt probably won’t do the trick!
Further Reading For Pot Enthusiasts (wait, that sounds odd, doesn’t it? oh well!)
If you’re not ready to get your hands dirty yet, maybe these excellent sites will push you over the edge:
Renee’s Garden: Container Gardening
There: that should do it! Go ahead and do your planting; I’ll see you back here once you’re done getting everything off to a moist, nutrient-rich, roomy-rooted start. Feel free to post pictures of your thriving container greenlings… or (down the road a bit) recipes therefrom!
]]>I have discovered some amazing vegan blogs…Some of them you may know, since we both have such great taste. I’ve only casually perused some of these, but here is what I’ve found thus far:
We’ll begin with my friend in real life (we worked together at Waldenbooks a million years ago). Heather has some wonderful recipes, and I know for a fact that she actually does all this cooking. She also does a crazy amount of working out. It’s a bit obnoxious, really. LOL
http://wheres-the-beach.blogspot.com/
Next is “Hell Yeah it’s Vegan”. It’s snazzy and she makes everything look like a million bucks. It is especially impressive when you read her “about me” and discover that she dumpster dives for food! Maybe not literally. She’s cool, though.
This is another slick site I’ve found. The name got to me. Cake!
I think you already have this one on your blog roll. But I’ll include it just in case. Bikini ready vegan eatin:
This one I recently discovered. I’m still checking it out. It looks pretty dang slick, and it mentions anise cookies, and since I have a bottle of anise extract, I will be making these. There is also a Peppered Cashew Goat “Cheese” that looks stupid easy. I just gotta run out for some cheesecloth so I can make some goat “cheese”. Ironic, eh? I think I’m gonna need to get a job or something:Â
I could go on and on, & have for days on end. I love the layers of blog rolls. It’s like a magical rabbit hole I jump in day after day. I have also found these sites that are fun:
I believe the name says it all there.
I’ve also started to check into going vegan in purchasing, not just food. This site I found yesterday and it seems pretty groovy.
I’m sure I will come up with more. I have a bottle of wine and nothing but time late at night. That’s just for now, I realize, but I have to take advantage, right?!
As for my earlier question about easy reference for vegan wine choices, I am proud to report that “There’s an app for that“. In fact, there are several for the iPhone. It really is the coolest gadget ever. Speaking of, it’s my move on one of five Scrabble games I’ve got going on… Did you know Qu, Qi, Qat, Xu, were words? Neither did I — learn something new every day!
]]>Ingredients (use vegan versions):
3 Tbsp. non-dairy margarine (Earth Balance is great)
1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
1-1/2Â tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1-1/2 to 2 cups sliced ‘baby bella’ or cremini mushrooms
2 cups low-sodium veggie or bean broth, or water (unseasoned cooking water from pinto beans works perfectly)
2 tsp. ‘Better Than Boullion No-Beef Base’ (or sub 1/4 tsp. salt plus 2 tsp. vegan worcestershire sauce)
2 tsp. cooking sherry
generous black pepper (1/4Â to 1/2 tsp, to taste)
1/4 tsp. dried basil
3-1/2 Tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup almond milk (more or less depending on how thick you want the sauce)
 fusilli pasta (large spirals), or other large noodles of choice
Melt Earth Balance (or other nondairy margarine) in a large saucepan. Add diced onion, sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt, stirring well to combine. Saute lightly over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, to gently carmelize; stir frequently, being careful not to let onions burn.
In another saucepan, start water boiling for pasta.
Add sliced mushrooms to the onions, and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add broth or water, ‘no-beef’ base, sherry, basil, and pepper. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat again, and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Prepare pasta according to package directions; toss lightly with a bit of olive oil or margarine (to prevent clumping), then set aside and keep warm.
In a separate bowl, combine flour and 3/4 cup water; stir well, to make a thin paste. Stirring constantly, slowly add flour mixture to mushroom mixture. Raise heat slightly to bring sauce to a gentle boil, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes until thickened.
Remove from heat, and stir in almond milk. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, if needed and serve over warm noodles. MMMMMMM!
Preparation time: 10-15 minutes; Cooking time: 35-40 minutes; Makes: 4ish large entree servings, or 6ish side-dish helpings.
]]>Ingredients (use vegan versions):
5 cloves roasted garlic (may substitute minced sauteed garlic; but roasted is YUM!)
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
2-1/2 cups cooked orzo pasta, prepared per package directions & cooled
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
1/4 cup finely chopped mint leaves
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
Directions:
1. Roasted Garlic – you have two choices for the roasted garlic:
Option one — slice the top off of a head of garlic, drizzle with olive oil, and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or so, until cloves are soft when poked with a fork — for best energy usage, I like to throw a couple heads of garlic in with other roasted veggies well before I plan to need it, & then use it gradually over the next couple weeks. OR, peel the individual cloves, rub with olive oil, and bake on a cookie sheet for 15 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees, watching carefully and removing each clove as it becomes lightly brown around the edges.
2. Toast walnuts & pine nuts in dry skillet over medium heat, for 2 minutes or until you see the first pine nut start to brown (don’t overdo it! they burn quickly).
3. Mash garlic with a fork, until it’s transformed into yummy-roasted-garlic-paste.
4. Combine orzo, spinach, herbs, garlic, lemon juice, oil, and nuts; mix well. Add salt & red pepper, tasting to adjust seasonings as needed. Chill at least one hour before serving, to let flavors blend.
Makes: 5 cups, Preparation time: 10 minutes , Cooking time: 15 to 20 minutes
I’ve also posted this on VegWeb, if you keep a recipe box there.
Want more yummy recipes for lunch or potluck salads?… try these. Enjoy!
]]>If I hear just ONE more time, from those profiteering off the irresponsible corporate biotech hijacking of our food supply, about how GM crops are needed for ‘increased yields to feed the world,’ I think I may actually vomit. Or, you know, kick someone in the shins. I call bullshit, sir!
This short video clip is well worth viewing. It quickly delineates GM fact and fiction, highlighting some of the marketing strategies (vs. the actual reality) of GM seeds, as currently (mis)managed by Monsantopheles:
Pollan does a great job of summing up complex food issues succinctly. It’s good to see more people talking about this topic, and becoming aware of the potential (gigantic) problems with current GM development and management. The lack of responsibility, accountability, or ethical management of GM technology so far (Monsanto: this means you!) has been profound.
Hypothetically, could organic farming plus *responsible* biotechnology equal decreased world hunger through sustainable agriculture? Hmm… That’s like asking “How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?”… the world may never know!
Because as long as Monsanto and their ilk are allowed to go on the way they’ve been — with zero accountability, lack of independent scientific review, and shareholder profit the only motive — world hunger will keep getting worse, just like it has for the last 20 years during Monsanto’s emergence as biotech behemoth. Increased yields haven’t, in fact, decreased the number of starving people in third-world countries — or even the number of hungry poor folks right here at home! Both these groups have grown almost as rapidly as Monsanto’s profit margin.
Independent researchers view small-scale sustainable agriculture, on diversified family farms, as a more realistic strategy for decreasing world hunger. Simply saying ‘GMO is the answer!’ doesn’t make it so… no matter how loudly big-ag interests and biotech corporations may say it.
An informed consumer base is the only antidote…
Ecovore song-of-the-day: ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’! (we hope!)
]]>Ingredients (use vegan versions):
1 small mild/ sweet yellow onion
1/4 cup olive oil (or sub Earth Balance margarine)
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/2 cup dry lentils (I used green; red would be good too)
1/2 Tbsp. whole cumin seeds
5 cups water
1″ X 1″ chunk ginger root, peeled & minced
3 large cloves fresh minced garlic
1 red jalapeno, serrano, or similar, seeded and sliced in half vertically
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. EACH: ground coriander and turmeric
juice from 1-1/2 limes (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 to 1 cup coconut milk, depending on how thick or how soupy you want it to be — the refrigerated drinking kind, in a carton like soy milk (I used ‘So Delicious’ brand); or almond milk
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (or to taste)
3-5 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
cooked rice (optional)
Directions:
Heat oil in large saucepan. Combine chopped onion, sugar and salt; saute for 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently. Add cumin seeds, garlic, and ginger, and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly. Add water, lentils, tomato paste, halved jalapeno, coriander, curry powder, and turmeric. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until lentils are very soft (about 40-45 minutes). Turn off heat; stir in lime juice, coconut milk, and cayenne. Remove jalapeno, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve… Make-you-sigh gotta-have-seconds yummy, alone or over rice. Enjoy!
Source of recipe: I came up with this during flashback longings, in honor of a recent meal at my favorite Indian restaurant [Star of India, in LR, AR... if you're ever in the neighborhood, GO! But this is good, too.] Â
Makes: About 6 (1-cup) servings, Preparation time: 15 minutes, Cooking time: 1 hour (but worth it!).
I also posted this recipe on VegWeb, in case you’d like to add it to your recipe box on that site. For more delicious regional recipes, go surfing here or here.
]]>SOLE Food (Slow/Organic/ Local/ Ethical):
Container growing organic food
Sprouting new ideas: garden seed sales surge as more turn to planting
Food Labeling/ Food Safety:
Powerplant waste spread on supermarket foods
Katie Couric speaks with Eric Schlosser and Dr. David Kessler about food safety, GMOs, and more
GMOs/ Biotechnology:
‘Go-aheads came on Monsanto’s data’ (Interview with former Monsanto employee, on why Bt brinjal is a bad idea)
Legislation seeks protection from farmers (from unwanted GMO crop contamination)
Beware of GM crops, patent regimes
Why other countries are scared of GMOs and we’re not
New “ShopNoGMO” Lifestyle App for IPhone & IPod Touch
Farmers want protection from seed giants
More on Monsanto, agent orange, recent trickery and profiteering
Idaho farmer takes on Monsanto alfalfa
Monsanto submitted “fake scientific data” says former exec
Company research on GM foods is rigged
More US weeds found resisting Monsanto Roundup
Food & Health:
Could dairy be the cause of your stuffy nose?
New group of Sauget residents sue over toxic exposure (defendants include Monsanto, Exxon, Pfizer, others)
Sustainable Farming:
Small family farms in the tropics can feed the hungry and preserve biodiversity
An Iowa farmer on the meaning of sustainability
Herbivorous Habits:
Heart disease: a vegetarian perspective
Going vegan: a look into the no-meat movement
Veggie atty-tood, kid style: a 13 -year-old is part of the vegetarian vanguard
Industrial Agriculture:
New study shows factory farms breed mutated superbugs with antibiotic feed
Alternative agriculture policy in the specific context of climate change
Residents, humane society fight to clean up huge Calif. chicken egg farm’s putrid waste lagoon
Tyson Foods, Cargill on trial for polluting Illinois watershed
To fuel garden fantasies for other chilly daydreamers, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on the simple beauty of heirloom seeds. The term ‘heirloom’ generally means plant varieties with three primary characteristics: age, ‘open pollination,’ and quality. Heirloom seeds (as the name implies) are time-tested cultivars, passed down over generations — usually for at least 50 years, though that’s not a hard-&-fast rule. They are always non-GM, and always produce true to type when seeds from mature plants are properly saved for the following season.
Most commercial crops have been developed for marketability characteristics, like uniform ripening or sturdiness during transport; most of these seeds require re-purchasing each season, since seed from hybrid or GM crops generally can’t be saved for future use (for biological &/or legal reasons). By reducing our common seeds to such small numbers of intensively grown crops, we have compromised the tremendous diversity present in traditional American agriculture. This reliance on non-diversified seeds facilitated the Irish potato famine, of the 1840’s: by reducing biodiversity, we make it more likely for one pest or one disease to wipe out huge swaths of our food crops. Often, too, flavor characteristics take a backseat to other factors for common commercial cultivars — it becomes more important to be able to harvest all the produce at the same time; or to harvest as early in the season as possible; or to be sure the produce won’t bruise excessively during shipping; or whatever…
Not so, with heirloom seeds! The small-scale grower has the freedom to focus on flavor: that’s where many heirloom veggies really show their stuff. If you used to eat tomatoes or corn right off your grammy’s plants, when she wasn’t looking… that’s the taste I mean! Though some hybrid seeds may have improved disease resistance or earlier yields, heirloom seeds typically knock the others out of the park. If you’re already taking the trouble to set up a garden, why not grow the stuff that tastes best? If you seek out heirloom seeds native to your region, they can also be very easy to grow. Heirloom seeds offer tremendously increased variety of plant species, compared to available hybrid or GM seeds. If you aren’t sure heirlooms will meet all your gardening needs, consider trying one or two heirloom varieties along with whatever other veggies you typically plant — for the best of both worlds. Simply by using heirloom seeds, small-scale gardeners can help prevent the (irreversible) loss of the rich biodiversity that was present in farming prior to the current century. In addition to these benefits, small growers can keep control of the whole gardening cycle: seed to plant, plant to fruit, fruit to seed. By taking charge of every part of the growing process, the grower is able to reject dependence on the corporate multinationals like Monsanto, when it’s time to replant each year. For many, the motivation for gardening is at least partly grounded (ha! a pun!) in the experience of connecting with the natural world. Why not choose seeds that allow you to see the whole cycle through, from seed to seed?
To read more about gardening with heirloom seeds, as you sit by the fire making springtime plans, check out the resources below:
What is an Heirloom Vegetable? (from The Heirloom Vegetable Gardener’s Assistant)
Why It Matters to Buy Heirloom Plants & Seeds
A Case for Gardening with Heirloom Plants
If you’re in Arkansas like me, check out the Conserving Arkansas Natural Heritage site; in concert with the University of Central Arkansas, they’ve got several ’seed swap’ dates set up around the state for spring 2010:
Press Release CAAH! Seed Swaps Spring 2010
CONWAY — Spring is just around the corner and so are the annual seed
swaps!
In addition to the third annual Ozark Seed Swap at the Ozark Folk
Center State Park and the second annual Faulkner County Seed Swap at the
Faulkner County Library, Conserving Arkansas’s Agricultural Heritage
(CAAH!) has teamed up with Master Gardeners, Americorps volunteers, and
several Arkansas farmers and organic gardening groups to host Seed Swaps
in five new communities. This year, Seed Swaps will also be held in El
Dorado, Fayetteville, Jasper, Russellville, and Searcy.
Last year’s swaps were a huge success with hundreds of gardeners in
attendance and a remarkable number of heirloom varieties exchanging
hands.
“Based on the interest in the previous Seed Swaps, we hope to
establish self-sustaining swaps in each of these communities,†said
Brian C. Campbell, assistant professor of anthropology, in the
Department of Sociology at the University of Central Arkansas. “The
objective is to re-orient the public to the sustainable practice of
growing local food to supplement one’s income and to connect the younger
generation interested in sustainability with the older wiser generation
with experience growing their own food.â€
Arkansas farmers and gardeners have a legacy of heirloom seeds that are
in danger of being lost, and the sharing of these heirloom seeds will
encourage their production for posterity, Campbell said.
“Trading open-pollinated seeds conserves important genetics that may
otherwise be lost, in addition to the invaluable stories of Arkansas’s
agricultural history,†he said.
Part of Campbell’s research is an applied project to document,
conserve, and distribute heirloom or open-pollinated seeds of Arkansas.
There is a seed bank on the UCA campus. Seeds are grown on campus and in
community gardens.
Campbell’s research team provides seeds and logistical help at each
of the swaps.
“Saving seed allows the plants to adapt to local conditions and
produce well without the need for expensive, harmful chemicals, and
saves the grower money because there is no need to purchase seed each
year,†Campbell said.
Residents are encouraged to bring seeds and stories to swap with other
Ozark seed savers. Â If you do not have any seeds to swap but want to get
started, attend a swap or two and mingle with gardeners and farmers who
can help.  Gardeners and farmers  can also bring envelopes, plant
cuttings or garden implements to share.
“We can conserve the heritage of Arkansas while we share good
stories, beautify our yards, and of course, get free seeds,†Campbell
said.
There is no charge for admission.
Seed Swaps will be held at the following locations and times:
Mountain View
Feb. 13, Â noon-3 p.m.
Ozark Folk Center, Administration Building
1032 Park Ave Mountain View, AR 72560
Contact: Â Tina Marie Wilcox Tina.Wilcox@arkansas.gov 870-269-3851
Fayetteville
Feb. 14, 1:30-4:45 p.m.
Fayetteville Public Library  401 W. Mountain St., Fayetteville
AR 72701
Contact: Â Katy Deaton katyd@ncat.org
El Dorado
Feb. 20, 1-4 p.m.
Barton (El Dorado) Public Library 200 East 5th St., El Dorado
AR
Contact: Nancy Arn 870-863-5447
Searcy
Feb. 27, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
ASU- Beebe, Farms Classrooms 1000 West Iowa St., Beebe AR
Contact: Â Sherri Sanders 501-268-5394 Â SSanders@uaex.edu
Jasper
March 6, 10 a.m. -5 p.m.
Newton County Library, Community Room  Jasper, AR 72641
Contact: D’Coda dcoda@ozarkseedexchange.com Jennifer 870-446-2983
Conway
March 13, 1-4 p.m.
Faulkner County Library 1900 Tyler St., Conway AR 72032
Contact: Amy Campbell 706-248-2597 Â awheeler1975@hotnail.com
Russellville
March 27, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Pope County Fair Grounds, Old Entertainment Building
1602 SR 124 Russellville AR 72802
Contact: Crystal Bowne 479-567-5707 Â cbowne@atu.edu
The Seed Swaps are sponsored by the University of Central Arkansas
Department of Sociology’s CAAH! project, the Ozark Folk Center State
Park and a range of local gardening groups and public libraries. The
seed swaps would not be possible without the donation of facilities in
each city and the hard work of UCA students, AmeriCorps volunteers and
many hard-working, generous farmers and gardeners across Arkansas.
CAAH! is a project dedicated to preserving agricultural folkways.
Through this project agricultural tradition is spread by saving seeds in
a central seed bank and giving them to gardeners throughout Arkansas
along with the stories and meaning that have become a part of their
essence.
The results of the project are the collection of information on
endangered seeds, promotion of a seed sharing resource, and the
rejuvenation of traditional Ozark seed swaps and passing on of seeds (as
is being encouraged by the University of Georgia’s Southern Seed
Legacy).