The Save Our Seed Project is dedicated to facilitating a Certified Organic seed growing and distribution network in the Southeast so our growers will never need to purchase seeds from outside of our region again. We believe that for seeds to perform well here in the Southeast, they must be selected in the Southeast. Success of this project will mark a boon for local Certified Organic consumers, growers, and seed producers.

 
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One Seed At A Time
A Southeast Seed Bank and Curation Facility

As you read this page, the largest seed companies in the world are busy pattenting all of the open pollinated varieties of vegetables, flowers, and grains that they can. The only way to keep a public variety from being patented is to document each one and preserve a sample. This is exactly what the One Seed At A Time project will do.

WE NEED YOUR HELP! PLEASE CLICK HERE to make a donation to One Seed at a Time today!

The Saving Our Seed Project, in conjunction with the Seed Saver's Exchange, is starting One Seed At A Time, an organic seed bank to save the biodiversity of heirloom southeast vegetables and flowers. As seed saving has become less a part of our culture, hundreds of heirloom varieties are on the verge of being lost. This bank will play a crucial roll in preserving our heritage for us and for our future. We are asking you to support us in this important work.

One Seed At a Time will address this crisis by:
  • Seeking out and collecting samples of the heirloom varieties that are currently being raised and banked by farmers and gardeners in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Kentucky, Texas, and Tennessee.
  • Banking these seeds both here in the Southeast and also at the Seed Saver's Exchange in Decorah, IA.
  • Regularly growing out all of the collected varieties at least every five years to ensure their viability today and for generations to come
  • Enlisting the support of the network of amateur and professional seed savers built up by the Saving Our Seed project.

Seed Savers and others in the seed business from around the country are excited about this project. There are similar seed banks already set up in other regions of the country, but as of yet, there is no such bank in the Southeast and we need to fix this now if we are to save our vegetable heritage. Seed saving organizations and foundations from around the country have indicated they are interested in supporting this project, but for it to succeed, we also need support of folks in our region, folks like you.

To help get it started, the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association has agreed to allow us to operate under its wing. All donations to the project are tax deductible. Click Here to make a donation or you can write a check to the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association with the words "Seed Bank" on the memo line and mail it to:
CFSA
PO Box 448
Pittsboro, NC 27312
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Last Updated 2/20/2006

The Save Our Seed Project
286 Dixie Hollow, Louisa, VA 23093
Phone: (540) 894-8865 Fax: (540) 894-8060
Email Cricket Rakita