Sow True Seed advocates seed saving with Seed Donation program and special offer to schools

From Sow True Seed:

The Season of (seed) Giving is upon us!

Sow True Seed holds some counter-intuitive beliefs in your traditional profit-driven capitalistic culture! They have a set of intentions that guide their business practice beyond the simple profit motive. One of these intentions is Seed Saving.

Sow True Seed encourages everyone to save their own seeds, offering open-pollinated seeds, seed saving classes and detailed seed saving information on their packets and in their seed catalog.

“In our classes, people often question our passionate advocacy of seed saving,” says Chris Smith, Sow True Seed’s Community Coordinator. “‘Isn’t that a poor business model for a seed company?’ people ask.”

Sow True Seed believe in a sovereign seed system, where everyone has the right and the knowledge to save their own seed. Even if more seed savers means less customers!

“In the short-term, I’m sad to say we’re a long way from putting ourselves out of business,” says Smith. “In the long term, when seed saving becomes a part of the natural cycle of food production once more, I’m confident we’ll either adapt or retire happy!”

Another intention is to support the Grow Your Own movement. One way Sow True Seed achieves this is by donating thousands of packets of seeds to organizations that support education and food production in their communities.

“All our seeds are packed for the given year, the seeds are totally viable beyond this, but legally we can’t sell them when they reach their ‘sell-by date’,” says Smith, who also runs Sow True Seed’s Donation Program. “It’s a lot of work, but we offer these seeds to people who really need them and then encourage them to be seed savers too!”

The Seed Donation Program has just been launched for 2017. The application deadline is Nov. 30, 2017 and relevant organizations are invited to apply for a free box of Sow True Seed seeds. More information at sowtrueseed.com/donation-program.

A third intention is to support the Growers of the Future. On its website, Sow True Seed states, “The Growers of the Future are our future. By seeding young minds with excitement and enthusiasm for a greener world, we can grow a better world.”

Sow True Seed is working with ASAP’s Growing Mind program to encourage more school gardens to flourish. On Nov. 29, 2017 from 4:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m., Sow True Seed will open their doors and allow any local school garden project to “Shop” for 50 seed packets at zero cost.

“The School Seed Giveaway is a fantastic event for teachers and school garden coordinators to not only get resources for their school gardens, but also to connect with a wonderful community partner and school garden supporter, Sow True Seed,” says Jessica Sparks-Mussulin, Growing Minds Program Coordinator.

‘”We believe that offering our entire range of seeds to the school garden programs in our region allows the projects greater autonomy to design and implement a rewarding experience for their students,” says Smith.

Pre-registration is required, full details available at sowtrueseed.com/event/school-seed-giveaway-2016/

With global seed giants and chemical companies merging to a point where just four giants could control 75 percent of all seed sold in the world, the dream of seed sovereignty is both threatened and vital for the future of a diverse and secure food system.

“It really will take a village,” says Smith. “Our community supports us and we’re happy to support it back. I think that’s what sustainable business should be about.”