Success StoryAppalachian Heritage Annual Seed Swap



Appalachian Heritage Annual Seed Swap

Author: Deborah Stumbo

Planning Unit: Pike County CES

Major Program: Master Gardener

Plan of Work: Horticulture (Commercial/Home/Consumer) and Small Farm Development

Outcome: Initial Outcome

The problem-- Due to a lack of access to heirloom seeds the Master Gardeners want to start an Annual Seed Swap and one was started and continued for 12 years n

Knowledge gained from the various seed keepers and sellers has added tremendously to the knowledge and pockets of our local seed keepers and brought various interested partied in from across the nation.

Participants included 5 Asians (local now), 2 Native American Indians, 3 Multi national including Hispanics as wells right at 400 local participants.  It included participants from 8 states. 

Partners were local groups-- Master Gardeners who host and work most of the even and Farmers Market members who had seed to sell.  Several other members that are part of the National Seed Swap Scene helped with spreading the word to all the national groups and several took flyers to other seed swaps to help.

Program impact or participant response--Impact was tremendous.  In that many of our local farmers and home gardeners bought and sold seed.  Many got different varieties they plan on selling at the Farmers Market.






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