Wild, Cultivated, and Established

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Let's Get Wild (Again!)

Back by popular demand! During our online Seed Chat Q&A this past spring, RMSA Executive Director Bill McDorman discussed wild seeds as the plants were still "coming on." Now that harvest time has arrived, he will revisit this topic to share wildcrafting tips: what to look for, how to know if plants and seeds are ready, the fine art of seed storage, and other pearls of wisdom.

"Get Wild" Seed Chat – Live Online Q&A

with Bill McDorman and Greg Peterson

Tuesday, September 18 @ 6 PM Pacific

Sign up for FREE here

Bill's "Wild Seeds" lecture continues to be a favorite among our Seed School students. He will also discuss medicinal, edible, and landscape uses of wild plants, as well as answer your questions about regional seed saving. Don't miss this exciting presentation!

Worth the Travel (and the Heat)

The 5th Great American Seed Up is ready once again to provide you with a seed cache not found anywhere else—at a deep discount! Our goal is to supply everyone with as many seeds as possible, so you may start adapting, saving, and increasing seed stock everywhere.

We will have buckets full of your favorite varieties. These are the same landrace seeds you would find in seed catalogs but at a quarter of the price. Typical seed packets are priced high due to the cost of packaging them—so we let you do the job (with our supplies) and enjoy the savings! This year have added over 30 varieties (more than 100 total) including grains, cover crops, and more wildflowers. Click here for the 2018 seed list.

Great American Seed Up — Phoenix, Arizona

Friday, September 21 from 5 pm – 9 pm

*includes the Arizona premiere of "Modified"

Saturday, September 22 from 10 am – 2 pm

*includes three seed workshops: Saving Seeds, Storing Seeds, and Growing from Seed (container gardening, too!).

Click here to register and learn more.

All pre-registered attendees receive free webinars of the workshops!

Location:

North Phoenix Baptist Church

5757 N Central, Building B

Phoenix, AZ 85012

Going, Going...

A few spots remain for our Seed School Teacher Training for Agricultural Professionals course. This innovative event puts a new twist on our usual Seed School Teacher Training course by focusing on training ag professionals, such as extension agents, Natural Resources Conservation Service staff, and others whose work directly supports small farmers (e.g., farmers market directors).

Seed School Teacher Training for Ag Professionals October 21–26, 2018
Posner Center, Denver, Colorado

Click here to apply and attend for FREE underwritten by a grant from Western-SARE.

Regenerate and Repeat

How many different ways can we teach Seed School? As many as necessary! One of the most exciting things about seed saving is how versatile it can be in adapting the practice to a wide range of crops, interests, and farming scales.

On that note, we are thrilled to be invited to teach a very unique Seed School in a Day to sustainable farmers and ranchers as part of the 2018 Regenerate Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This annual gathering is produced by the Quivira Coalition and other partners working to advance sustainable ranching in the West.

Seed Literacy for Western Farmers and Sustainable Ranchers
Saturday, November 3, 2018
Desert Oasis Teaching Gardens – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Learn more and register here

This special Seed School in a Day looks at ranching and ways to incorporate seed diversity into various programs through wild grasses or cultivated areas to serve domestic and wild animals. Healthier grazing lands support healthier livestock and economies.

Harvest Prayers

Please join us at the Wood River Community Seed Library in Ketchum, Idaho as we welcome Grandmother Flordemayo to our 5th-annual Local Seed Harvesting Party. All local seed stewards and anyone interested in learning more about seeds and seed saving are welcome to attend and participate in this fun, educational gathering.

Special guest Grandmother Flordemayo, founder of the Seed Temple in Estancia, NM, will return to the Community Library to deliver a message from the seeds and bless this year’s local seed harvest.

The Community Library is located in Ketchum at 415 Spruce Ave North. The seed gathering will be held in the newly remodeled Lecture Room from 5:30 – 7:30 pm on Tuesday, Oct 23rd.

Nourish!

We are so grateful for our partnership with Global Seed Savers and everything they have done to support the Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance. Now it is our time to give back!

Come get nourished at their 8th annual Nourish event. This brunchtime fundraiser gathering features delicious Filipino inspired cuisine prepared by Orange Crush Catering. All proceeds support our farmer friends throughout the Philippines.

Global Seed Savers: Nourish Event

Saturday, October 20th, 2018

Posner Center for International Development, Denver, Colorado

Click here to register – Only $50, or $25 for students

Reunion of the Radicles

Across the world, the seed saving movement's roots keep getting stronger, and its reach ever wider. Those seed keepers in the Mountain West have an amazing opportunity coming up to network, learn from each other, and celebrate our region's growing seed sovereignty movement. • .

Mountain West Seed Summit

February 21 – 23, 2019

Institute of American Indian Arts – Santa Fe, New Mexico

Register now!

Sessions include:

• Young Seed Stewards Rising: Stories and Strategies to Support the Next Generation

• Radical Seed Libraries

• Seed Hubs: Lessons Learned

• Seed Self-Sufficiency: Building a Sustainable Seed Business

• Decolonizing Seed

• Seed Cuisine

• International Seed Saving Projects

Includes a special add-on field trip to permaculture and seed sites in and around the Santa Fe area.

Seed Steward Salute: John Romens

Regular readers of this newsletter know that we love to feature regional Seed Stewards at the forefront of this powerful movement. One such seed rockstar is John Romens, who is applying the holistic and reciprocal principles of seed stewardship to his work in regenerative landscaping.

We were very moved to receive a letter from John recently. It is shared below, by permission. Thank you, John, for your inspiring work!

Many people will agree when I say that diversity is the key to resilience. This can be seen in many cases—ecology, economy, and diet, to name a few. Seeds are not exempt from this concept. Indeed, they are fundamental to the future of our food systems, forests, and our planet.

This is why what the Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance has and continues to accomplish is so imperative. Not only have they done a brilliant job of bringing attention to this critical issue, but they have also been a true catalyst for action amongst a myriad of individuals, organizations, and communities. The welcoming and invigorating environment they have created for education, networking, and empowerment through seeds is quite amazing.

In my work as the owner of a regenerative landscaping company in Santa Fe, NM, the importance of strong seed stewardship and ecological diversity is quite apparent, especially in our harsh and changing climate. Locally adapted seed and the preservation of heritage seed varieties are critical to dryland agricultural traditions, and I feel the support of RMSA is invaluable in this pursuit. It is both a pleasure and a privilege to be able to contribute to such vital work.

Sincerely,

John Romens

Future Roots Regenerative Landscapes

If you feel moved to support RMSA's work, become a Supporting Member today!


eNewsletter for September 18, 2018
Get Involved with RMSA Seed School Seed Stewards Rocky Mountain Heritage Grain Trials Grown with Local Seeds Million Seed Savers
Let's Get Wild (Again!) Back by popular demand! During our online Seed Chat Q&A this past spring, RMSA Executive Director Bill McDorman discussed wild seeds as the plants were still "coming on." Now that harvest time has arrived, he will revisit this topic to share wildcrafting tips: what to look for, how to know if plants and seeds are ready, the fine art of seed storage, and other pearls of wisdom. "Get Wild" Seed Chat – Live Online Q&A with Bill McDorman and Greg Peterson Tuesday, September 18 @ 6 PM Pacific Sign up for FREE here Bill's "Wild Seeds" lecture continues to be a favorite among our Seed School students. He will also discuss medicinal, edible, and landscape uses of wild plants, as well as answer your questions about regional seed saving. Don't miss this exciting presentation!
Worth the Travel (and the Heat) The 5th Great American Seed Up is ready once again to provide you with a seed cache not found anywhere else—at a deep discount! Our goal is to supply everyone with as many seeds as possible, so you may start adapting, saving, and increasing seed stock everywhere. We will have buckets full of your favorite varieties. These are the same landrace seeds you would find in seed catalogs but at a quarter of the price. Typical seed packets are priced high due to the cost of packaging them—so we let you do the job (with our supplies) and enjoy the savings! This year have added over 30 varieties (more than 100 total) including grains, cover crops, and more wildflowers. Click here for the 2018 seed list. Great American Seed Up — Phoenix, Arizona Friday, September 21 from 5 pm – 9 pm includes the Arizona premiere of "Modified" Saturday, September 22 from 10 am – 2 pm* includes three seed workshops: Saving Seeds, Storing Seeds, and Growing from Seed (container gardening, too!). Click here to register and learn more.* All pre-registered attendees receive free webinars of the workshops! Location: North Phoenix Baptist Church 5757 N Central, Building B Phoenix, AZ 85012
Going, Going... A few spots remain for our Seed School Teacher Training for Agricultural Professionals course. This innovative event puts a new twist on our usual Seed School Teacher Training course by focusing on training ag professionals, such as extension agents, Natural Resources Conservation Service staff, and others whose work directly supports small farmers (e.g., farmers market directors). Seed School Teacher Training for Ag Professionals October 21–26, 2018 Posner Center, Denver, Colorado *Click here to apply and attend for FREE underwritten by a grant from Western-SARE.*
Regenerate and Repeat How many different ways can we teach Seed School? As many as necessary! One of the most exciting things about seed saving is how versatile it can be in adapting the practice to a wide range of crops, interests, and farming scales. On that note, we are thrilled to be invited to teach a very unique Seed School in a Day to sustainable farmers and ranchers as part of the 2018 Regenerate Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This annual gathering is produced by the Quivira Coalition and other partners working to advance sustainable ranching in the West. Seed Literacy for Western Farmers and Sustainable Ranchers Saturday, November 3, 2018 Desert Oasis Teaching Gardens – Albuquerque, New Mexico Learn more and register here This special Seed School in a Day looks at ranching and ways to incorporate seed diversity into various programs through wild grasses or cultivated areas to serve domestic and wild animals. Healthier grazing lands support healthier livestock and economies.
Harvest Prayers Please join us at the Wood River Community Seed Library in Ketchum, Idaho as we welcome Grandmother Flordemayo to our 5th-annual Local Seed Harvesting Party. All local seed stewards and anyone interested in learning more about seeds and seed saving are welcome to attend and participate in this fun, educational gathering. Special guest Grandmother Flordemayo, founder of the Seed Temple in Estancia, NM, will return to the Community Library to deliver a message from the seeds and bless this year’s local seed harvest. The Community Library is located in Ketchum at 415 Spruce Ave North. The seed gathering will be held in the newly remodeled Lecture Room from 5:30 – 7:30 pm on Tuesday, Oct 23rd.
Nourish! We are so grateful for our partnership with Global Seed Savers and everything they have done to support the Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance. Now it is our time to give back! Come get nourished at their 8th annual Nourish event. This brunchtime fundraiser gathering features delicious Filipino inspired cuisine prepared by Orange Crush Catering. All proceeds support our farmer friends throughout the Philippines. Global Seed Savers: Nourish Event Saturday, October 20th, 2018 Posner Center for International Development, Denver, Colorado Click here to register – Only $50, or $25 for students
Reunion of the Radicles Across the world, the seed saving movement's roots keep getting stronger, and its reach ever wider. Those seed keepers in the Mountain West have an amazing opportunity coming up to network, learn from each other, and celebrate our region's growing seed sovereignty movement. • . Mountain West Seed Summit February 21 – 23, 2019 Institute of American Indian Arts – Santa Fe, New Mexico Register now! Sessions include: • Young Seed Stewards Rising: Stories and Strategies to Support the Next Generation • Radical Seed Libraries • Seed Hubs: Lessons Learned • Seed Self-Sufficiency: Building a Sustainable Seed Business • Decolonizing Seed • Seed Cuisine • International Seed Saving Projects Includes a special add-on field trip to permaculture and seed sites in and around the Santa Fe area.
Seed Steward Salute: John Romens Regular readers of this newsletter know that we love to feature regional Seed Stewards at the forefront of this powerful movement. One such seed rockstar is John Romens, who is applying the holistic and reciprocal principles of seed stewardship to his work in regenerative landscaping. We were very moved to receive a letter from John recently. It is shared below, by permission. Thank you, John, for your inspiring work! Many people will agree when I say that diversity is the key to resilience. This can be seen in many cases—ecology, economy, and diet, to name a few. Seeds are not exempt from this concept. Indeed, they are fundamental to the future of our food systems, forests, and our planet. This is why what the Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance has and continues to accomplish is so imperative. Not only have they done a brilliant job of bringing attention to this critical issue, but they have also been a true catalyst for action amongst a myriad of individuals, organizations, and communities. The welcoming and invigorating environment they have created for education, networking, and empowerment through seeds is quite amazing. In my work as the owner of a regenerative landscaping company in Santa Fe, NM, the importance of strong seed stewardship and ecological diversity is quite apparent, especially in our harsh and changing climate. Locally adapted seed and the preservation of heritage seed varieties are critical to dryland agricultural traditions, and I feel the support of RMSA is invaluable in this pursuit. It is both a pleasure and a privilege to be able to contribute to such vital work. Sincerely, John Romens Future Roots Regenerative Landscapes *If you feel moved to support RMSA's work, become a Supporting Member today!*
Stay Connected with RMSA For questions regarding seed saving and current seed news, contact Bill McDorman: bill@rockymountainseeds.org For questions about seed vaulting or seed libraries, contact John Caccia: jc@rockymountainseeds.org For general inquiries, contact Belle Starr: belle@rockymountainseeds.org For questions about the Seed Stewards or Grain Trials programs, contact Lee-Ann Hill: Lee-Ann@rockymountainseeds.org 928-300-7989 \| www.rockymountainseeds.org Stay up to date with current seed news by checking in regularly with the RMSA Facebook page.