St Kilda Seed Library

This low winter light on these icy mornings does something for my brain 😍 I'm not a photographer, I can't capture its true beauty

Thank you to Fiona for sharing some White Iceicle radish seed. I will process these and get them out into the library but probably also grow some out here to keep a supply of seed as its very popular

Thank you to the beautiful Jae for sharing some heirloom tomato and some chilli seed to the library. It is such a privilege to see these seeds as they move around our community. I feel so incredibly lucky to see these varieties as they come and go, season after season.

Who out there in Otepoti is able to help me build up tomato seed for a good cause? Good cause as in free seedy resources for all people.

Im also planning to do this with beans, so if you'd prefer to grow beans, im going to get tomatoes out first and probably get onto beans mid August.

Im so sorry its taken me forever to reply! Are you still after tomato seeds? When suits to catch up?

This means over time, this hardiness gets selected for over and over and passed on to the next generation. These are naturally hardy vegetables (chard, celtuce, beans, garlic, celery, peas), but any damage from frost shows where any weakness is that would be good to eliminate if possible.

I've added some photos, just from three days of frost last week, as I dont use frost cloth at all here. I want plants exposed to their environment so I can remove what isnt working, what doesn't tolerate the climate, etc.

This will be something I write more on in the future, because it has taken time to adjust my way of thinking on this, coming from a 'strictly heirloom/heritage varieties ' way of thinking.

This is also one of two very key reasons I'm looking at adaptation seedsaving of one or two plant varieties, alongside heritage seedsaving (the other being the continuation of story, of change, of connection that isn't relegated to just origin, but acknowledgement of change).

So, we just keep saving, sharing and growing out local seeds. Its importance and value with regards to climate may not be immediately obvious, but perhaps in our kids, or grandkids generations, this activity may prove its value beyond my own wee seedy obsession.

This looks like vegetables that don't bolt in summer, or dont die from exposure to frosts. Plants that are heat tolerant, that have brace roots to hold up against the spring winds, tomatos that manage outside down here.

This is also a way that we can actively resource our community, actively maintain good seedlines, and allow us to think about climate change in manageable, locally relevant, and proactive ways, and in a grassroots manner.

This is partly why I continually grow out seed here over and over of certain plants to almost force them to express traits that are resilient to this local area.

Whilst I don't know anywhere near enough about plant genetics to discuss this from any place of knowledge, it is one reason why I'm passionate about local seedsaving and encouraging local seed sharing.

growing out seed locally, and promoting local seedsaving education and networks.
Over time, our changing climate will need us to continue to enable seed to adapt, and 'fit' into the environment, with the pressures of these changes forcing the expression of genes that enable adaptation. .

The idea of changing seasons is definately an uncomfortable concept, but if future research continues to demonstrate changes to the nature of our seasons as a result of our changing climate,this gives us increasing reason to keep sourcing and sharing seed locally,

This is a direct share from IFL Science, not the actual paper referenced therein, which is research suggesting that the seasons are changing:

www.facebook.com/share/p/15Hf...

You're absolutely fine! But please yell out if do get the opportunity and want to grow something, anything. :)

Truly hope so. I never imagined having too many varieties to grow out, but its probably a good problem to have.

Nah you wont, i can be flexible or can leave the seed in the letterbox :)

You're fantastic, just flick me a message when suits so I can be around!

I need people keen to grow some funky tomatoes this season. How it works:
You get seed from me, grow it out, and do what you wish with the produce as long as you can return some seeds or a ripe fruit to the library. And ideally save some seed of you favs for yourself next season.
Can you help?

I have been collecting tomato seed for years to stock the seed library. I have a problem, however, in that it all needs regular growing out and I dont have room.
It would be a huge shame for Dunedin to lose this seed, so I have a wee plan.

www.facebook.com/share/p/1F6J...

Updated seed library list for #Ōtepoti

www.facebook.com/share/p/15nP...

Photos from Bunny Burrows Montessori
#seedsaving
#stem
#steam
#meaningful #purposeful #occupation in #education

I was thinking of you this morning actually for a completely different reason (inclusion is about to be a hot topic in local politics, but I have some concerns in how it's being presented).

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and other human rights documents.

Feel free to copy/paste/edit for your own submission.

The St Kilda seed library calls for the Government of Aotearoa to honour Te Tiriti, He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Niu Tireni (the Declaration of Independence), and the obligations contained in the

The St Kilda seed library wishes to make the following recommendations:

The St Kilda seed library strongly urges all parties to oppose the Regulatory Standards Bill.