Seed Libraries in the news

Date:   8/12/2014 8:25:41 AM ( 10 y ago)

SEED LIBRARIES IN THE NEWS


great story!

This spring, your next packet of garden seeds may come not from a hardware store or nursery, but from your local public library.

Fighting to stay relevant in the digital age, public libraries have taken to lending all manner of weird and wonderful items: hand tools, baking pans, fishing poles, telescopes and knitting needles, among others. Don't like the memoir offerings at your local branch? Bring a USB thumb drive, plug it in at one of several massive Espresso Book Machines and print a hard-cover copy of your own memoir — or any other obscure title the library doesn't keep on hand.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/03/06/public-libraries-loaning/1962011/

started:
6:24 am
aug 12,2014


FABULOUS NEW BOOK

Seed Libraries

And Other Means of Keeping Seeds in the Hands of the People

by Cindy Conner


Historically, seed companies were generally small, often family-run businesses. Because they were regionally-based, they could focus on varieties well-suited to the local environment. A Pacific Northwest company, for example, would specialize in different cultivars than a company based in the Southeast. However the absorption of these small, independent seed businesses into large multinationals, combined with the advancement of biotechnology resulting in hybrids and GMO seeds, has led to a serious loss of genetic diversity. The public is now at the mercy of the corporations who control the seeds.

In the past few years, gardeners have realized the inherent danger in this situation. A growing movement is striving to preserve and expand our stock of heritage and heirloom varieties through seed saving and sharing opportunities. Seed Libraries is a practical guide to saving seeds through community programs, including:

Step-by-step instructions for setting up a seed library
A wealth of ideas to help attract patrons and keep the momentum going
Examples of existing libraries and other types of seed saving partnerships.
Whoever controls the seeds controls the food supply. By empowering communities to preserve and protect the genetic diversity of their harvest Seed Libraries is the first step towards reclaiming our self-reliance while enhancing food security and ensuring that the future of food is healthy, vibrant, tasty and nutritious.

You might also enjoy

http://www.newsociety.com/Books/S/Seed-Libraries


 

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URL:   http://www.curezone.org/blogs/fm.asp?i=2195814

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