What is a Seed Swap? A gathering of people, usually gardeners and farmers, who have come together to share seeds. The seeds can include locally saved seeds, excess bought seeds, seeds brought back from another region or country, or excess seeds that a seed company donated — you decide what you want to swap.
The state just became the fourth to pass a law making it legal to swap seeds and collect them in non-commercial libraries.
How to Organize a Community Seed Swap
Tips on organising the seed exchange
To save seed from your garden, use coin envelopes, commercial seed saving envelopes, or craft your own packets. Provide plenty of envelopes, small zipper bags or paper packets for people to carry seed. Many heirloom seed companies sell paper packets for storing seeds.
Eleven Ways to Share Seeds
Farmers who choose to grow genetically modified (GM, or GMO) seed sign a contract stating that they will not save their seed to grow next year. GMO seed is protected under intellectual property laws. To save this seed to plant again the next year will violate a contract and is illegal under Intellectual Property law.
While saving seed and even exchanging seed with other farmers for biodiversity purposes has been a traditional practice, these practices have become illegal for the plant varieties that are patented or otherwise owned by some entity (often a corporation).
According to recent rulings in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Illinois, the seed libraries that facilitate the free exchange of these rare legumes, vegetables, and fruits are "illegal seed distribution centers" under state law.
National Seed Swap Day on the last Saturday in January serves as a reminder to gardeners that spring is on its way. It is also an ideal time for gardeners to gather and swap seeds in preparation for starting seeds indoors.
How to Start a Seed Library
Yet No Comments