Seed Savers Exchange

This post Seed Savers Exchange was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius Lindhe in the blog Tyra's Garden

Since 1975, Seed Savers Exchange members have passed on approximately one million samples of rare garden seeds to other gardeners. Seed Savers Exchange are a non-profit organization of gardeners dedicated to saving and sharing heirloom seeds.

 Time to start to dream about the growing season 2011. Are you interested in Heirloom Seeds? Then read about  the Seed Savers Exchange. I find this subject about heirloom seeds fascination and most interesting so I've joined. I so wished that we had something similar in Europe/ EU but I have not found anything yet. If you happen to know anything in the matter please let me know.  

This is what Seed Savers Exchange has to say about the organization:

"Seed Savers Exchange is a non-profit, 501(c)(3), member supported organization that saves and shares the heirloom seeds of our garden heritage, forming a living legacy that can be passed down through generations.

Our mission is to save North America's diverse, but endangered, garden heritage for future generations by building a network of people committed to collecting, conserving and sharing heirloom seeds and plants, while educating people about the value of genetic and cultural diversity.

At the heart of Seed Savers Exchange are the dedicated members who have distributed hundreds of thousands of heirloom and open pollinated garden seeds since our founding 35 years ago. Those seeds now are widely used by seed companies, small farmers supplying local and regional markets, chefs and home gardeners and cooks, alike.

Seed Savers Exchange was founded in 1975 by Diane Ott Whealy and Kent Whealy to honor this tradition of preserving and sharing. Their collection started when Diane's terminally-ill grandfather gave them the seeds of two garden plants, Grandpa Ott's morning glory and German Pink tomato. Grandpa Ott's parents brought the seeds from Bavaria when they immigrated to St. Lucas, Iowa in the 1870s.



Today, the 890-acre Heritage Farm, near Decorah, Iowa, is our home. We maintain many thousands of heirloom garden varieties, most having been brought to North America by members' ancestors who emigrated from Europe, the Middle East, Asia and other parts of the world.



Unlike Fort Knox, Heritage Farm is not surrounded by security fences and guards. Our perimeter is patrolled by bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, deer, raccoons and other wildlife. The farm is ringed by hiking trails that take visitors through majestic scenery, past our certified organic preservation gardens, historic orchard and ancient White Park Cattle." SSE

Here are two of my heirloom tomotoes I grew this season.

Azoychka from Russia and Goldman's Italian/American tomato. Goldman's heirloom tomato was one of the best this year. This high yield, delicious red tomato came all in slightly different forms and sizes, which I really liked. 

Do visit their homepage, it is a heaven for an Heirloom Enthusiast, trust me!