Monday, October 15, 2012

Saving Seed






Saving seed is an art and a science that has been practiced all over the world since the time agriculture emerged...

"We are on the verge of losing in one generation, much of the agricultural diversity it took humankind 10,000 years to create. As late as 1900, food for the planet's hungry was provided by as many as 1,500 different plants, each further represented by thousands of different cultivated varieties. Today over 90% of the world's nutrition is provided by 30 different plants and only four (wheat, rice, corn and soybeans) provide 75% of the calories consumed by man. Where once diverse strains strengthened each local ecosystem, currently, a handful of "green revolution", super-hybrid varieties are "mono-cropping" farms and gardens worldwide."
...
"For approximately 10,000 years, individual gardeners and farmers created and sustained our rich genetic heritage. Now gardeners and farmers can play an important role in saving it by learning to save their own seeds from varieties that perform best in their own mini-ecosystems. This will assure diversity in the same the way that diversity was promoted and protected instinctively throughout the history of agriculture."
          -International Seed Saving Institute Website

At Graze the Roof we started saving seed about 6 months ago and are slowly building up a seed library that will nurture our garden for years to come and serve as a resource for our community.

On Sunday November 4th, join artist/scientists Zoey Kroll and Suzanne Husky for an experiential workshop on 'Seed Saving.'

  • Go on a 'Seed Walk' around the garden and learn techniques and strategies for saving seasonal vegetable and flower seed
  • Discuss the burgeoning seed library movement and design a system for Graze the Roof
  • Learn about appropriate seed storage and seed packaging
  • Leave with a holistic understanding of this ancient art and science and a dozens of seeds for your own home, community or school garden
RSVP for this FREE community workshop to : grazetheroof@gmail.com 
     ***donations graciously accepted***

WHAT: Seed Saving
WHERE: Graze the Roof
WHEN: Sunday November 4th
TIME: 1p-3p

Read more...

50 lbs of HONEY






Yesterday our resident Bee Keeper, Paul Koski guided 15 volunteers through the delicate art and science of harvesting honey.

We collected 50 lbs of light, floral and perfectly sweet honey!

It will be on sale in a couple of weeks! 

All the funds raised from the honey sales will go to benefit the Graze the Roof Project. 
Thank you in advance for your support!

...and, "Thank You to the Honey Bees!" 


Read more...