Seeds Are Essential: Swap and Celebrate at Events on April 2 and 9
April 2 Seed Swap
The Bay Area Seed Interchange Library (BASIL) resumes its popular Seed Swap at the Saturday Downtown Berkeley Farmers’ Market. You’ll find free educational resources for sustainable gardening and seed saving, as well as a space to connect and learn with other local gardeners. Come share your seeds with BASIL and community members – we welcome all seed and gardening enthusiasts – whether you are a new or experienced grower!
BASIL is a community project housed at the Berkeley Ecology Center for 22 years. This seed library was a first of its kind and has served as a model for and inspiration to seed libraries across the country.
To best prepare seeds for the swap, please pre-label with the common name, variety name, genus, species, harvest location, year harvested, the number of plants collected from (see image below). Cooking and growing information is also helpful!
21st Annual BASIL Bay Area Seed Swap
Saturday, April 2, 10am–3pm
Downtown Berkeley Farmers’ Market at the Civic Center Park in Berkeley
Cost: Event is free, but please consider a donation of seeds or $5-$20
More info.
April 9 Seed-Saving Workshop: Preserving Today’s Seeds for Tomorrow
Join the Ecology Center for this free virtual workshop. Pick up skills and knowledge that will help you join the seed-saving and food justice movements as you help protect biodiversity and preserve heirloom varieties of seeds for the future.
Learn to connect with nature’s wisdom as you save your own seeds and plan your garden for seed saving. Seed savers help get these seeds where they belong, in gardens and on tables everywhere, for generations to come.
Topics include: Why save seed, hybrid vs heirlooms, saving different types of seeds, seed storage, and the BASIL (Bay Area Seed Saving Interchange Library) at the Ecology Center.
The presenter for this event is Lori Caldwell, a frequent Ecology Center Classroom instructor and the owner of CompostGal: Consulting, Landscaping & Education. She is an avid gardener, a Master Composter, and a Bay-Friendly Qualified Landscape professional and has been teaching sustainable gardening classes all over the Bay Area since 2007.
Seed Saving: Preserving Today’s Seeds for Tomorrow
Thursday, April 7, 6–7:15pm online
Cost: Free
More info.