To be a seed processing equipment Co-Op, education/ research group, Seed Bank and seed lending library
Salish Seed Co-op’s mission is to honor the biodiversity of seeds grown in our local food shed and to encourage the care-taking of genetic seed diversity for future generations. Our members grow, select & store seeds from plants that express genetic strengths adaptable to our soils & changing weather, or unique heirloom qualities that could enhance the resiliency of our local food system.
We advance our mission through a regional Salish Sea network of seed-saving garden-farmers & advocates, through organizing & attending regional seed swaps supporting open exchange of seeds, through workshops and educational demonstrations at public events, and by researching, building and acquiring appropriate-scale seed processing equipment and storage facilities.
We envision a future where a majority of local farmers and gardeners are saving at least some of their own seeds, with each individual playing a vital role in stewarding locally-adapted seed varieties and diversity. We envision a future where local farmers are once again educated and skilled in the art and science of selecting, harvesting, threshing, and cleaning seed of all types of food and medicinal plants. We envision a future where our local seed swaps are no longer dependent on seeds donated by large seed companies from outside the region, and instead become vital trading posts for local growers and seed stewards.
Donations Welcome for Salish Seed Co-Op Projects
Acquire Seed Processing Equipment
Equipment list includes: threshers, seed cleaning devices, the Clipper fanning mill and hand screens we have, de hulling equipment, grinding mills and potentially nut & corn shucking and grinding equipment.
The function would be to clean and process seeds used as food, grain, corn, beans, nuts.
The equipment would be housed at one location but would be available to the community much like the Whatcom Pastured Poultry equipment. With a small lifetime membership of say $20 you could rent the equipment and some of the seed that you clean would go back into the seed bank.
Salish Seed Co-Op Goals:
Set up and Organize Salish Seed Bank The seed storage component. Includes storage space, containers, physical organization systems and personal to organize, catalog and distribute seeds. Organizing with multiple goals in mind.
First priority would be to be a repository for all seed genetics that are appropriate for growing in Whatcom county and store them in trust for the people here. Record origins and breeding history of each seed variety in the bank.
Second priority would be go keep the seed resources renewed and recorded with reliable seed saving growers. Maintaining the best genetics and diversity.
Third focus would be to get extra seeds out to the community to grow food. Achieved through seed swaps, food banks, self serve seed kiosks at libraries and schools.
Another ongoing function should be to train people how to grow crops out in order to correctly save seed so that there is reliable new seed coming back to the seed bank. Includes organizing classes, printing brochures, and bringing in speakers.
- – Approximate space needed to start- 100- 200 Square feet
- – Equipment needs. 5-10 file cabinets or equivalent mouse proof storage. Lots of containers, large and small, preferably glass. A sorting table. Dehumidifier and climate controls. Computer system to handle inventory, labels, brochures etc. Some office supplies.
- – Approximate initial funds needed for equipment and staff. Equipment- Say $5000. Salary for 1 person to set the system up and get things going ???? Minimal input needed after setup, just maintenance.
2- The seed cleaning and processing equipment component.
This components function would not only be used to clean seeds but also process seeds used as food, grain, corn, beans, nuts.
This equipment would be housed at one location but would be available to the community much like the Whatcom pastured poultry equipment is. With a small lifetime membership fee say $20 you can use it for a small rental say $10 a day and some of the seed that you clean would go back into the seed bank. Prefferably all of this equipment would be housed in a weather proof box trailer that could be hauled from site to site for threshing parties.
- – Equipment list includes: A box trailer large enough to house, threshers, seed cleaning devices, the Clipper (we have), hand screens and others, de hulling equipment, mills and potentially nut & corn shucking, grinding equipment and an oil press.
- – Approximate space needed to start- 500 – 1000 sq. feet
- – Approximate initial funds needed for equipment- could be anywhere from $15,000 to $35,000 depending on what scale and type of equipment we decide to go with. Some of this we already have.
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