Seed grown in a community for the community strengthens the local food system by creating a local source of seed. Gardeners who grow, gather, and share their knowledge, food, and seed are the foundation of local food systems. This work is part of a seed saving history that goes back thousands of years, and it’s essential for a healthy and sustainable food future!
In 2021 the Salish Seed Guild will begin creating a Community Seed Garden: an educational garden for hands-on workshops and a source of locally adapted, community-grown seed.
Seeds grown in the garden will serve as the foundation for expanded seed distribution to those in need in Whatcom County via seed swaps, a seed library, and food banks. The seed garden will help to preserve locally-adapted seed genetics, essential to the long-term food security of our community. The garden will also serve as an educational farm where community members can learn how to grow, harvest, process, and save their own seeds, which will build community resilience and partnerships.
In 2021 we will begin our efforts on privately-owned land in a Central-Whatcom County location. Inspiration Farm and a neighboring property have agreed to host us. Our ultimate dream is to have a Community Seed Garden site on public land, so that it can be as accessible, inclusive, and visible as possible. Please join us in advocating to City and County staff about the importance of including community-run vegetable and seed gardens and food forests in public parks and on other publicly-owned properties that are suitable for agriculture.
Please donate to help support the establishment and management of the Community Seed Garden!
Here are our Seed Variety yields from last year 2021
These seeds will be packaged up and made available to Local people soon. If you want to help this effort you can sign up to volunteer or donate to get the job done. It takes a village!
Look at our distribution locations to get your hands on seeds that you can use.
| Crop Type | Variety | Yield |
| Basil | Italian sweet, Inspiration Farm | 1.3 oz from Brian |
| Bean – Dry, Bush | Early Refuge | 8.8 lbs |
| Bean – Dry, Bush | Rockwell | 3.6 lbs |
| Bean – Dry, Pole | Unknown (O’Driscoll’s?) | 1.6 lbs |
| Bean – Dry, Pole | Saxon | 4.7 lbs |
| Bean – Snap, Bush | Provider | 10.8 lbs |
| Bean – Snap, Pole | Blue Lake | 1.4 lbs |
| Bean – Snap, Pole | Musica | 2.9 lbs |
| Bean – Snap, Pole | Marvel of Venice | 11 oz |
| Bean – Snap, Pole | Fortex | 0.5 lbs |
| Bean, Snap, Bush | French Fillet | 0.9 lbs |
| Beets | Forono | 1.7 lbs |
| Calendula | Orange and Yellow | 1.33 lbs |
| Cilantro | 2.1 lbs | |
| Corn | Magic Manna flour corn | 2 lbs |
| Corn | Amish Butter popcorn | 1.8 lb |
| Corn | Dakota Black popcorn | 12 lbs |
| Cucumber | Straight 8 Slicer | 2 oz |
| Cucumber | Pickling | 1.9 oz |
| Cucumber | Armenian | 1.5 oz |
| Fava | Frog Island | 2.4 lbs |
| Grains | Jere | available, request from Brian |
| Grains | Orcas barley | available, request from Brian |
| Grains | Triticale | available, request from Brian |
| Kale | Inspiration Farm landrace | 1.74 lbs |
| Leeks | Inspiration Farm | 5 oz |
| Lettuce | Speckled Trout’s Back | 2.4 oz |
| Lettuce | Grandpa Admire | 0.9 oz |
| Lettuce | Red leaf | 3.3 oz |
| Lettuce | Green Riffle | 4.1 oz |
| Lettuce | Frizzy headed drunken woman | 2 oz |
| Onion | Newburg yellow storage | 10 oz |
| Parsnips | Inspiration Farm feral | 1.27 lbs |
| Pea, fresh | Cascadia | 1.85 lbs |
| Pea, fresh | Oregon Sugar Pod | 1.8 lbs |
| Pea, fresh | Sugar Snap | 5.54 lbs |
| Pepper | King of the North Sweet | crop failure |
| Radish | French Breakfast | 0.5 lbs + |
| Spinach | Bloomsdale savoy | 2 lbs |
| Squash – summer | Costata Romanesco | 1 lb 2 oz |
| Squash – summer | Zucchini | 5 oz |
| Squash – winter | Potimarron (aka Red Kuri) | 6 oz |
| Squash – winter | Delicata – Honeyboat | 2 oz |
| Sunflowers | Mamath sunflower | 1.1 lbs |
| Tomatillo | Brian planted | 18 g + |
| Tomato | Peacevine cherry | 72 g |
| Tomato | Stupice | 27 g |
| Tomato | Oregon Spring | 3 g |
| Tomato | Chocolate Cherry | 18 g |
| Tomato | Amish Paste | 7 g |