Seed Garden

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!

Work party harvesting Grains

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!

Work Party at the Salish Seed Gardens

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 TypeVarietyYield
BasilItalian sweet, Inspiration Farm1.3 oz from Brian
Bean – Dry, BushEarly Refuge8.8 lbs
Bean – Dry, BushRockwell3.6 lbs
Bean – Dry, PoleUnknown (O’Driscoll’s?)1.6 lbs
Bean – Dry, PoleSaxon4.7 lbs
Bean – Snap, BushProvider10.8 lbs
Bean – Snap, PoleBlue Lake1.4 lbs
Bean – Snap, PoleMusica2.9 lbs
Bean – Snap, PoleMarvel of Venice11 oz
Bean – Snap, PoleFortex0.5 lbs
Bean, Snap, BushFrench Fillet0.9 lbs
BeetsForono1.7 lbs
CalendulaOrange and Yellow1.33 lbs
Cilantro2.1 lbs
CornMagic Manna flour corn2 lbs
CornAmish Butter popcorn1.8 lb
CornDakota Black popcorn12 lbs
CucumberStraight 8 Slicer2 oz
CucumberPickling1.9 oz
CucumberArmenian1.5 oz
FavaFrog Island2.4 lbs
GrainsJereavailable, request from Brian
GrainsOrcas barleyavailable, request from Brian
GrainsTriticaleavailable, request from Brian
KaleInspiration Farm landrace1.74 lbs
LeeksInspiration Farm5 oz
LettuceSpeckled Trout’s Back2.4 oz
LettuceGrandpa Admire0.9 oz
LettuceRed leaf3.3 oz
LettuceGreen Riffle4.1 oz
LettuceFrizzy headed drunken woman2 oz
OnionNewburg yellow storage10 oz
ParsnipsInspiration Farm feral1.27 lbs
Pea, freshCascadia1.85 lbs
Pea, freshOregon Sugar Pod1.8 lbs
Pea, freshSugar Snap5.54 lbs
PepperKing of the North Sweetcrop failure
RadishFrench Breakfast0.5 lbs +
SpinachBloomsdale savoy2 lbs
Squash – summerCostata Romanesco1 lb 2 oz
Squash – summerZucchini5 oz
Squash – winterPotimarron (aka Red Kuri)6 oz
Squash – winterDelicata – Honeyboat2 oz
SunflowersMamath sunflower1.1 lbs
TomatilloBrian planted18 g +
TomatoPeacevine cherry72 g
TomatoStupice27 g
TomatoOregon Spring3 g
TomatoChocolate Cherry18 g
TomatoAmish Paste7 g

What are your thoughts?