Learn to be a super seed saver at upcoming workshop

By Erin Perkins

Get an indepth look at effective seed saving techniques at the Grand Forks and Boundary Regional Agricultural Society's (GFBRAS) upcoming workshop, Seed Saving Production: The Basics and Beyond, with Patrick Steiner of Stellar Seeds, Thursday, April 12.

This is the first time Steiner, co-owner of Stellar Seeds, has hosted a workshop in Grand Forks. Steiner hails from Johnson's Landing, B.C. located in the East Kootenays where he and his partner, Colleen O'Brien have been operating Stellar Seeds for over a decade.

Steiner specializes in organic and open pollinated heritage seed varieties.

Seed saving can be as simple as letting a plant go to seed, harvesting those seeds and then storing them in a cool, dark place. But, as Steiner will teach, there is more to raising good quality seeds.

"The most practical point they will learn (from the workshop) is about the principles of good seed production," said Steiner from his home in Johnson's Landing.

"They will learn how to get their seeds to grow to type and how to avoid cross pollination so they don't end up with 'pumccinis'."

Seed saving is done mostly by gardeners, but Steiner hopes to see some "farmers in the crowd" because he'll also be discussing larger scale seed saving techniques.

The workshop will cover everything from gardener and homesteader level seed production principles and practices to variations on commercial scale seed production and seed marketing to a overview of local, regional and national seed saving initiatives. Steiner will be providing handouts. He also hopes to have an active discussion with the audience.

Advance registration is required for the workshop by calling 250-442-8583 or by email at . The workshop is free for members, or by donation for non-members. The annual $10 memberships to the Ag Society will also be available for purchase.

After the workshop, there will be a potluck at 6 p.m. followed by the annual general meeting for GFBRAS at 7 p.m. with Steiner as the guest speaker. All events are being held in the Seniors Center in City Park, Grand Forks.

Steiner began seed production to fill a need

Steiner began his seed saving obsession while interning in various market gardens in Ontario and B.C. When he decided to start out on his own in the 1990s he wanted to find a niche market for himself and that's when seed production caught his attention.

"(Farmers) needed more organic seeds at that time but nothing was really available," said Steiner. He began as a market garden and slowly began experimenting with seed production on the side.

"I got really entranced with the process," he said. "Then it became more and more of what I did. Now it is the majority of what we do."

He said today seed production is about 80 per cent of his business and the market garden makes up about 20 per cent at Stellar Seeds.

"Today the quality (of seeds) keeps going up ... It began at the grassroots level and training is done through workshops and through each other. (Knowledge) is improving our ability to save seeds... Seed saving is reintroducing biodiversity so when you (save seeds), do it well."

For more information about Stellar Seeds visit their website at www.stellarseeds.com.