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“ child are instinctively fascinated with the concealed ability of a seed — even one flyspeck bean becomes an chance to educate about the ancestry of our food , ” say Diane Ott Whealy , Seed Savers Exchange co - father , when writing about the organization ’s Herman ’s Garden Seed Donation Program in 2014 . “ I have seen the joy a simple packet of semen can bring to children and adults likewise . ”
And that joy is alive and well at theLower Columbia School Gardens ( LCSG)in Washington state , which tote up three newfangled garden to its community in 2016 alone , thanks in part to sow donations made through the Herman ’s Garden programme . “ Your seeds have without a doubt made a difference of opinion , ” says Hillary Jensen of LCSG . “ They have play a pivotal role in our student ’ interactions with our gardens . ”
LCSG students express the joy of gardening through artwork.
Seed Savers Exchange has been informally donating surplus seeds to organizations and community gardens around the Earth for decades , but in 2008 it formally nominate its cum contribution political platform in honour of Herman Warsh , a altruist who , as Ott Whealy so succinctly put it , “ think in the big businessman of a ejaculate . ” Herman and his wife , Maryanne Mott , assist Seed Savers Exchange build Heritage Farm , its main office in Decorah , Iowa .
Each class Seed Savers Exchange donate more than 50,000 packets of seed to more than 600 gardens worldwide through the Herman ’s Garden platform . For LCSG , those seeds have help empower a community by connecting kids and families with real food and experiential scholarship . “ More than 4,000 bookman were engaged in dynamic , hand - on preparation , science , and nutrition body process in our school gardens this class , ” says Jensen . “ Demand for school garden is growing nationwide , but implementing a successful and sustainable curriculum requires a combination of expertise , community support , and material and fiscal financial backing — Seed Savers Exchange ’s generous contribution of semen goes such a long style toward our continued development . ”
And that increment has been nothing short of remarkable . Today LCSG operates 17 shoal gardens — and sustain a lofty total of 137,780 square feet of garden blank — all of which would in all likelihood not have transpire without the supporter of Herman ’s Garden and other seed donation programs .
LCSG students express the joy of gardening through artwork.
In 2016 , says Jensen , LCSG insert a seed geographic expedition mesa at its one-year Harvest Festival , a jubilation that allows every scholarly person at seven different elementary schools to observe the pleasure of gardening by making and drinking apple cider , exploring seeds and grains , eating roasted vegetables , and running a hay bale obstacle course . “ Students specially love to spread out seedcase of Seed Savers Exchange’sScarlet Runnerbeans , which we often concern to as ‘ magic bean ’ , ” allege Jensen . “ get the gift of thoughtfully grown and work cum from a manufacturer and steward like Seed Savers Exchange has give every one of these bookman ( and many adult ! ) the chance to develop , incline , harvest , James Cook , taste , and share so many scrumptious and beautiful varieties of produce . ”
This clause was originally published on the SSE blog in Fall 2017 .
Interested in applying for a Herman ’s Garden biotic community semen donation ? get word morehere .
LCSG students start seeds in spring.
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Seed Savers Exchange is a tax - exempt 501(c)3 non-profit-making organization dedicated to the conservation of heirloom seed .
