Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Hudson Valley Seed Library

This past weekend I went to Accord, NY, to the Hudson Valley Seed Library, 
a farm that specializes in growing organic and open-pollinated heirloom seeds 
( http://www.seedlibrary.org/about-us-hvsl/ ) that was started at the site of old 
camp resort in 2004.  This is the time of year when plants are harvested for seed
or have already been harvested.  It was odd, from a gardener's perspective to see
so many of these plants gone to seed! It is always an embarrassment to me to see
lettuce, for example, gone to seed in my garden!  And, of course, I try to pick 
my veggies at the best point for eating, which is usually far earlier than the seed
production stage!
In the photo collage above: red zinnias going to seed, center top (counter clock-
wise): red lettuce seed heads, de-seeded squash in the compost pile, onions drying and
eggplants being allowed to mature to form seeds.
This company also sponsors a yearly contest for artists to design some of their seed
packs: 

This might inspire me to use more open-pollinated plants and save my own seed!
Happy gardening!

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