DDATT seed saving enthusiasts focus on 2016 growing season

DEXTER — The Abbott Memorial Library’s community meeting room once more was the stage for more than a dozen local farmers and gardeners to continue plans for an eventual area-specific seed “library.” Heron Breen of St. Albans summarized the past few months of the group’s self-education work on the theories and practices of producing seeds which will reliably reproduce desired traits, a once common but no longer widespread rural skill. Independence from hybrid seed company monopolization of supply by cooperating locally with open-pollinated plants is one of the group’s goals.

Contributed photo

PLANTING A SEED — John Gornall of Garland looks over small selection of seeds provided by local gardeners at a 2014 seed and scion swap in Dexter’s Abbott Memorial Library.

As the 2016 seed catalogs arrive and the growing season approaches, the group decided on concentrating its efforts on three vegetables: buttercup squash, tomatoes and sweet peppers. Each of these plants present their own challenges and rewards. Buttercup squash, for example, may bountifully grow in the area but not do well in storage; the few tomatoes that are late-blight resistant are also (according to Breen) “taste- and flavor-resistant” as well, so how might we use breeding to make them more edible?

Having the many members of the group learn the same seed-production skills over the course of the next few years will not only broaden the propagation skills of the participants but also develop a deeper genetic pool for the chosen varieties than would be possible by individual growers alone. Wendy Russell, of Widdershin Farms in Dover Foxcroft, pointed out that the group needs to figure out a careful and relatively uniform system for evaluating plants’ developments throughout the growing and storage seasons over a period of years, so that consistent and useful data will result. Trish Smith added that the Gardens for Kids program for middle school students at the SeDoMoCha School in Dover Foxcroft would be a natural place to help with this type of science-based seed-saving program.

The group agreed to meet again 9 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 6 at the Abbott Memorial Library, giving time for members to peruse their many seed catalogs, make choices based on the day’s discussion, and then share seeds as appropriate to keep the momentum for the process and the “library” going. Field day visits to member gardens during the 2016 growing season will allow sharing of techniques (such as pollination, soil nutrition, pest control, note-taking, etc.) to all interested attendees.

Dexter Dover Area Towns in Transition (DDATT) supports the group’s activity as part of increasing local food production and independence from centrally controlled genetics. DDATT’s mission is to help ourselves rethink and reshape our community as we all move (consciously or not) away from being consumers to being contributors.

For more information on DDATT and future events, email info@ddatt.org to get on email list or call 277-4221 or 924-3836.