The Seattle Times - THIS SUMMER, Cara Loriz can be found in the fertile fields south of Port Townsend among organic carrot, spinach, pepper and corn plants, with bees and butterflies buzzing in colorful dahlias, poppies and zinnias. As executive director of the nonprofit Organic Seed Alliance, Loriz oversees this bountiful research farm at Finnriver Farm & Cidery, where new vegetable varieties are tested and bred.
Organic Seed Alliance, the leading seed institution in the nation, is committed to meeting farmers’ seed needs through research, education and advocacy.
Before the industrialization of agriculture, Loriz explains, farmers were more self-sufficient, selecting and saving their best seeds for the following year. While industrialization brought efficiencies in food production, two downsides were a decrease in the diversity of foods and a loss of adaptation to regional climates. Uniformity was king. Today, most seed is supplied by a handful of large corporations, Loriz says, and most of that seed might not do well in organic gardens and farms.
OSA works to increase access to organic and savable seed. “It is part of our common cultural heritage,” Loriz says. To put seed back in the hands of farmers, OSA teaches farmers and gardeners across the country how to select and save seed. A free guide can be downloaded on the OSA website.
Organic Seed Alliance, the leading seed institution in the nation, is committed to meeting farmers’ seed needs through research, education and advocacy.
Before the industrialization of agriculture, Loriz explains, farmers were more self-sufficient, selecting and saving their best seeds for the following year. While industrialization brought efficiencies in food production, two downsides were a decrease in the diversity of foods and a loss of adaptation to regional climates. Uniformity was king. Today, most seed is supplied by a handful of large corporations, Loriz says, and most of that seed might not do well in organic gardens and farms.
OSA works to increase access to organic and savable seed. “It is part of our common cultural heritage,” Loriz says. To put seed back in the hands of farmers, OSA teaches farmers and gardeners across the country how to select and save seed. A free guide can be downloaded on the OSA website.