Climate Adaptation
From the Cool Beans! 🫘 April 12, 2025 Newsletter (Subscribe)
As our world becomes less predictable—from changing weather patterns to global instability—local seeds offer practical hope and security. Our communities and gardens need seeds that can thrive despite drought, pests, heat waves, or whatever challenges come next.
Seed libraries have an exciting role to play in nurturing these resilient, flavorful, locally adapted varieties, empowering gardeners to face the uncertainties ahead.
For over ten thousand years humans have carefully developed local varieties adapted to their unique conditions in every corner of the world. What follows isn't meant to replace the importance of generational heirloom varieties, but rather to supplement and ease barriers for new seed savers, and existing seed savers who are hesitant to share seeds because they may not meet conventional isolation requirements.
It’s time! Let’s create new local heirlooms and diverse mixes, based on the modern communities we live in today.
Adaptation Agriculture in Action: Rather than changing the environment for plants, we adapt our plants to local conditions by mixing diverse varieties, celebrating cross-pollination, and selecting seeds from plants that thrive despite local challenges. This approach creates long-term community food security and sovereignty, flavorful harvests, and empowered gardeners and seed savers.
Getting Your Seed Library Started:
Resources:
As our world becomes less predictable—from changing weather patterns to global instability—local seeds offer practical hope and security. Our communities and gardens need seeds that can thrive despite drought, pests, heat waves, or whatever challenges come next.
Seed libraries have an exciting role to play in nurturing these resilient, flavorful, locally adapted varieties, empowering gardeners to face the uncertainties ahead.
For over ten thousand years humans have carefully developed local varieties adapted to their unique conditions in every corner of the world. What follows isn't meant to replace the importance of generational heirloom varieties, but rather to supplement and ease barriers for new seed savers, and existing seed savers who are hesitant to share seeds because they may not meet conventional isolation requirements.
It’s time! Let’s create new local heirlooms and diverse mixes, based on the modern communities we live in today.
Adaptation Agriculture in Action: Rather than changing the environment for plants, we adapt our plants to local conditions by mixing diverse varieties, celebrating cross-pollination, and selecting seeds from plants that thrive despite local challenges. This approach creates long-term community food security and sovereignty, flavorful harvests, and empowered gardeners and seed savers.
Getting Your Seed Library Started:
- Choose 1-2 species that are commonly grown and popular in your area. Consider starting with a genetically diverse mix to accelerate adaptation.
- Combine varieties intentionally, including leftover seeds from past years, to create dynamic diversity. If you can buy seeds, seed companies are listed below to get you started.
- Build community. Label them as a ‘diverse mix’ and encourage people to save and return seeds from the healthiest, tastiest plants.
- Share what’s working in your seed library! Post in the UpBeet! Forum community.
Resources:
- Going to Seed offers free Adaptation Gardening courses, a book (Landrace Gardening by Joseph Lofthouse), diverse seed mixes, and an online community. Their growing guides are coming out soon, so sign up for the mailing list to be notified when you can access or order them.
- Labeling and signage: The Seed Library Network has labels, recommendations, and signs that work with diverse seed mixes
- Sourcing seeds:
- Plant For Change Global Seed Directory
- SeedLinked map of US regional seed companies
- Seed companies in the US that are selling diverse mixes or landraces (search for “landrace” or” grex”)
- List of EU seed companies
- Canadian Seed Companies
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subscribe
|
Donate
|
Seed the Map!
|
Forum
|
|
© 2014 - 2024 The Seed Library Network