Niagara Seedy Saturday 2011

2010 -Crowd listening to a speaker.

2010- the seed exchange table , not much left!

 If you like  growing food, want to mingle with other like minded people, pick up a bit of useful information, Niagara Seedy Saturday-the fifth annual, is right around the corner.


In fact Seedy Saturdays are springing up all across Canada, through the months of February and March.






The Niagara event is again going to be held at Balls Falls Conservation Area, Jordan.  The date to mark on your calendar is Feb. 12th, between the times of 10-3pm.




The focus of this event is open pollinated seeds and most definitely the heart and soul of it is the seed exchange table.  The hope is that people will bring seeds to share with others, and pick up a pack in exchange for their donation.  Last year the seeds disappeared quickly from the table. This year, in order to make sure the seeds are shared evenly by all, the table will be supervised, and seeds I am donating will be deposited at different times throughout the day.  Therefore ...no need to rush out in the morning.  There will be seeds enough to last the day.


As well, there will be a free pack of seeds upon entering.  Again, attendees to Seedy Saturday will NOT be required to pay the Balls Falls day pass rate of $5.75, (Thank you).  However the donation I am requesting is $2.00 to help me cover the large rate increase in the room rental.  If there are excess funds collected at the door, they will all be donated to USC Canada to assist with their very valuable work in third world country agriculture.


I am delighted to announce the slate of speakers for this year.
Steven Biggs from Toronto is my "headliner" if you will.  Steve's bio is as follows:

A writer, horticulturist, and garden educator, Steven Biggs is a lifelong gardener who has managed to garden wherever he’s lived—with allotment gardens, container gardens, indoor gardens, and gardens in the overgrown backyards of rented houses. Sign up for his free vegetable gardening e-zine, Homegrown in Toronto, at www.The-Locavores-Garden.com.

Coming in March 2011, a new book by Steven Biggs and Donna Balzer. Biggs and Balzer have gardened far and wide, from Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, and Grande Prairie, to Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island. Their forthcoming book, Serving Up…No Guff Vegetable Gardening, is a down-to-earth read for new gardeners, with a delicious collection of savoury tips and ideas for experienced gardeners. They keep gardening simple: taste how fun the science of gardening can be with a food-themed look at soil; make gardening practical with the scatter-and-poke method of seeding; understand the summer squash clan with a family snapshot that describes summer squash siblings. There’s more than one way to slice a tomato, and throughout their dinner date they don’t agree about everything on the table: join the debate inside.

Steve will be speaking on the topic of  fruits; the more common, currants and gooseberries, and the less common, figs.  I have always thought figs would be fun to try, and am eager to hear of Steve's experience with them.  

As well, Jen Heaton will be discussing vermi-composting (worms), master gardener Wendy Dunnville will talk about judging produce in competition, and master gardener John Renaud will discuss the value of micorizzhae fungi (myke) in planting.  Kate Green from USC Canada, will be with us as well I am happy to report, and will be showing a film called "Saving the Seed" with discussion of international seed issues after.


I'm still sorting out the time slots for all of this and will post the times soon.


Heirloom seed vendors confirmed at this time are The Cottage Gardener from Port Hope, Urban Harvest from Toronto and me (from here).  Expect to see lots of seeds for great heirloom veggies.  Make sure to chat up the vendors and folks displaying at the other tables....there is lots of knowledge there.


I am happy to welcome Seeds of Diversity, USC Canada, Premier Horticulture, Community Care, amongst others.  


Last year we had a good turnout.  Stay away snow so we can talk about growing again!