One rooster step at a time seed savers exchange blog. The story begins in diane s childhood, and weaves its way through her marriage, children, and homesteading in several states, and explains how sse finally landed in. This week on rootstock radio, were speaking with diane ott whealy, cofounder and vice president of seed savers exchange. Growing food in a hotter, drier land by gary paul nabhan. Managing a living collection of over 20,000 varieties, seed savers exchange distributes openpollinated seeds, coordinates a membertomember seed swap of homegrown seeds and teaches the time. It is one of about 1500 seed banks in the world, and hosts 15,000 to 20,000 people from all over north america each year in the visitor center, which is set on an 898acre farm in decorah, iowa. Many seed savers exchange supporters know that the organization was founded in 1975 by kent whealy and diane ott whealy with seeds from two beloved family heirloomsthe german pink tomato and the grandpa ott s morning glory. Diane ott whealy cofounded seed savers exchange sse with kent whealy in 1975.
The love for the land and the respect for heirloom seeds that ott whealy shared with her husband, kent, led to their starting seed. Craig lehoullier has been on a marathon journey with this fruit for 35 years, growing and evaluating thousands of tomatoes. Grandpa otts morning glory flower seed savers exchange. Diane ott whealy prairie lights iowa city bookstore. June 14, 20 diane ott whealy, seed savers exchange. Sse has more than,000 members, made up of gardeners, orchardists, chefs and plant collectors all dedicated to the preservation and distribution of heirloom varieties of vegetables, fruits, grains, flowers and herbs. Seeds have become a hot button topic, from seed sovereignty the right of farmers to save, use, exchange and sell their own seeds to the availability of nongmo and organically raised seeds. Each spring i am reminded of this tale when my garden is bare, completely void of any life on the surface, with a tremendous plant source lying beneaththe. Come out for a memorable evening celebrating escape to creates 25th performance season in seaside, florida. The worm farmers handbook can help that revolution go forward, and i heartily recommend this book to anyone interested in vermiculture. But from the getgo, other individuals were equally keen to save and share heirloom seeds to preserve genetic diversity.
Diane ott whealy presents the biography of the conservationist who began the seed savers exchange with her exhusband in order to save seeds passed down through generations and maintain horticultural diversity. The organization evolved into a private seed bank, collecting and saving heirloom varieties of vegetable, fruit and grain seeds. This selfsowing annualgiven to sse cofounder diane ott whealy by her grandpa ott who lived on a 40acre farm in st. In the late 1980s, just like today, the historic barn at heritage farm was in need of helplots of help. Episode 125 interviews joel salatin, cheryl long, diane ott. Her grandpa otts deeppurple morning glories were locally famous in a tiny place near festina, iowa, and he shared the seed. Diane ott whealy, cofounder and vp of seed savers exchange. Gathering is the memoir of diane ott whealy, one of the two original founders of the seed savers exchange sse, the largest private, notforprofit seed bank in the united states. Diane ott whealy came to illinois promoting her new book gathering which is a historical memoir of the founding and work that went into creating seed savers exchange. Today sse is regarded as the nations leading nonprofit seedsaving organization. Seed savers exchange, the nations premier nonprofit seedsaving organization, began humbly as a simple exchange of seeds among passionate gardeners who sought to preserve the rich gardening heritage their ancestors had brought to this. Raised in wellington, kansas he was inspired by the works of agricultural geneticists jack harlan and h.
Ott whealy chronicles the beginnings, struggles, and successes of what becomes the worldrenowned nonprofit seed savers exchange, cofounded with kent whealy. Jun 14, 2019 back in 1975, diane ott whealy and her partner kent whealy sent a letter to mother earth news asking if anyone was interested in seed saving. Daughter of iowa farmers, missouri homesteader, and mother of five, diane ott whealy never anticipated that one day she would become a leader in a grassroots movement to preserve our agricultural biodiversity. In the last 30 years, he has trialed more than 1,200 tomato varieties and has introduced more than 100 varieties to the trade. Ott whealy s downtoearth narrative traces her fascinating journey from oregon to. For example, the german pink tomato has grown over 100 years in northeast iowa, said diane ott whealy, cofounder of seed savers exchange. Today the seed savers exchange maintains a collection of almost 30,000 heirloom seeds. Her grandpa ott s deeppurple morning glories were locally famous in a. Diane cofounded seed savers exchange, a nonprofit organization near decorah, iowa, that preserves heirloom plant varieties through regeneration. Diane ott whealy will read from her new book, gathering. Jul 06, 2011 diane ott whealy is the cofounder of seed savers exchange and presently serves as vice president of education. Diane ott whealy s memoir, which reads like a story shed tell you if you sat next to her at a big iowa family reunion, is frank about what it took to build an institution that both she and her thenhusband believed in, to the point of going without health insurance for themselves.
Jul 11, 2012 diane ott had a family heritage of farming the oldfashioned way. Powered by create your own unique website with customizable templates. Mar 11, 2012 for example, the german pink tomato has grown over 100 years in northeast iowa, said diane ott whealy, cofounder of seed savers exchange. Gathering by diane ott whealy, 9780615457741, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. The worm farmers handbook chelsea green publishing. Diane ott had a family heritage of farming the oldfashioned way.
She spoke with me before the public program about how there is a new movement to return to nonhybrid seed and avoid genetically modified seeds which has spawned many companies. Mar 19, 2020 diane ott whealy recounts the history of the lina sisco bird egg bean in the following excerpt of her book gathering. Diane ott whealy is cofounder of seed savers exchange, a nonprofit that has been dedicated to saving and sharing americas heirloom seeds since 1975. One of two plants that inspired the creation of seed savers exchange, grandpa ott s morning glory bears beautiful deeppurple flowers with red stars at their center. The young gardener had just inherited some flower and tomato seeds and wanted to connect with others who shared her appreciation for heirloom plants. Lucas, iowacan climb to 15 feet tall, if given a support to grow on. She has been a national leader in the heirloom seed movement and a strong advocate for the protection of. Daughter of iowa farmers, missouri homesteader and mother of five, diane ott whealy never anticipated that one day she would become a leader in a. Diane ott whealy is cofounder and vice president of seed savers exchange, the nations leading nonprofit seed saving organization.
She is one of the cofounders of seed savers exchange. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world. Diane ott whealy of seed savers exchange, a nonprofit organization that preserves thousands of heirloom fruit, vegetable and other plant seeds, gave talks and held book signings march and last. The garden that seeds itself seed savers exchange blog. Carolyn male, 100 heirloom tomatoes for the american garden. Mar 15, 2016 diane ott whealy, cofounder of seed savers exchange. Diane cofounded seed savers exchange with kent whealy in 1975. Jack chambers, president, terravesco before reading this book, i made a mental note of topics that i felt would be included, such as history, howto, underlying science, pitfalls and benefits, and.
Cofounder of seed savers exchange now retired, but still an active advisor to the organizations board, author of gathering. The first true seed exchange newsletter printed a note from lina sisco of winona, missouri, one of the original listed members. Daughter of iowa farmers, missouri homesteader, and mother of five, diane ott whealy is a leader in a grassroots movement to preserve our agricultural biodiversity. Diane ott whealy is the cofounder of seed savers exchange and presently serves as vice president of education.
Seed savers exchange was founded in missouri in 1975 by diane ott whealy and kent whealy. This book is the memoir of diane ott whealy, one half of the husband and wife team that brought sse to life. Craig lehoullier is the author of growing vegetables in straw bales and epic tomatoes and the tomato adviser for seed savers exchange. About diane events books media contact powered by create your own unique website with customizable templates. Join facebook to connect with diane ott and others you may know. Books by diane ott whealy all formats hardcover sort by. In 1987, not long after seed savers exchange bought heritage farmarguably one of the most beautiful farms in iowakent whealy and diane ott whealy, founders of the organization, learned that the homemade laminated bows that supported the barns roof were weakening, and. Diane ott whealy, cofounder and vice president of seed savers exchange.
The first person i interviewed at the fair was diane ott whealy. The second person i interview was cheryl long, editorinchief at mother earth news magazine. For more than 35 years, diane has been a national leader in the heirloom seed movement and a strong advocate for the protection of the earths rare genetic food stocks. Memoir of a seed saver to chronicle the organizations humble beginnings and growth into a respected leader in the grassroots movement to preserve our agricultural heritage. In the beginning of seed savers exchange, it was a stash of morning glory and tomato seeds that diane ott whealys grandfather brought over from germany that started. Publishers weeklynabhan, an ethnobotanist, cofounder of native seedssearch, and prolific author, draws on his longtime relationships with the land and people of the southwest u. Daughter of iowa farmers, missouri homesteader and mother of five, diane ott whealy never anticipated that one day she would become a leader in a grassroots movement to preserve our agricultural biodiversity.
This book is the memoir of diane ott whealy, one half of the husband and wife team that brought sse to. For more than 35 years, diane has been a national leader in the heirloom seed movement and a strong advocate for the. Diane s grandfather entrusted to them the seeds of two garden plants, grandpa ott s morning glory and german pink tomato. Seed savers exchange, the nations premier nonprofit seedsaving organization, began humbly as a simple exchange of seeds among passionate gardeners who sought to preserve the rich gardening heritage their ancestors had. Decorah, ia back in 1975, diane ott whealy and her partner kent whealy sent a letter to mother earth news asking if anyone was. The medicinal forest garden handbook chelsea green publishing. Kent whealy april 27, 1946 march 23, 2018 was an american activist, journalist and philanthropist who cofounded seed savers exchange and promoted organic agriculture and the saving of heirloom seeds. She has been a national leader in the heirloom seed movement and a strong advocate for the protection of the earths rare genetic food stocks for over 36 years. Diane whealys seed savers exchange cultivates new connections. Friday, february 17 architectural historian judith dupre and heritage seed pioneer, diane ott whealy seaside rep theatre 7. Find all the books, read about the author, and more.
By telling her adventurous story about the places where she lived, gardened, raised five children,and came to know fellow gardeners, many of them old timers, diane ott whealy has done an important service to our country and to the world, and in a natural voice that makes this book charming not preachy. Seed savers cofounder diane ott whealy of decorah has authored a book gathering. Daughter of iowa farmers, missouri homesteader, and mother of five, diane ott whealy never anticipated that one day she would become a leader in a grassroots. Books for those who love heirloom plants book blog.
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