Community Seed Exchange

Another wonderful demonstration of the power of networks, this story comes to us from the garden parties. Join Us! Connect with the garden party people on Signal Chat !

Karen got a hold of me last spring when the Sustainability Society wasn't able to host Seedy Saturday due to lock-downs.

She knew that I was living in town and asked if I would help coordinate a Seed Exchange in the 100 Mile Community Garden. I was excited about the idea, so I rallied some friends who later became the seeds which grew into The Real Life Network. We got together and moved a cupboard into the garden and began contributing in the community garden as well. Big shout out to the Sustainability Society and Peter & Karen for coordinating that space, and to Dave Dickey, the owner of the land for not selling it out.

Wouldn't it be incredible to see the community garden established as a demonstration garden, a permanent fixture and community driven space in the community of 100 Mile House.

Flash forward to 2022, one year later Seedy Saturday did happen but, ongoing covid restrictions prevented many people from attending due to vaccine passports. So the people in The Real Life Network re-initiated the seed exchange project and the Garden Parties, it's open to everyone in the community! Come share & swap!

Wouldn't it be great if the little Seed Exchange project turned into a larger community Seed Bank initiative for the storing and preservation of Hardy Cariboo seeds? More to come on that I suppose!

Seed security is truly one of the most pressing 21st century issues facing local collectives as seed prices skyrocket, genetic modification infiltrates seed stock and easy access to heirloom and diverse seed stock declines.

We all need food to survive, and nutritious food to thrive. Locally grown produce is the simplest solution to so many of the problems we face in our collective when it comes to food security.