What is a seed bank if not both the original economy AND a model for a regenerative economy? The seeds are saved, shared with farmers and gardeners, and then as the crops grow, a portion of those seeds also get saved and re-circulated. In this week's episode, Dressler is joined by Amy Smith, the E-Commerce Manager of Native Seeds/SEARCH in Tucson, Arizona.
Native Seeds/SEARCH was founded in 1983 in response to the concern of farmers, gardeners, Indigenous community members, and conservationists about the loss of seed diversity. They currently steward more than 1800 regional seed varieties in a climate-controlled seed bank, all of which are uniquely adapted to the arid landscapes that extend from southern Colorado to central Mexico. Tune in for a discussion about Southwest agriculture, harvesting mesquite pods, the importance of arid-adapted seeds as the climate warms, the resurgence of Sonoran White Wheat, and so much more.
Links:
Native Seeds/SEARCH | strategic plan
Native Seeds/SEARCH Gardening Resources
Native Seeds/SEARCH Baking Mixes (w/ mesquite)
Youtube - How to Forage Acorns by BlackForager (Alexis Nikole Nelson)
Hayden Flour Mills (historic) | Hayden Flour Mills (resurrected, currently up and running)
Gary Nabhan
Pizzeria Bianco
BKW Farms
Barrio Bread
Regenerative Baking #5: Nick Schwanz of Solar Punk Farms (The Land Institute Links)
Tucson Foodie - UNESCO City of Gastronomy Designation
Iskashitaa Refugee Organization | Harvest info | Adopt a Harvest
Support this show: patreon.com/regenerativebaking
Instagram: @regenerativebaking and @dresslerparsons