Together, we are making miraculous things happen. Because of your commitment to the work of Seed Savers Exchange, more people are enjoying the experience of growing and eating beautiful, delicious, healthy heirloom varieties. People are learning about the ancient practice (and art) of seed saving, and sharing seeds with family, friends, neighbors, and on the Exchange. Because of you, we are sending seeds free of cost to schools, community groups and disaster victims. We are preserving heirloom varieties that would otherwise be lost, and getting them back in gardens and on tables everywhere. Because you support our work, our food supplies are stronger and more diverse. Thank you.

And this coming February, another miracle is scheduled, when over 200 varieties of heirloom, open-pollinated, non-GMO seeds will be sent from the seed collection at Seed Savers Exchange to be safeguarded at two locations: the USDA Seed Bank in northwest Colorado and the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in the Norwegian archipelago between mainland Norway and the North Pole.

I get excited about seeds and their stories, and want to share a few here. The first is ‘Taos Wild’, a variety of asparagus that traditionally grows at an elevation of 7,000 feet! It will be the first asparagus variety ever sent by Seed Savers Exchange to other seed banks—in part because we grow asparagus from seed and it takes three years to bulk up an asparagus crop enough to harvest new seeds.

We are also sending this year’s Tomato Tasting winner ‘Wisconsin Chief’, and the very appropriately named ‘Sterling Old Norway’ tomato. The ‘Sterling Old Norway’ was given to a Seed Savers Exchange member by a Norwegian immigrant family from Sterling, Illinois and was added to our collection in 1994. We are thrilled to be sending it back to Norway for safekeeping!

‘Wisconsin Chief’ Tomato (left) and ‘Sterling Old Norway’ (right).

Another variety with a great story—the ‘Greeley Wonder’ melon—is also being sent. The melon was introduced to the Yearbook in 1988 by Gerald E. Monroe, who noted, "In family since 1927." Gerald’s daughter-in-law Jacqueline reached out to Seed Savers Exchange in 2017, almost 30 years later, inquiring about whether we had this melon in the collection, as the Monroe family had lost it over time. We were excited to be able to send seeds to Jacqueline and help her family restore their tradition of growing this lovely variety!

Members of the Monroe family with a ‘Greeley Wonder’ melon. Left to right: Jerry Jr., Jerry Sr. (who first listed the melon in the Yearbook), and Kyle, Jerry Jr.’s son.

These four very special heirloom varieties will be joined on their journeys by over 200 other varieties, all with unique histories and stories—and all treasured enough by someone to send to Seed Savers Exchange for safekeeping. Over the last 43 years, Seed Savers Exchange has been gifted and entrusted with over 20,000 treasured varieties of seeds, and 20,000 hopes that we will keep these varieties and their stories alive and shared well into the future.

We take these gifts, and all of the trust, hope, and support shown by you and every other person in our community, very seriously.

With your continued commitment, together we will ensure that there is resilience and biodiversity in our food supply, and that individuals, families and children across the country and the world continue to be able to grow, eat, and share beautiful, delicious, treasured heirloom varieties.

Help Make Miraculous Things Happen

Make a year-end donation to Seed Savers Exchange by December 31 and your gift doubles, thanks to a small group of close supporters who have offered $25,000 in matching support. Donate today, help us earn the full match, and let’s make more miracles happen!

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