Come to the Seed and Plant Exchange

Press release from the Humboldt Permaculture Guild:

On Saturday, March 25, from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m., the Humboldt Permaculture Guild will be holding this year’s Seed & Plant Exchange at the Arcata Community Center (321 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway, Arcata).  Now in its 19^th year, the event is free and open to the public.  Participants bring seeds or live plants to share if they have any, and take whatever they reasonably expect to use regardless of what they bring.  The only hard-and-fast rule of the Exchange is that no seeds or other material from invasive plant species are allowed.

In addition to the free exchange, local companies will be on hand to sell seeds, plants, and garden-related services, and a number of local non-profit organizations will offer educational materials on topics ranging from native plants to healthcare.  Several free workshops taught by local experts will also be offered on a variety of topics, including rainwater harvesting, medicinal plant gardening, DIY soil testing and fruit tree grafting.

Live entertainment will be provided by local musicians Lyndsey Battle & Cory Goldman, Boltin’ Basil, and the Tagalongs. Raffle tickets will be for sale at a reasonable price to help cover the costs of the event.  A locally sourced lunch will be served by the nonprofit Locally Delicious, with proceeds going to a program that helps local farmers grow food for Food for People.

Anyone interested in bringing seeds or plants to the event is encouraged to provide detailed labels which include species name, variety name, and for seeds the year and location the seed was produced.  Participants are also encouraged to bring locally appropriate species and varieties, and to focus on seeds and plants which have been produced using organic or other sustainable methods.

Anyone interested in taking home seeds or plants is encouraged to bring old seed envelopes, bags and boxes for re-use, although some will be provided for those who do not bring their own.  Participants are also reminded to take care not to bring or take home invasive plants or weeds.

Permaculture is a set of principles and practices for designing human landscapes with the diversity and resilience of natural ecosystems.  The Humboldt Permaculture Guild is an all-volunteer group of local residents with the goal of promoting permaculture-related practices and ideas in Humboldt County and surrounding areas.  For more information visit humboldtpermaculture.wordpress.com.