Small Scale Organic Seed Production Manual
Small Scale Organic Seed Production, a new handbook produced by FarmFolk/CityFolk for farmers in British Columbia and beyond, gives practical advice on why and how to incorporate vegetable seed production into existing farming systems.. Written by organic seed grower Patrick Steiner, this publication is not so much a "how-to" of seed growing as it is a "what to expect" when embarking on a journey of seed growing.
Patrick interviews several small-scale seed growers from Canada and the United States to get a glimpse of their experience over the years - their successes, their challenges, and what to expect in the future. Their stories are inspiring and do a wonderful job of preparing the reader for the world of seed growing.
Patrick himself is an experienced seed grower, operating Stellar Seeds (www.stellarseeds.com) in Salmon Arm, BC. He is well-known for his high-quality seeds as well as his involvement in seed growing education. Patrick has worked for the last several years on seed security issues in Canada and abroad, including serving on the board of USC Canada (www.usc-canada.org)
Organic seed production plays a vital role in developing sustainable food systems. With chemical seed production often being heavily reliant on pesticide use, the energy savings alone with organic seed production is huge. Furthermore, growing seed crops in organic conditions helps ensure that the plants that sprout from those seeds are also better adapted to organic systems. Funding for the manual came from the Organic Sector Development Program.
Table of Contents
Introduction
The Art of Seed Growing:
Voices From the Field
Marketing Models
Seed Yields
Seed Storage
Seed Cleaning
Disease Prevention and Seed Treatments
Appendix
Resource List
Tables
Table 1: Seed Economics Matrix
Table 2: Seed Yields
Table 3: Seed Longevity in Ideal Storage
Table 4: Minimum Germination Standards for Canada No. 1 Seed
Table 5: Hot Water Seed Treatment Guidelines
Formats and Payment
We offer the 40-page manual in two formats - as a free electronic pdf file available by clicking here or as a coloured printed booklet ($10 including shipping).
Payment can be made by VISA or personal cheque. To pay by VISA call 604-730-0450 in Vancouver or toll-free at 1-888-730-0452 throughout the province. Cheques can be sent to FarmFolk/CityFolk, 1661 Duranleau Street, 2nd Floor, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3S3.