SOS (save our seeds)

"Seed is created to renew, to multiply, to be shared, and to spread. Seed is life itself."  ~Dr. Vandana Shiva

For most gardeners, this post is coming a little late; it would have been more useful in the summer, when we were harvesting our heirloom tomatoes, peppers, okra and eggplants.  But not only is late better than never... "late" is not actually so late!  As you prepare your thanksgiving meal (or any meal, really), remember that you can save and preserve seeds to plant next season from squash, pumpkins, string beans, and almost any other produce. 

Preserving seeds not only ensures healthier, organic foods for you and your loved ones, but preserves our cultural foodways and heritage.  Many old varieties are becoming extinct simply because they are not well-suited for processing or storage in our modern "food systems," like heirloom tomatoes or apples that bruise easily, thus appearing less-than-perfect in supermarket displays.  And some varieties, like zucchini or greens, are more bitter to our modern palates than we are used to--modern versions often have had the bitterness (and important phytonutrients) bred out of them.  

When we save seeds, we ensure that these foods--with which we have co-evolved since antiquity--will be around for future generations.  In recent years, saving seeds has become a matter of international policy.  In fewer than 10 years, the Millenium Seed Bank (at Britain's Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew) has collected the seeds of 24,000 wild plant species (about 10% of the world's dryland plants).  Preserving seeds is also a matter of common sense, for all kinds of reasons--just ask the elder gardeners in your family.  

Collecting dry seeds, such as black eyed peas, is fairly straightforward; after harvesting the fruit (or legume), you’ll usually just need dry them further (see step 3, below) and save them.  Processing seeds that are embedded in fleshy produce (think squash or tomatoes) is a bit more involved. The following information is adapted from Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth (Seed Savers Exchange, 2002), an invaluable handbook for both beginning and experienced seed savers. 

The seeds that heirloom-seed gardeners hold in their hands at planting time are living links in an unbroken chain reaching back into antiquity. Old varieties are threatened today, not because of any deficiencies, but because they are not suitable for factory farmers and the food processing industry. The old varieties will survive and flourish only if they continue to be grown by backyard gardeners. 

You, too, can preserve garden diversity. Seed cleaning methods can be divided into wet processing or dry processing. Here are three-step directions for wet processing seeds that are embedded in the damp flesh of fruits or berries, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, muskmelons or ground cherries.

Three Steps to Wet Processing Seeds

1. Removal of Seeds
Large fruits are cut open and the seeds are scraped out. Small fruits are usually crushed or mashed. The seeds, pulp and juice from the fruits—particularly tomatoes—may need to go through a fermentation process. During the fermentation process, microorganisms such as bacteria and yeast destroy many of the seed-borne diseases that can affect the next generation of plants.

2. Washing Seeds

The process for washing seeds to remove them from the surrounding pulp or to separate them from the fermenting mixture is basically the same. The seeds and pulp are usually placed in a large bowl or bucket. Add at least twice as much water as the volume of seeds and pulp, and stir the mixture vigorously. Viable seeds tend to be more dense and sink to the bottom, but poor quality seeds tend to float. Add more water and repeat the process until only clean seeds remain. The seeds are then poured into a strainer and washed under running water.

3. Drying Seeds

Dump the cleaned seeds onto a glass or ceramic dish, cookie sheet, window screen, or a piece of plywood. Do not attempt to dry the seeds on paper, cloth or non-rigid plastic, because it can be extremely difficult to later remove the seeds from such surfaces.

Spread the seeds as thinly as possible on the drying surface and stir the seeds several times during the day. Always remember that damage begins to occur whenever the temperature of the seeds rises above 95F. For that reason never dry seeds in the oven. Even at the lowest settings, the temperatures in an oven can vary enough to damage the seeds.

Never dry seeds in the direct sun if there is any chance that the temperature of the seeds will exceed 95F. Always remember that the air temperature is often not the same as the temperature of the seeds. Even at air temperatures around 85F, dark colored seeds can sometimes become hot enough to sustain damage.

Fans hasten the drying process; ceiling fans are ideal, and placing seeds on window screens is best of all as they allow for excellent air circulation.

There are lots of resources available to find more information on the necessity, how-tos, and politics of saving seeds.  First, befriend gardeners--especially those of other cultures and foodways.  This is one of the best ways to learn about growing your own food, and you'll also learn about foods that are new to you.  Second, there are excellent organizations that promote seed saving.  Seed Savers Exchange and the Southern Seed Legacy Project at the University of Georgia do wonderful work, as do the illustrious Dr. Vandana Shiva and her organization, Navdanya International.