Seed Cleaning and Saving for Native and Garden Plants

In this free, hands-on workshop, participants will learn the foundational principles of seed saving, then learn how to use various tools and techniques for cleaning seeds: threshing, screening, winnowing with a fan, and using a vacuum-powered seed cleaner available through Southwest Seed Savers. We will also have wet cleaning stations for squash, seed cleaning screens for participants to use, and a winnowing set-up with a fan and a few buckets. After a seed cleaning work party, we will have time to talk seeds, check out the seed collection, choose some seeds to take home, then enjoy a free dinner!

General Field Day Schedule:

1:00-1:30 p.m.: Introductions

1:30-1:45 p.m.: Why Save Seeds

1:45-2:15 p.m.: Seed Saving Stories Panel

2:15-2:45 p.m.: Mini Seed School 

2:45-4:30 p.m. Cleaning Stations with How-To Demonstrations

• Threshing
• Seed Cleaner
• Screening
• Winnowing with fan

4:30-5:00 p.m.: Resources, Discussion and Q&A

5:00-6:30 p.m.: Meal

After the field day, enjoy a free, grant-funded catered meal where you’ll have a chance to make and strengthen connections with other people in the sustainable agriculture sector.

What to Wear/Bring:

·       Seeds to donate to the Seed Library (if you’d like)

·       Garden Gloves

·       Face mask

Location:

First Church of Harmony

609 N. Arizona Street

Silver City, NM 88061

This is a free field day, but participation is capped at 40 people. To save your spot, please pre-register.

This field day a partnership between the Seeding Regenerative Agriculture Project and the National Center of Frontier Communities. The event is made possible thanks to generous funding from the Santa Fe Community Foundation, the New Mexico Foundation, the McCune Charitable Foundation, and Nusenda Credit Union.