Local Seed Saving

Localising food production is the way of the future for food security. Collecting swapping and growing localised strains of vegetables ensures food for everyone. Join up with other keen gardeners to share local knowledge and save seed. You will find that you only need a dozen or so localised varieties to ensure enough food to sustain your family. As you gather knowledge and skill at making compost, saving your seeds and cultivating your garden your confidence will grow. It is not difficult. Good seed gives reliable results and along with knowledge of soil building will ensure food production with high nutrient content.

Learn how to make good compost. There is plenty of literature on the subject and enough resources around you. I am a great advocate of gardening with no budget, more through necessity than want and I gather grass clippings and mulch from all manner of sources. Most of my neighbours throw piles of grass clippings on the back paddock and I collect it and add it to my compost pile. I noticed a big pile of mulch today and you’ll be sure I’ll be going back for a bag or two.

Vegetable matter, leaves, seaweed, comfrey, yarrow, liquified animal manure and cardboard can all be added to the compost. Look around you for sources of compost material.

Obviously living the country as I do it is a lot easier to find material, however living in the city need not deter you. They still grow trees in the city and with a little imagination and research you can find ingredients for your compost. Dont waste any vegetable matter.If you see any neighbours that have vegetables growing stop and chat with them. Maybe you can swap seed. It is a great way to cross the multicultural gap and meet new people.

Gardening is a healthy addiction and will reward you with nutritious beans and greens for your soup pot and tomatoes that taste like they did in grandmas salad.