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Education

The Education Committee produces stand-alone workshops and classes, produces education sessions at general meetings and demos and classes at the food forest workdays. We also write articles for newsletters and the website as well as for potential publication elsewhere in the community. The Education Committee also runs the annual seed swaps.

10th Annual Seed Swap: Free Seeds to Start Your Garden

Seed Swap & Giveaway

Dozens of vegetable and flower types and hundreds of varieties, including unique heirlooms and locally saved seeds will be available for free to encourage people in Evanston to grow their own food. (A limit as to the number of seed packets per person will be posted at the event.)

In addition to generous seed companies and farms, you can donate seeds you grew and saved or seed packets from past years you don't plan to use. Bring seeds with you and we'll let you take more home.

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9th Annual Seed Swap: Free Seeds to Start Your Garden

Seed Swap & Giveaway

Dozens of vegetable and flower types and hundreds of varieties, including unique heirlooms and locally saved seeds will be available for free to encourage people in Evanston to grow their own food. (A limit as to the number of seed packets per person will be posted at the event.)

In addition to generous seed companies and farms, you can donate seeds you grew and saved or seed packets from past years you don't plan to use. Bring seeds with you and we'll let you take more home.

Tags:

Permaculture Principle #11: Use Edges and Value the Marginal

"Don’t think you are on the right track just because it is a well beaten path"

Commentary by Tim Sonder, Edible Evanston (November, 2019)

The interface between things is where the most interesting events take place. These are often the most valuable, diverse and productive elements in the system.

Think of the ocean, and then look at tide pools and marshes. Where do you see a greater diversity and density of life? Look at a forest, and then study the area where it transitions to meadow or lake or stream, and you will, once again, find a greater diversity.

Permaculture Principle #9: Use Small and Slow Solutions

Make the least change for the greatest possible effect. – Bill Mollison 

Small and slow systems are easier to maintain than big ones, make better use of local resources, and produce more sustainable outcomes. 
– David Holmgren

Systems should be designed to perform functions at the smallest scale that is practical and energy-efficient for that function. Human scale and capacity should be the yardstick for a humane, democratic and sustainable society.

2021 “Early” Seed Swap Requests

Welcome to our 2021 Seed Swap!

For our 8th Annual Seed Swap, we're going to be doing things a little differently this year to keep everyone safe.

You can still get free seeds and share your saved seeds (or seeds you did not use in the last year or two).

For crops which people in our area start indoors under lights, or those which need to be planted out super early (think peas or fava beans), we're asking people to fill out the form below and indicate generally what you are interested in receiving.

Diversity and its role in resilience

Tim Sonder, October 17, 2020

Why is diversity—especially biodiversity—so critical in a world with climate change? 

How can we design and plan using diversity to improve our own gardens and landscapes and to make them resilient to both long-term and short-term changes and stresses? 

And can we have an impact on the global climate crisis at the same time?