Join your co-hosts Jemma from The Eastern Field and Louise from Nikau Valley for an immersive Seed Saving Workshop in rural Whakatāne. Together they have over 40 years of seed saving experience living and working with seeds, alongside some of Aotearoa's most prominent seed savers.

This workshop is suitable for beginners as well as experienced gardeners interested in deepening their seed-saving skills. Through hands on experience and practical knowledge, participants will gain an understanding of:
-The importance of seed saving
-Planning and planting for seed (plant families, life cycles, reproductive systems, natural and hand pollination, fruit and seed types, plant population size, isolation distances, disease prevention)
-Harvesting and cleaning seeds (seed selection, harvesting, fermenting, drying, cleaning, and storing)

Hosted in a garden, participants will be able to explore established garden systems and plants used in seed-saving practice, and will have the opportunity to choose and process a variety of seeds. By the end of the session, participants will leave with practical skills, a deeper understanding of plant breeding, and a strong foundation for saving seeds at home.
As the workshop will take place outdoors, participants are asked to bring sturdy footwear and suitable outdoor clothing. Those who would like to collect seeds to take home should also bring small jars and old envelopes.

This workshop has been made possible by Grow it local with support from the WDC climate resilience fund.