Regenerative Seed Saving Series 2025

Over the past few months we have facilitated several seed-centric workshops. There is some seriously precious seed-wisdom here in our midst on the island. We have been blessed with the opportunity to create a time & place for that knowledge to be sown in the hearts and minds of fellow islanders. 

In this article we'd like to reflect on the recent learnings and share some of them with you. 

Thank you so much to the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership for helping to make this local seed saving knowledge so accessible!

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Rupert Adams’ workshop on Integrating Seed Production into Farms & Market Gardens and how it can Strengthen Community Resilience was a powerful start to the Regenerative Seed Saving Series. With over 20 years of experience, Rupert shared invaluable insights into selecting seed crops suited to Salt Spring’s climate, innovative dry farming trials, and strategies for reducing costs while strengthening community resilience. 

A highlight was his personal story of learning to dry farm at Hope Hill Farm—an intuitive decision that became a defining part of his practice. His key takeaway? “Follow your intuition.” This workshop wasn’t just about technique; it was a reminder that successful farming is as much about trusting the land as it is about knowledge.

"Informative on many levels—technical and practical. It broadened our understanding of how to source and share seeds." – Jerry & James, on Rupert Adams’ workshop: Integrating Seed Production into the Farm or Market Garden and how it can Strengthen Community Resilience.

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Ben & Kaleigh’s Simply Seed Saving workshop at Seedy Saturday was equal parts educational and heartwarming. Their deep knowledge, humour, and passion for seed saving made for an engaging session, where they shared both technical insights and a philosophy of care—treat your plants well, and they’ll reward you with stronger seeds. 

Their decades of experience shone through, but it was their personal stories and genuine love for regenerative farming that made this workshop truly inspiring. A reminder that seed saving isn’t just a practice; it’s a relationship.

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Marsha Goldberg’s Seed Saving as a Business Model for a New Age was a deep dive into the wisdom of seed stewardship, blending decades of hands-on experience with an urgent call for resilience in the face of climate change.

From heirloom tomatoes to endangered plants, Marsha shared practical insights on selecting and saving the strongest seeds while honouring the traditions that came before. Her message was clear: the more people saving seeds in our region, the stronger our food systems will be. With humour, heart, and an encyclopaedic knowledge of plants, she reminded us that nothing heals the planet quite like a thriving garden.

"The more people we have growing seeds here in the best climate in North America, the better!" – Marsha Goldberg, at her workshop: Seed Saving as Business Model for a New Age.

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If you have any ideas for a learning series or reflections to share, please feel free to e-mail Roy@ssifarmlandtrust.org