Community Seed Exchange at Mowry Commons
March 10 @ 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Join Revive the Roots and YFN for the 3rd annual Community Seed Exchange at Mowry Commons. March 10th, 2024 from 12:00-3:00. This is an ALL AGES EVENT. We will be meeting at 374 Farnum Pike, Smithfield RI on the ancestral lands of the Narragansett, Nipmuc, Pokanoket, and Wampanoag people.
Ever been to the seed exchange? Well…You’re in for a treat. Young Farmer Network and Revive the Roots are co-hosting this years exchange! This is a gathering for not only veggie lovers but fruit and nut nerds, native seed enthusiasts, and DIY inventive minds. The folks that attend, range in experience and are here to chat about their favorite varieties, growing techniques, stories of their seeds, and the importance of seed saving to pass on the history of the land and our ancestors.
What is a seed exchange?
A seed exchange is an event where people come and trade seeds that they have grown or have purchased but have extra of, share stories and grow community.
What you should bring
Bring seeds you’ve collected, extra seeds from past growing seasons, native seeds, fruit and nut seeds, or even plant clippings. Do you have a favorite willow or spider plant that you love sharing?! If you don’t have seeds, no problem. There will be plenty to share.
Where will this take place?
This event will take place at Mowry Commons, 374 Farnum Pike Smithfield RI. This is an outdoor event held in the community gardens under the pavilion. The parking is 100 yards away from where the exchange will take place. Parking is graded and the walk to the event is on a flat grassy area.
Schedule
12:00-3:00 w/ a chance to stay later and hang around the fire
The schedule for the Seed Exchange is pretty relaxed, allowing folks to wander around the trails of Mowry Commons and talk with seed growers/gardeners and organizations. Throughout the day we will be hosting a build your own Farm Cart Demo to help us develope a workshop for the future!
FARM CART BUILD DEMO
This year, we’ve been working with Farm Hack to bring you all a DIY FarmCart Build demo. This farm cart is a no-weld cart that maximizes the crates you can carry and keeps things affordable for small scale growers. Don Blair will be our instructor!
Don has a BA in Philosophy and an MS in Physics, and has served as a Research Affiliate for the MIT Center for Civic Media. Don’s work has focused on developing and disseminating (through online documentation, and in-person workshops) a wide range of ‘free and open source’ technologies for use on small farms, in DIY environmental monitoring, and for community climate adaptation. Don is an organizer for FarmHack (farmhack.org), and a co-founder of Edge Collective (edgecollective.io).
A bit about our hosts and partner organizations.
Revive The Roots cultivates an inclusive environment free of judgment and biases where people and the environment thrive through sustainable practices, community building, and education. We prioritize shared resources and a collective vision to responsibly steward land for generations to come.
The Young Farmer Network (YFN) connects farmers, aspiring farmers, and farm allies from all social, racial, and economic backgrounds.
We are a worldwide community of farmers that build and modify our own tools. We share our hacks online and at meet ups because we become better farmers when we work together.
Freed Seed Federation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to place-based seed for the people. We partner growers and breeders in the preservation, improvement, and diversification of regionally-adapted, public domain seed.
