Gardening community grows at 24th annual seed and plant exchange

By Jess Carey and Nick Escalada

The Humboldt Permaculture Guild hosted their 24th annual Seed and Plant Exchange last week on March 15. Thousands of agricultural enthusiasts gathered at the Arcata Community Center to trade seeds and build community around local permaculture. Hundreds of varieties of vegetable, fruit, herb and flower seeds were available for free, donated by community members with excess to share. Exchanging seeds reduces waste, as oftentimes plants produce many more seeds than gardeners are able to use. Vendors sold plants, herbal medicine, books and more. 

Somewhat unique to this convention was a scion exchange, which entails sharing varieties of fruit trees that can then be used to graft new varieties onto existing trees. In addition to grafting workshops, demonstrations of sustainable agricultural practices such as making biochar, and properly cleaning and saving seeds took place throughout the day.

Along with the myriad of plants and seeds for the taking, there was a raffle and several workshops. Community members and local organizations tabled around the perimeter of the event, sharing gardening tips and information about local environmental projects. 

Rosemary Meisler co-directs the Campus Center for Appropriate Technology, Cal Poly Humboldt’s student-run and community-led sustainability education program, and was a fan of the event. 

“Exchanging seeds has so many benefits on so many levels,” Meisler said. “It is a great way to tangibly invest in keeping our gardens native and diverse while mutually supporting each other’s farms of all sizes.” 

The Humboldt Permaculture Guild organizes events like these year-round with shared themes of conservation and land stewardship through plant cultivation. In addition to gatherings like the seed exchange — which is the most ambitious and popular event of the year — they host gardening education workshops and community projects, such as building seed libraries.

“This event is a really wonderful opportunity for people of all ages and backgrounds,” Meisler said. “I learned so much about farming techniques, growing food and medicine independently, and participating in our local economies and ecologies.” 

Jess Carey is a senior at Cal Poly Humboldt, majoring in biology and double minoring in botany and journalism, and the science editor for The Lumberjack. They are passionate about telling stories that are relevant to the community, branching their interests in science, music, and the arts.

Nick is a sophomore minoring in journalism who reports on happenings of all sorts. As a wildlife major, he enjoys nature-related pieces. On his off days, you can find him taking a hike behind campus or collecting shiny stuff on the beach.