Earlier this year we were contacted by the Low Tech Institute to support their 100 Days/100 Hours of Gardening Challenge, and we delightedly contributed a seed bundle to the raffle prizes. https://lowtechinstitute.org/100days100hours/
Every gardener is challenged to spend one hundred hours in their garden in the first hundred days of their season. That may sound like a lot, but if one tracks back through the season's photos it's not hard to present some of the 100 hours put into a successful garden over the course of the season!
The Low Tech Institute identifies "ancient and contemporary nonindustrial technologies appropriate for use in modern, small-scale, self-sustaining infrastructure" and provides their findings to the public to freely use.
They found us through the Open Source Seed Initiative (OSSI). SRSC believes that seeds should remain a part of the public commons and we do not knowingly grow or sell varieties that are patented. We believe continued plant breeding is crucial to the progression and adaptation of high-quality organic seeds that can thrive in a changing climate. Therefore, we pay voluntary “royalties” of 5% of OSSI pledged variety sales to the plant breeders who spend years creating new varieties and then release them open-source into the world for other farmers like us to grow and save seed from.
We only provide open pollinated seeds—no hybrids or any other types. We want people to be able to save their seed at the end of each growing season!
The challenge has been particularly inspiring - the thought of sharing in the work with everyone else participating has been particularly helpful for keeping that gardening gumption going. Deciding to take part in it, I’ve been sharing some the processes of learning in a school/community garden space. You’re invited to take part in it as well and tag @LowTechInstitute and @SnakeRiverSeedCoop
And/or use these hashtags:
#100Days100HourGardeningChallenge
#SnakeRiverSeedCoop
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Note from the author, Mary K:
I am the Marketing Manager for SRSC, starting here in June 2021.
Personally, I am one of the millions of pandemic-era gardeners, seriously inspired to try and grow a significant amount of food, to supplement what I eat regularly. Like many, I have come to find a lot of solace and wild inspiration in the garden. I’m no expert, but I can grow some tomatoes pretty well. I add new veggies, greens, herbs, and flowers to garden spaces each season.
I started by learning from others, collecting information by rapidly photographing and note-taking during garden tours in 2020. I continue learning from and with others in-person and via Zoom meetings. We research various gardening practices together, such as winter sowing, and report back to each other.
The internet offers a ready source of information and reference as needed. Looking to multiple sources helps me sort out what may be legitimate information. From there, it’s trial and error, discussion, and learning to adapt.
I was particularly inspired by the 100 Days 100 Hours Gardening Challenge and have decided to take part in it, to share the processes of learning in a school/community garden space. This is just another means to learn to grow together!
