While the
pandemic has upset many aspects of Hudson Valley life, it has not affected our
rich soil. Last spring, when lockdown first commenced, many families –
including mine – either began gardens, or invested more deeply in the process
of planting, tending, and sowing. Being suddenly unable to travel made us like the
farming communities of old, hardscrabble country folk who spent much more time
at home, making use of nature’s gifts.
As 2020 played out, multiple scientific
studies asserted what people of the soil have always known: getting outside,
and getting your hands dirty in a garden, is excellent medicine for both body
and mind.
These
revelations were not news to Accord-based Hudson Valley Seed Company. For
years, they’ve been there to help folks both local and otherwise get to know
the land and the flora. They’ve long known seeds can ultimately tell a positive,
nurturing story amid a swirl of bad news. And their seeds are not just any
seeds.
According to their website, “Every seed in our catalog is open
pollinated, many are heirloom and organic, and they are never GMO. We were one
of the first companies to sign the Open Source Seed Initiative and we will remain committed to our values of
sustainability to the last.”
Undeterred
by continued upheaval of 2020, the Hudson Valley Seed Company is readying for spring
2021, continuing a community-based mission of “growing organically, sourcing
locally and sustainably, and preserving crop diversity by selecting unique,
rare, and hard-to-find varieties.”
READ MORE: Planting seeds: mindfulness for kids
Hudson Valley
Seed Company’s story began humbly in 2004, when co-founder Ken Greene was
working as a librarian at the Gardiner Public Library. Interested in the local
food movement, he realized most folks know little of the seeds that grow their food,
so he started the country's first seed library program.
The
connection between seeds and storytelling soon became apparent. HVSC likens a
seed to “a time capsule telling tales of the plants, crops, and people that
came before us.”
Greene realized
that “working with seeds was a way to work with issues concerning the
environment, health, history, culture, and more.” He realized he could help
people of all ages understand how they are like seeds – connected to all that
came before, and potentially impactful on the as-yet-unseen future.
Ken and
partner Doug Muller’s seed collection was initially contained in an oak dresser.
Over the years, they’ve morphed from a seed library to a proper seed company,
expanding to a five-acre organic farm and a two-story house. In 2009, they
hired 14 artists to design their seed packs. This became Art Packs, a
continuing tradition. Art Packs offer gardeners beautiful packaging while also
supporting artists.
As the mainstream
slowly but steadily embraces the values of biodiversity, local food production,
and sustainability, Hudson Valley Seed Company offers a chance for locals to
see what it all looks like up close and personal, and to dig in.
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