Jen Williams wants to plant a new idea in the minds of Vashon farmers and gardeners: seed saving. It’s actually an ancient idea grounded in plant biology and human history. Food seeds are by nature annual and portable. This made it possible for early humans to bring their food source with them as they migrated. The natural process of seed cultivation enabled human culture to advance and spread around the planet.
During a recent Vashon Seed Project Workshop at The Land Trust’s Matsuda Farm, Williams asked participants to take a moment to plant their feet on the ground to acknowledge the “lineage of caretakers who have cared for this land,” including the Puyallup and Duwamish people, the Matsuda family and The Land Trust. She expressed her “hope for the new stories about to be written on this land.”
“When we plant hybrid seeds, part of the natural growing process is broken. Saving seeds is a way to restore and connect to the natural cycles that bring us our food,” Williams said.
During the workshop, Williams talked about how to choose seed varieties to plant and save, how to weave seed saving into your existing garden, or start from scratch.
Seed saving begins with understanding how biodiversity and ecology are interconnected. Plants and pollinators have co-evolved so that a flower’s anatomy is its destiny by determining which pollinators can access its nectar and how. Not only must a pollinator’s parts fit perfectly into their food plants, but their life cycles must also be synchronized for mutual benefit. Just as some pollinators, such as butterflies, rely heavily on a single plant, some plants can only be accessed by one kind of pollinator.
The world of flower sexuality is, well … complicated. But understanding it is a prerequisite for seed saving. Some flowers have both male and female parts, while others can have either male or female flowers on the same plant, or male and female flowers on different plants.
Flowers are either closed or open determining whether they can self-pollinate or need to be pollinated by wind or insects.
Self-pollinating plants, or inbreeders, have closed flowers; think of a pea flower. These plants maintain their genetic integrity, so their seed will always grow true to type.
Plants with open flowers are cross-pollinators or out-breeders. They rely on wind and insects to spread pollen between plants, increasing the chance for cross-pollination and hybridization. That’s important for growers who are trying to maintain the genetic integrity of their crops.
Vashon farmers are fortunate because our long growing season gives most plants the chance to go to seed. In addition, our summer drought gives those seeds the chance to dry down.
Williams sees seed saving as a team effort, “You’re doing what you’re doing on your farm, but it’s amplified by what’s going on throughout the community.”
Future workshops planned for August and September are free and open to everyone. They are made possible by a grant from Sustainable Vashon and supported by Vashon Seed Leadership Council, The Vashon- Maury Island Land Trust, and Matsuda Farm.
Bird of the season
Song sparrows are small, streaky-brown birds known more for their singing than their looks. Every song sparrow sings a unique melody. In his journal, Henry David Thoreau wrote that their songs sounded like, “Maids, maids, maids, hang up your tea kettle–ettle-ettle.” But in fact, each bird has a signature song as well as several variations on his own theme.
Young song sparrows study the songs of older male birds in their neighborhood before composing their own by copying bits of the songs around them. This way, one theme may spread through an entire neighborhood of birds. Female song sparrows select males not only for their individual songs but for the success with which those songs have influenced other birds in the area.
Ornithologists know a great deal about song sparrows due to the research of Margaret Morse Nice, an Ohio housewife who revolutionized ornithology in the 1930s. Rather than just examining bird skins in a lab, she observed living birds in her own backyard for several years and kept detailed notes on their behavior.
Nature Calendar
Sunday, June 2
Vashon’s Antiques Rockshow
Bring in your prized rocks and learn what they are, where they might have come from and the varied stories they tell from a distinguished panel of geologists.
Organizers say there will be “really cool rocks” on display from Vashon and elsewhere, including minerals, amber and fossils.
2 to 4 p.m. at the Vashon Public Library
Thursday, June 6
BeachNET
Join VNC staff and volunteers as they monitor shoreline restoration projects completed by King County last summer. No experience necessary. Must be able to walk along the beach for the day collecting data. For more information and locations email mariametler.vnc@gmail.com
9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saturday, June 8
Vashon Audubon Field Trip
Come birding on the island. Drop in, free and no experience necessary. Bring binoculars and scopes if you have them and wear walking shoes or boots. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Carpools encouraged and can be arranged at Ober Park.
8 to 10 a.m. Meet at Ober Park Park & Ride.
Thursday, June 13
Vashon Audubon Meeting
Vashon-Maury Island Audubon Society holds its annual meeting, which will include elections of officers and a celebration of its 30th anniversary and volunteers.
7 p.m. at The Land Trust building.
Friday and Saturday, June 22 & 23
VCA Garden Tour
During the Garden Tour, visit Vashon Nature Center’s first Open House at its new home adjacent to VCA. Witness the beginning of this project and hear about the nature center’s plans to create a wetland meadow sanctuary for wildlife and humans. Build nest boxes and learn about native insects, birds and plants. Ask questions and share ideas. Participants include: VNC, Vashon Audubon, VCA, Schafer Specialty Landscape and Design, and Meade Construction.
Thursday, June 27
Land Trust Book Group
The June selection is the Spring 2019 edition of YES! Magazine: “Beautiful Dirt, By Reconnecting With Soil, We Heal the Planet and Ourselves.” The issue looks at how our negative associations with dirt affect our connection with soil. Stop by The Land Trust for your free copy of the magazine
6:30 p.m. at The Land Trust Building, 10014 SW Bank Rd.
Save the date:
Saturday, July 6
Low Tide Celebration at Point Robinson. Come explore the unique landscape of the intertidal zone.
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Point Robinson Park
