The third local edition of Seedy Saturday takes place in Ladner next month.
The event, presented by the Ladner Community Garden, will feature a seed swap, guest speakers and vendors. It aims to celebrate the horticultural history of this farming community.
"Last year was a good year and this year's going to be even better," says Kristin Crouch, president of the Ladner Community Garden Society.
Attendees are encouraged to bring open pollinated seeds, varieties pollinated through natural means such as birds, insects and wind, to swap.
"The whole idea is to bring people in to share seeds, swap seeds, maybe bring something that they haven't used," says Crouch.
Guests will also be able to purchase seeds. Seed sellers on site will include West Coast Seeds (specializing in certified organic, heirloom and heritage varieties), The Planting Seeds Project (featuring open pollinated and heirloom seeds) and Tatiana's Tomato Base (featuring non-GMO, open pollinated and historical vegetable seeds).
Guest speakers include Brian Minter from Minter Country Gardens, Julia Common from Hives for Humanity and Ian Tait from the Feed the Bees campaign.
"We're pretty excited about the speakers," says Crouch.
"Julia is a really inspirational speaker. I heard her at the B.C. Council of Garden Clubs last year," she says. "She talks about how her bees have made an impact on people in the Downtown Eastside."
She says Minter is bringing some plants to sell.
"He's really on top of everything that's happening that's new and trending in gardening."
Tait will be speaking about how to attract bees to your garden and what plants to have in your garden.
There will also be a mobile sharpener on site for gardeners to bring their tools to be sharpened.
A vegan food cart is coming so people will be able to get lunch at the event, she notes.
The first Seed Saturday took place in Vancouver in the late 1980s at VanDusen Garden. The events have spread across the country, each one reflecting the history and biodiversity of its area.
Seedy Saturday takes place Saturday, Feb. 15 at Ladner Baptist Church, 5624 Ladner Trunk Rd., from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is by donation.
For more on the event, visit www.ladnercommunitygarden.blogspot.com.
Seedy Saturday speakers
Brian Minter -10:15 a.m. Minter, from Minter Country Gardens, an innovative destination garden centre and greenhouse growing operation, is a well-known horticulturalist, entrepreneur and businessman. He was the vision behind the famous Minter Gardens, which closed last October. His talk will be on food gardens.
Julia Common -12 p.m. Common, from Hives for Humanity, is a master beekeeper. Hives for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that enhances community through apiculture, is a society she founded in response to the reception her bees received when she brought them into the Downtown Eastside. Now with over 70 hives and 40 sites, Common, chief beekeeper for the society, has a story to share.
Ian Tait -1:30 p.m. Tait will present a talk on How to Attract Bees to Your Garden. Tait is a North Delta resident and co-chair of Feed the Bees Campaign. Feed the Bees encourages individuals, businesses, organizations and governments to support a healthy and sustainable bee population and plant the right kinds of plants so there's pollen and nectar from March to October.
