December Newsletter - The International Farmer Seed Conference and Community Updates

The International Farmer Seed Conference in Antibes, France buzzed with the kind of energy that only comes from gathering people passionate about life-or-death issues and country sovereignty. Online friends came to life, and I met and recorded interviews with new friends from around the world. Thanks to a generous sponsor, all the workshops were filmed, and we look forward to sharing the videos over the coming months.

At the Going to Seed Table in Antibes in October. Left to right: Mare, Hugo, Stephane, Joseph, Eloise, Holly, Malte, Julia and Thomas.

On the last day, somebody handed me a flyer with a fresh and bold perspective about seed diversity.  The flyer led me to Emmanuel Antoines of Graines de Liberté and this interview, hosted by Éloïse Doğuştan. 

His perspective challenges us to think about crop diversity in new ways -- beyond agriculture, to how we think about purity, nationalism, and food in general.  

The Dangerous Myth of Purity: From Seeds to Society

Eloise interviewing Emmanuel in Antibes, France

Social Media

If you follow us on social media channels, you’ve probably noticed some big changes!  A heartfelt  thank-you to Tanja Eskildsen, a home scale adaptation gardener based in Mallorca, Spain, who is behind the daily posts and reels to bring attention to our mission.  Follow Going to Seed on Facebook and Instagram. Post your seed observations and stories on the Adaptation Gardening Facebook group. 

Announcing the Canadian Seed Share

We are thrilled to introduce the Canadian Seed Share as a new pilot program this year! We’ll be offering seven crops shipped from Canada, exclusively to Canadian growers: moschata squash, maxima squash, cucumbers, melons, common beans, sweet corn, and broccoli. Due to import regulations, Canadians can continue to order from the US program, but folks in the US won't be able to order from Canada.

If you’d like to contribute seed to GTS Canada’s 2025 offering, please fill out the linked form. We’ll begin accepting shipments of seed once the postal strike ends, but please aim to have your seeds shipped by January 20th, 2025. Seeds will be available to contributors in late February, and to everyone else (in Canada!) around March 20th, 2025, through the Going to Seed webpage.

In the Community Forum 

• Can corn and melons conquer the cold? See who’s making it happen!  
• Tired of the usual recipes? Try these uncommon ways to prepare crops, and add your own secrets to tasty and unusual meals.
• If you could grow only three crops, what would they be?
• Seed chaos? Get pro tips to sort, label, and store like a boss.

Thank you for being part of a movement — both local and global —where seeds unite us across borders, gardens, and ideas. Going to Seed’s Advisor Group has pledged to match 100% of your contribution until we reach $10,000, or until January 20th, 2025. If you haven't already, please consider donating to support our programs.

Julia