HERITAGE SEED LIBRARY
With around 800 varieties of endangered, mainly European, vegetables, GO’s Heritage Seed Library continues to be an important part of the charity’s activities, with around 150 made available to members for an additional membership fee.
Varieties span rare heirloom types and those dropped from commercial seed catalogues. Each year small populations of around 90 are selectively grown at Ryton for testing, evaluation and storage under the direction of library manager Catrina Fenton, with 180 volunteer members operating as Seed Guardians, cultivating additional varieties at home.
“Each variety presents its own growing challenges to keep it typical and produce viable seed stocks,” said Catrina, with brassica, maize and onions identified as particularly tricky.