FAQ: Seed to Seed

How much gardening is a part of this program?

• This program is designed for gardeners and farmers with some experience, looking to build on their existing knowledge. Sessions will involve some gardening education, including topics such as seed selection, growing plant starts and caring for a plant through its life cycle.
• Approximately 20% of the course will involve hands-on time in the garden, tending to our seedlings and seed plants.
• If you are a beginning to intermediate gardener looking to gain more knowledge about growing vegetables in the Pacific Northwest, we recommend considering the Year-Round Gardener or Comprehensive Organic Gardening course.

What information is covered in the class?

• This course is designed to provide a holistic understanding of seed stewardship. It will include information about seed and plant biology, growing plant starts, pollination, plant breeding, seed saving history and politics, and how to collect, process and save your own seed.

What can I expect during each of the nine monthly sessions together?

• Each monthly session will include time for the cohort to connect and share updates, a conversational lecture digging into the month’s topic, and reflection questions.
• The intention for our time together in-person is to provide space for dialogue and learning in community. During the time between sessions, participants will have access to materials for their own independent learning and they may self organize additional meeting/study times.

What will I learn or experience from participating in the course?

• You can expect to learn about the biology and life cycle of plants, as that information relates to saving your own seed. We’ll also dig into the context of seed stewardship, building an understanding of our relationship to seeds as individuals and as cultural communities.
• We will look at both the small-scale actions we can take in our own growing spaces, and reflect on the larger systems that affect seed cycles and our lives.

How many people will be in class?

• This class is limited to 15 people. This small class size is intended to provide a more intimate class environment to foster community-building.

Will classes be held indoors or outdoors?

• Classes will be held both indoors and outdoors, with more time indoors when the weather is cooler/rainier. We will have air filters running in the indoor space, with a door/window open for good air flow. We recommend being prepared for all weather conditions.

Do I need to wear a mask and/or keep physical distance?

• We will be following all current public health guidelines. While we will have space for folks to spread out, there may be activities that involve working in close proximity to others – you may choose to wear a mask for these situations.

What if I need to miss a class?

• In-person classes cannot be rescheduled; we hope that you can make it to each one! If you do need to miss a session, you will have access to all of the class materials, and we encourage folks to connect with classmates.

What if there is wildfire smoke or extreme heat during one of our dates?

• Class may be canceled due to extreme heat or other weather-related events. We plan to use the AirNow, Air Quality Index (AQI) resource for updates about local air quality. You will be notified via email of any changes due to these conditions. This class may be rescheduled at a later date.

Accessibility notes for Rainier Beach Urban Farm & Wetlands:

• The pathways onsite include paved surfaces, crushed gravel and wood chips.
• This location is in an area of the city that has some hills, but the overall space within the Farm & Wetlands is level. Some paths have a gentle slope.
• There is a gravel parking lot inside the farm, with space for about 30 cars. There is also street parking available, usually within a couple of blocks.
• There are benches at the farm and chairs available that can be moved to any location around the site.
• There are gender neutral bathrooms with ADA accessible stalls available.
• Electricity and water are available in the classroom.