Organic Seed Production and Saving: The Wisdom of Plant Heritage (Organic Principles and Practices Handbook Series)

**The skills of seed saving are vital for small organic food producers and the whole of agriculture. Farmers and gardeners need to be able to produce their seeds as a basic, inalienable way to control their means of production.** Part of the NOFA guides. Includes information on: - Strengths and limitations of hybrid varieties - Before you grow the seed (selecting varieties, saving seed and improving crops, intellectual property rights) - Growing seed (pollination biology, harvesting, cleaning, storage, germination testing) - Details on individual crops (amaranth, crucifers, beets and chard, lettuce, cucurbits, corn and small grains, nightshades, root veggies) Plus detailed appendices including more info on seed cleaning, seed companies, and more. This guide to organic seed saving and production, first published by the Northeast Organic Farming Association in 2004 and originally titled The Wisdom of Plant Heritage: Organic Seed Production and Saving is part of a series of eight handbooks (available individually and as a set) aimed at homesteaders, farmers, and experienced gardeners. Coverage includes the critical importance of seed saving, consequences of genetic erosion, strengths and limitations of hybrid varieties, selecting varieties, growing seed, and details on growing individual crops. Appendices provide a list of seed saving devices currently in use in the Northeast, seed cleaning resources, and a list of Northeastern seed companies and organizations involved in heirloom crop preservation. Connolly is a Connecticut-based organic farmer. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
Part of the NOFA guides. Includes information on:

• Strengths and limitations of hybrid varieties
• Before you grow the seed (selecting varieties, saving seed and improving crops, intellectual property rights)
• Growing seed (pollination biology, harvesting, cleaning, storage, germination testing)
• Details on individual crops (amaranth, crucifers, beets and chard, lettuce, cucurbits, corn and small grains, nightshades, root veggies)

Plus detailed appendices including more info on seed cleaning, seed companies, and more. Strengths and limitations of hybrid varieties Before you grow the seed Growing seed Details on growing individual crops.