From an email forwarded to us:

Who can make seed-saving an awe-inspiring and absolutely necessary topic of conversation? The passionate Bill McDorman, President of Seeds Trust and the no-holds barred Mike McGrath, former editor of Organic Gardening Magazine and host of the syndicated NPR show You Bet Your Garden!

Listen this Saturday as Bill and Mike engage in an exciting repartee about the world seed situation and how gardeners can take back their food supply from the agri-giants, one seed at a time. We WILL win in the end because we have better tasting tomatoes! Bill also unveils (in a manner of speaking)
the second edition of his user-friendly, inexpensive Basic Seed Saving booklet.

Google YOU BET YOUR GARDEN for local stations. It also airs on satellite radio.

To celebrate this inspiring time with Mike (any excuse for a discount!), and to make sure you know you still have plenty of time to get your garden in, Seeds Trust is offering a 15% on-line discount until Wednesday, May 12th. Go to www.seedstrust.com and use the coupon code; youbet.

Since we can’t resist a good time (why should it stop with Bill’s interview with Mike), we have created what we are calling our GOING TO SEED Summer Revival Tour. This will continue the seed conversation in places near and far.

Starting May 22nd in Phoenix at the Green Living Conference at the Phoenix Zoo Pavilion, Bill and his wife Belle kick off their Summer Tour. Bill will be speaking at 2pm along with friends Brad Lancaster, Greg Peterson and others. http://www.livinggreenconference.com/

On Friday May 28th, Bill spreads the gospel in Ojai, California from 7 -9 pm at St. Andrews Episcopal Church (how fitting). Then on Tuesday, the 1st of June, from 6 – 8 pm, Bill takes his message to the Solar Living Institute in Hopland, California at the Real Goods Solar Living Center. Friday, June 4th from 7 – 9 pm, Bill speaks to the throngs at the Berkeley Ecology Center on San Pablo Avenue.

Using slides (okay it’s power point now) of his 1989 trip behind the Iron Curtain, Bill shares adventures in Siberia when he was graced with untainted seeds from Russian gardeners from around the country. Due to Bill’s efforts, the world now has Siberian tomatoes. Bill will sing the praises of the Russian people and their seed saving soirees.

Not to miss an opportunity to give credit where it’s due, KRON TV in San Francisco will feature Bill and his famous tomatoes on Saturday, June 5th.

Sunday, Bill and Belle travel north again to Sonoma County for an event at the Sebastopol Community Cultural Center on Sunday, June 6th, from 3 – 5 pm. Belle is excited about returning to her old stomping grounds.

In July, the Going to Seed Tour ventures to Bill’s home state of Idaho for topics ranging from the terminator gene to the diversity danger in buying ONLY organic seeds.

August finds Belle and Bill in Colorado where Seeds Trust has its largest customer base. Due to the efforts of the fan-tastic Penn Parmenter, and the gianormous contingent of high altitude gardeners and permaculturists, Bill will have audiences in Westcliffe, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Boulder, Denver
and Aspen. Folks in Colorado are on the cutting edge of sustainability and local food security. They know that working toward self -sufficiency is moot if you aren’t saving seeds that are adapted to your region. Way to go Colorado.

In between lectures, how can Bill and Belle NOT enjoy the profusion of wildflowers in the high mountains so they are hoping to also offer wildflower walks along the way..anything to keep them out of the 105 degree heat of the Arizona desert, where they live.

Come September, on the heels of their GOING TO SEED – Summer Revival Tour, they will be offering an 8-day, World of Seeds immersion at their permaculture inspired property in the beautiful Verde Valley in Arizona.

This intensive, fun, mind-boggling workshop is for anyone wanting to learn the genetics, techniques, historical perspective and need to save seeds.

If you have been thinking of starting a seed business, want to become more self-sufficient within your own community, or perhaps add a seed component to your nursery or garden enterprise, this one-of-a-kind course will fit the bill. $1500 for the 8 days, September 26th through October 2nd. Includes two
meals per day. Register before August 1st and receive a 20% discount. Pay only $1200. Contact Belle at belle@seedsave.org to reserve your spot.

Attendance is limited due to the intimate nature of the course.

Thank you for your patronage, your enthusiasm and commitment to open-pollinated, heirloom seeds and to seed saving! Enjoy a 15% discount now through Wednesday, the 12th of May. Use the coupon code: youbet.

For summer tour dates and locations, keep checking our website: www.seedstrust.com. Or email Belle: belle@seesdsave.org

Plant Seeds, Harvest Change

Bill and Belle