A Seed Saving Glossary

This is not a comprehensive glossary, but should define most terms you will find in seed saving literature.
alternate-day caging - A technique that allows two different flowering varieties to be pollinated by insects without being cross-pollinated. Cages constructed of wood, wire, or plastic frames are covered with fine screen. One variety is covered with cages one day, allowing the other to be visited and pollinated by insects; the cages are switched each day to allow insect access to the previously caged variety.
anther - Organ where pollen is produced.
chaff - Broken pieces of dried seed capsules, stems, leaves and other debris mixed in with seeds.
characteristics - General features caused by unidentified complexes of genes including but not limited to freeze tolerance, cold tolerance, regional adaptability, winter hardiness, early maturation, and flavor.
cleaning screen - Screens with different-sized openings are used to separate seeds from chaff. The screen number denotes the number of openings that will cover a one inch line. A screen is selected with openings just large enough to let seeds drop through without the chaff or as in the case of larger seeds, a screen selected to allow the chaff to drop through without the seeds. (See page 36.)
cross-pollination - When pollen is exchanged between different flowers from the same or different plants.
dehiscent - A seed capsule opened to discharge seeds is dehiscent. Seeds must be harvested before this process takes place and the seeds are lost. In some varieties, the seed capsules literally explode.
dioecious - A species with male flowers and female flowers on separate plants as opposed to monoecious.
dominant trait - The variation of a specific, identifiable gene that results in obserable traits. For example, tall is a dominant trait in pea plant growth. Crosses with bush varieties will usually result in tall varieties. See "trait."
F1 hybrid - The "F" in F1 hybrid stands for filial or offspring. F1 means the first generation offspring after cross-pollination. The majority of F1 hybrids are sterile or produce offspring unlike themselves. See "hybrid."
F2 hybrid – The second generation offspring and so on.
filament - Tube that supports the anther where pollen is produced.
flail - The process of fracturing or crushing seedpods in order to free the seeds. This can take the form of everything from simply rubbing broccoli pods between your hands to driving over bean vines with a car or bribing high school students to jump up and down on seeds.
flower - The part of a plant where reproduction takes place and seeds are produced.
hybrid - Varieties resulting from natural or artificial pollination between genetically distinct parents. Commercially, the parents used to produce hybrids are usually inbred for specific characteristics.
inbred – reproduction of plants using parents that are significantly similar over time. In some plants this is not a problem (tomatoes and lettuce, for example) as they have flowers with both male and female and are typically fertilized within the flower before it even opens (see 'selfing'); other plants, needing a wide variety of genetic information to remain healthy cannot last long with such a limited gene pool.
inbreeding depression - A loss of vigor because of inbreeding. Inbreeding is the result of self-pollination or pollination between two close relatives.
insect pollination - Pollen is carried from one flower to another by insects.
monoecious - A species is monoecious if it produces single plants with separate male flowers and female flowers on the same plant.
open-pollinated - Open-pollinated varieties are stable varieties resulting from the pollination between the same or genetically similar parents. Not hybrid.
ovary - The female part of a flower that contains the ovules. Fertilized ovules develop into mature seeds.
perfect flowers - Individual flowers that contain both stamens and pistils, that is to say, both male and female parts.
pistil - The female reproductive organ in a flower made up of the stigma, style, and ovary.
pollen - Equivalent of sperm in plants. Pollen grain fertilizes plant ovules.
pollination - The process of sexual fertilization in plants. The male chromosomes contained in pollen are combined with the female chromosomes contained in the ovules; pollination can be done by insects, wind, water, birds or bats. In most vegetable crops pollination is carried out by wind or insects.
recessive trait - The variation of a specific, identifiable gene that results in observable traits only if the dominant trait is not present. For example, wrinkled pea seeds result only in varieties where the dominant smooth-seed trait is missing.
rogue - The process of removing or destroying plants with unwanted characteristics or traits.
selection - The process of saving the seeds from plants that exhibit desirable characteristics and traits. To identify desirable characteristics, plant the same variety in different environmental conditions, or plant different varieties in the same environ mental conditions.
self-pollination (selfing) - When pollination takes place within a single flower, usually before it opens. Other flowers or plants are not needed. Self-pollinating flowers are called "perfect flowers" because they contain the stamens that produce pollen and the pistil that receives the pollen. Isolation distance to prevent cross-pollination is not necessary unless insects are known to invade the flowers before pollination is complete.
silique - Long, tube-like seedpod that splits in half.
stamen - A flower's male reproductive organ consisting of the filament, anther, and pollen.
stigma - The opening in the pistil through which the pollen passes to the ovary.
style - Contains the pollen tube between the stigma and the ovary through which the pollen is carried.
thresh - A term used by growers and seed savers to describe the process of separating seeds from chaff; they can be separating for grain to eat or for seeds to save, the term is ubiquitous.
trait - A specific feature traced to an identifiable gene or group of genes. Pea traits traceable to single genes include vine growth (bush or tall), seed texture (smooth or wrinkled) and disease resistance (fusarium, enation mosaic, and powdery mildew).
viable - A viable seed is one that will germinate and produce a vigorous plant. Seeds must not be harvested before they have matured enough to be viable. There is wide variation in the point of maturity at which a seed can be harvested and the time passing when the seed will still be viable. Seeds have been known to remain viable for hundreds of years, but in practice, many seeds are no longer viable even after five years.
vigor - Strong, vibrant germination and growth. A desirable characteristic.
wind pollination - When pollen is carried from one flower to another by the wind.

winnow – A seed cleaning technique still used from ancient times to clean seeds by moving air from a fan or breeze to separate heavier seeds from lighter chaff. 

A Seed Savers Bibliography

The New Seed Starter's Handbook, Bubel, Nancy © 1988, Rodale Books, Once you have saved 'em, you gotta grow 'em. I had always started my own seeds, but when this book was really 'new,' I learned a lot more about growing plants from seed. This is still the classic, go-to book on the subject. The authority still.

Enduring Seeds: Native American Agriculture and Wild Plant Conservation, Nabhan, Gary Paul ©2002, University of Arizona Press Not a seed saving book per se, but a valuable background investigation to the seeds of Native American agricultural.

Where Our Food Comes From: Retracing Nikolay Vavilov's Quest to End Famine, Nabhan, Gary Paul © 2008 Shearwater Again, not a seed saving book, but Nikolay Vavilov's research into the seeds of our foods is fascinating reading and helps ground a reader in the history of seed collecting and the reasons why we want to save seeds from the wilds.

Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties: The Gardener's & Farmer's Guide to Plant Breeding & Seed Saving , Deppe, Carol © 2000 Chelsea Green This is the most exhaustive and thorough book on the process of seed saving. Written with loving appreciation of seeds like no other book I've ever read, Carol Deppe is at once an authority on seeds and plant breeding and a knowledgeable gardener whose books I snatch up and devour as fast as possible. If you have interest in this field, buy this book now.

The Garden of Invention: Luther Burbank and the Business of Breeding Plants, Smith Jane S. © 2009, Penguin Press HC Like most folks interested in new plant varieties and the process by which we get new plants, I have a reverence for Luther Burbank, one of America's premier plant breeders. Burbank brought us the Burbank potato, Santa Rosa plums, Shasta Daisies and hundreds of other plants. His work in plant breeding places him with Henry Ford and Thomas Edison in Americans who brought innovation to the world. His story makes for some wonderful reading, Jane Smith has done a good job.

Heriloom Vegetable Gardening – A Master Gardener's Guide to Planting, Seed Saving and Cultural History, Weaver, William Woys, © 1997 Henry Holt & Co You can still get this on CD from Mother Earth News, but why the publisher has let this book go out of print is an absolute mystery to me. There is no other book that gives the history to so many seeds so thoroughly. Another work of love, Weaver's book has no peer from the past or present; nothing comes anywhere near to it and it should be republished without hesitation.

Some Lovely Seed Saving Resources

Agricultural Resources Service Germplasm Resource Information Network ARS-GRINThis is a government depository of seeds – mostly commercial crops and mostly grain crops. However, if you have a project and you need some 'germplasm' (AKA seeds), a simple email request and they will send you a packetful – my wheat seed (Federation 41) was an accession from California, grown prior to 1942.

Association Kokopelli  Very much like the Seed Savers' Exchange in America, Association Kokopelli, a non-profit organization in France, was set up in 1999 to take up the torch of Terre de Semences, which was forced to close down by a ministerial decree (Ministry of Agriculture) with draconian conditions for the legal registration of ancient vegetable v arieties in "A List for Amateur Varieties." Association Kokopelli since 1999, has blossomed all over Europe presenting an imposing collection of ancient vegetable varieties. Many members of the Association are very deeply involved in the protection of alimentary biodiversity and the safeguarding of traditional varieties.

***Organic Seed Alliance  One of the premier sources for information and assistance – these are the folks that put out the seed saving manual I use in my classes. They have a lot of good solid information that we all want to use. Blog posts are terrific!!***

SeedAmbassadors Project  From Oregon, this is a comprehensive seed site with seeds sorted into the Easy and Hard to save categories. They offer workshops and tours of their 'Open Oak Farm' near Eugene. 

Seed Library of Los Angeles, SLOLA  Some very good information on seed saving and definitely oriented to our climate and our urban ecology.

Seed Savers Exchange  This is out Granddaddy of seed saving outfits in the United States. Membership is currently $50 (I've been a member since it was $25/year). They have an amazing amount of diversity in their catalog, but the true strength of SSE is the members that offer seed in their annual Seed Savers Exchange Yearbook. It is a gold mine that is very beneficial. They have also started carrying a selection of seed saving items (like those shown in the workshop).

SlowFood USA  It is hoped we can align our efforts with Slow Food USA to gain a greater audience and get our message out loud and clear.

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange  I like the fact that they carry seed saving supplies. I got my corn shoot and silk bags from these folks. And they do have some very different varieties – this is where I originally found the lettuce: Drunken Woman Frizzy Head! Also carries supplies for seed saving. An excellent resource.  

Pollinating Mechanisms & Systems in Common Vegetable Crops

Crop Common Name	Crop Species	Primary Pollinating Mechanism(s)	Pollinating system	Wild Crossable Species in US
Onion	Allium cepa	insects	cross	N
Garlic	Allium sativum	insects	most are sterile	N
Garden Chives	Allium schoenoprasum	insects	cross	N
Garlic Chives	Allium tuberosum	insects	cross	N
Dill	Anethum graveolens	insects	cross	N
Celery	Apium graveolens	insects	cross	Y
Beet	Beta vulgaris	wind	cross	Y
Swiss Chard	Beta vulgaris	wind	cross	Y
Mustard	Brassica juncea	insects	cross	Y
Kale	Brassica napus	insects	cross	Y
Broccoli	Brassica oleracea	insects	cross	N
Brussels Sprouts	Brassica oleracea	insects	cross	N
Cabbage	Brassica oleracea	insects	cross	N
Cauliflower	Brassica oleracea	insects	cross	N
Collards	Brassica oleracea	insects	cross	N
Kale	Brassica oleracea	insects	cross	N
Chinese Cabbage	Brassica rapa	insects	cross	N
Mustard, Chinese	Brassica rapa	insects	cross	Y
Turnip	Brassica rapa	insects	cross	Y
Pepper	Capsicum annuum	self	self #3	N
Lambsquarters	Chenopodium album	wind	cross	Y
Escarole/ Endive	Cichorium endivia	self	self #2	N
Radicchio/ Belgian Endive	Cichorium intybus	insects	cross	Y
Watermelon	Citrullus lanatus	insects	cross	N
Cilantro	Coriandrum sativum	insects	cross	N
Crop Common Name	Crop Species	Primary Pollinating Mechanism(s)	Pollinating system	Wild Crossable Species in US
Armenian Cucumber	Cucumis melo	insects	cross	N
Cantaloupe Melon	Cucumis melo	insects	cross	N
Honeydew Melon	Cucumis melo	insects	cross	N
Musk Melon	Cucumis melo	insects	cross	N
Cucumber	Cucumis sativus	insects	cross	N
Pumpkin	Cucurbita pepo	insects	cross	Y
Winter Squash and Show Pumpkins	Cucurbita maxima	insects	cross	Y
Winter Squash	Cucurbita moshata	insects	cross	Y
Summer Squash and Fall Squash	Cucurbita pepo	insects	cross	Y
Carrot	Daucus carota	insects	cross	Y
Arugula	Eruca sativa	insects	cross	N
Fennel	Foeniculum vulgare	insects	cross	N
Lettuce	Lactuca sativa	self	self #1	Y
Gourds	Lagenaria siceraria	insects	cross	N
Tomato	Lycopersicon lycopersicum	self	self #1/#2	N
Basil	Ocimum basilicum	insects	cross	N
Parsley	Petroselinium crispum	insects	cross	N
Lima Bean	Phaseolus lanatus	self	self #2	N
Common Bean	Phaseolus vulgaris	self	self #1	N
Pea	Pisum sativum	self	self #1	N
Radish	Raphanus sativus	insects	cross	Y
Turkish Eggplant	Solanum gilo	self	self #2	N
Eggplant	Solanum melongena	self	self #2	N
Spinach	Spinacea oleracea	wind	cross	N
Fava Bean	Vicia faba	self	self #2	N
Cowpea	Vigna unguiculata	self	self #2	N
Corn	Zea mays	wind	cross	N
Self #1: self pollinating species, outcrossing is usually < 1%
Self #2: self-pollinating species that often outcross between 2-5%
Self #3: self-pollinating species that may cross at rates > 5%

Luddite Indeed: Monsanto Chicanery And Lies Unveiled

In a litigation case involving Monsanto, a Federal judge has unsealed a cache of documents that clearly show Monsanto buying its research and blocking legislation and rules that would impinge on the sales of their popular weed-killing product, Round Up. 

In a green bottle no less!  

For everyone who has opposed Round Up and Monsanto, this is an almost euphoric moment.  We have said all along, the research was flawed, incomplete, inappropriate and inconclusive.  Most of the positive research on glyphosate - Round Up's active ingredient - has been done in the US while research in Europe has often contradicted the American work (see this from the World Health Organization, a project of the UN).  Now, we know why:  Monsanto has spread money through the American research establishment and American Universities! A fact acknowledged for many years and common knowledge among researchers in the biological sciences, to sully Monsanto is a good way to get your funding cut and see your work, along with your reputation, destroyed.  

Personally, this vindication is sweet.  Having been told "my tinfoil cap" was off kilter, called a Luddite and worse and having my photo used to represent the foolish who fail to embrace the future, I have held that there was truth yet to be uncovered.  Boom.  Here it is.  And I'm just as certain this is just the beginning.  Living with Monsanto's creations is NOT the doorway to the future, it is the end of the future.  

What other lies have they told us?  What else have they had swept under the rug for their profits at the expense of the health of our fellow citizens and the human race? 

But beyond that:  this is a condemnation of capitalism; the idea that "profit" or making money, completely justifies all else must die.  This finite world has a message for capitalists where ever they may be and we all must learn to sustain what there is. Do you see the dichotomy?  Supporting "climate change" and ridiculing Monsanto shows the ability to discern "science" done for profit vs. science done for knowledge. 

This is a major step in bringing this monster to heel.  There is much more work to be done - somehow we must get our institutions back from this Goliath that tramples law, decency, truth, justice and simple honesty.  

The one thing I know we can do today, just as I knew it in 2010 is to plant seeds of our food, harvest the food, but save the seeds to plant next year - do not rely on a corporation to maintain your food supply.  You think this is hard?  Not as hard as believing these lies about the efficacy of Round Up in your food supply, the earth and your body.

And, as they say, you get tomatoes.

david

Perfectly Imperfect...

With all the hubbub in Sacramento, we feel the need to reiterate our position and our way of distributing seeds to our members.   

You should know that we share seed grown by community members with love and care like our ancestors have done for thousands of years. It may not meet state germination or labeling standards.  And it is without a doubt NOT patented seed - we don't want those seeds in our library because it should not be legal to patent life.  SOME of our seeds may be OSSI (Organic Seed Saving Initiative, pronounced like your talking about an Australian) and we are proud to state as much.  The OSSI pledge:  You have the freedom to use these OSSI-Pledged seeds in any way you choose. In return, you pledge not to restrict others’ use of these seeds or their derivatives by patents or other means, and to include this Pledge with any transfer of these seeds or their derivatives. 

The Seed Library of Los Angeles tries our best to ensure the quality of our seed using best practices in inventory care and labeling. Nonetheless, seeds are alive and people using the seed library have varying degrees of skill in saving seeds. You should know that you might experience low germination rates or receive seeds that were not properly labeled. This is a volunteer-run project, and we do the best we can with the time and resources we have.

If you do have any problems with the seed you get from the seed library, please let us know so we can try to fix it for future users of the library! 

Email us at info@slola.org.

Thanks for your interest in local seeds!  

david

News: Some Good, Some Not So

Let's start with the not-so-good.  Last Friday, July 29th, President Obama signed into law a Federal GMO labeling bill. We at the library watch GMO legislation and development closely because pollen spreads and we are adamant that we do not want to grow or eat GMO food until it's been honestly and appropriately tested.  

The bill that Obama signed is a travesty - it is the worst possible outcome of all legislation that could have been enacted.  The law, in the first place, destroys state laws for labeling - like the perfect reasonable Vermont bill.  Vermont's law held food manufacturers to place a simple line, "This item contains GMOs" on the outside of the container.  Nothing ambiguous there - and manufacturers were complying.  

A QR code.  You need a smartphone and
an internet connection. And know how to use it.
I do, but do your grandparents? 

The Federal law makes everything massively more complex and renders a foolish and idiotic result. First off, there is no labeling for two years because the Dept of Agriculture needs that time to "study" the problem.  Secondly, many GMOs already in our food supply, will not have to be labeled according to this law - things like high-fructose corn syrup. And the label will be in the form of a QR code or an 800 number to further obfuscation.  

I have heard a lawsuit against this bill is pending.  I hope we get some sanity with some legal reprieve.  If not, prepare for wholesale boycotts and other actions to show our dissatisfaction with this horribly flawed law.

On the other hand!  

The American Association of Seed Control Officials and the American Seed Trade Association are recommending that seed libraries be exempt from the laws of seed businesses as regulated by state agricultural departments.

The RUSSL (Recommended Uniform State Seed Law) amendment is a groundbreaking document that allows seed libraries to continue operating in the commons without penalty. This means no fees, no germination testing, and no expiration dates. As the name implies, the RUSSL amendment is a recommendation and must be approved legislatively state by state.

Neil Thapar at Sustainable Economies Law Center, the lone male head
in the back on the left, and Betsy Goodman, down in front,
founder of the Omaha, NB seed libraries played a very large
part in getting this through the AASCO!  

This IS good news, but keep the corks in the champagne for a minute or two more.  This is not a law - it is a RECOMMENDATION for future laws. If the law in your state excludes seed libraries from doing what seed libraries do, this changes nothing.  BUT, it does mean, when seed saving laws come up for discussion in your state legislatures, this language from the AASCO, will be the language that will be suggested as a place to start.  That is big news, but don't roll down to your county ag office with an invitation to swap seeds just yet.

There are so many awesome people to thank for their hard work opposing the distressing Federal law and they deserve to know we value the work they did for us. In CA, Boxer stood with us, while Feinstein defected. And, of course, Obama, who had campaigned FOR labeling, was the biggest let down of all. But we will work to make sure it doesn't stand. GMOs do not play well with other crops - we have seen this contamination cause financial hardship and devastation to organic farms who are held liable for the spread of the patented genes.  

We thank Neil Thapar and Betsy Goodman and others for going to the annual meeting of AASCO and asking them to consider our seed libraries.  

I did not go because I felt it would be futile.  Shows you what I know and shows you what can happen when you do show up!  I have a great deal of respect for all these folks that made this happen - it does not change California law, which is still pending, but it's due to come up sometime in August and we'll keep you posted!

david