Whiteley Creek Homestead

decorah farmers market and food co-op

We coordinated our Seed Savers Exchange outing with a Saturday morning farmers market in Decorah, Iowa. It was the first day of the Winneshiek Farmers Market's 2014 spring season. My eyes fell upon pots handmade by Jeff Scott, owner of Driftless Gardens, which is a full service organic garden and landscaping business in Decorah. They are much like newspaper pots but use layers of tan Kraft paper wrapped in hand-carved, wood block printed labels. Jeff's academic background in studio art is evident. The large pots displayed behind the paper pots are sewn from fabric made of recycled plastic. Instant love. I bought one of each style pot.

There are two destinations that I seek out as we traverse the state and country. Farmers markets and food co-ops. To restock our camper's fridge and pantry. Plan to stop at the Oneota Community Food Co-op's Water Street Cafe in downtown Decorah for a meal or two or three. Amazing from-scratch, organic fare. Abundant produce and grocery offerings.

seed savers exchange

An article in a July/August 2012 issue of Natural Home & Garden Magazine "planted the seed."

I knew that one day I would visit Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa. Then, one day came. Dick and I spent an afternoon and a day on this first weekend in May 2014 at SSE's annual spring plant sale.

Saving seeds. This is the heartbeat of Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa. Why is it important? To honor the farmers and home gardeners who came before us and to pass biodiverse sustenance on to future generations. Seeds... Heirloom. Open Pollinated. Hybrid. Important terms to understand. Click on the welcome sign photo above to read an explanation of the terms as well as SSE's history and mission.

After purchasing seeds and transplants, we explored a little corner of SSE's 890-acre Heritage Farm. Rolling hills and rock cliffs. Crystal clear trout stream. Meandering hiking trails. One trail led us past Ancient White Park Cattle which is a rare breed that SSE is nurturing back from near extinction. They are white with black eyes and distinctive black coloring on their nose, hooves, teats, horn tips, and inside their ears.  

When we desired rest as we hiked, this lovely weathered bench beckoned.

Mark your calendar and plan to attend SSE's 34th Annual Conference & Campout July 18-20, 2014. An impressive line-up of keynote speakers include "Bryan Welch, the publisher of Mother Earth News and other Ogden publications, who will talk about the importance of seed saving in the back-to-the-land movement; Cornell University geneticist Susan McCouch will discuss plant breeding for stress-prone environments and changing climate; Virginia Nazarea from the University of Georgia will speak about the importance of place and stories in seed saving and sharing; and Andrew Still and Sarah Kleeger of Adaptive Seeds in Sweet Home, Oregon will talk about seed stewardship and their work with the Seed Ambassadors Project. A full schedule of workshops run the gamut - from seed saving to cooking to forming a seed library - to give you the skills you need for improving your garding and seed saving practices. Throw in good food, lively entertainment, a chance to meet old friends and new, and you have the fixings for a great weekend." (Info source: SSE Conference & Campout Brochure) Visit www.seedsavers.org to learn more.

Decorah has so much to offer. SSE. The landscape. Its college town vibe. But that is a story to tell of another day. Tomorrow.