By this point most gardeners have something sprouting in the vegetable patch and an army of seedlings waiting for their day in the sun. Even though the season is just beginning, it's time to start thinking about next year's garden and the seeds that will make it possible. Saving seeds from this year's plants can help you trim expenses in future years.

To help get you started, Saving Seeds Farm in Sedgwick (on the beautiful Blue Hill peninsula in Downeast Maine) will be offering a series of Seed School classes and a weekend-long Seed Camp this summer. Here are the details:

Seed School
10 a.m. to noon, followed by lunch
This four-part course covers the basics of seed production, harvesting and saving for the garden or small farm. Includes hands-on activities for beginners to intermediate seed savers.

June 16 – The Reproductive Life of Plants: An introduction to seed saving
July 7 – Annuals and Biennials
July 21 – Selection, Isolation & Hand-pollinating
September or October (date TBD) – Techniques for processing and storing dry and wet seed

Cost: $150 for four classes, includes farm lunch. $40 for individual classes. Scholarships and work trade available. Space is limited to 12 students.

Seed Camp
August 17 to 20
A weekend-long intensive course on small-scale farming and seed production, includes workshops on producing a variety of seeds for the garden or small farm. The camp includes farm tours, workshops, hands-on learning and time for socializing. Deadline for registration is July 31. Tenting and outdoor accommodations available. Scholarships and work trade available.

Cost: $300, includes 8 meals made from seasonal and organic ingredients. Vegetarian/vegan options available.

To register for any of these events, or for more information, contact farmer Bob St.Peter at 244-0908 or foodformainesfuture207@gmail.com.

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About the Author

Meredith Goad has harvested oysters on the Chesapeake Bay, eaten reindeer in Finland and sipped hot chai in the Himalayas. She writes the weekly Soup to Nuts column and enjoys a good cocktail.

Meredith can be contacted at 791-6332 or mgoad@pressherald.com
On Twitter: @meredithgoad

Susan Axelrod's food writing career began in the kitchen; she owned a restaurant and catering business before turning to journalism more than a decade ago. To relax, she bakes, gardens and hikes with her husband and their two dogs. A newcomer to Portland, she is an online content producer for the Press Herald.

Susan can be contacted at 791-6310 or saxelrod [at] pressherald.com.
On Twitter: @susansaxelrod

Wendy Almeida and her family have a smattering of livestock and a summer garden. After 10 years of her kids being involved in 4-H, she's finally accepted the term "hobby farm" to describe her family's work at sustainable living. These days her morning starts with milking a goat before heading into the office for her day job as an assistant editor for features.

Wendy can be contacted at wea [at] mainetoday.com or on Twitter @wea1021.

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