The 5th annual Prairie Sun Seed Festival will be held on March 14 from 12:30-4:00 p.m. at Yorkdale Central School in Yorkton. The festival brings together people interested in saving heirloom varieties of garden seeds, local food producers and suppliers and those with gardening expertise. They all share a passion for working towards increasing food security in Yorkton and the surrounding region. Admission is a non-perishable food item or cash donation for local food banks.
The seed swap table enables people to tell the story of seeds they bring for sharing. You are invited to drop seeds off when you arrive and then return later in the afternoon to choose ones you’d like to try. Bring your seeds in a container or envelope clearly marked with the name of the seed and any information you’d like to share with the recipient. Remember that seeds saved from hybrid plants will not be the same as the hybrid plant. Seeds from heirloom varieties will be accepted. If you have old gardening magazines or books you no longer want, you are welcome to drop them off at the seed swap table.
Exhibits by local food producers provide a chance to meet local growers and suppliers from our region and to learn about their products and operations. Heirloom seed sellers provide a wide variety of vegetable, fruit and flower seeds for customers. The vendors are a great source of information and will help you choose the varieties best suited to your needs. Other displays include Seeds of Diversity, Assiniboine Food Security Alliance, the Community Garden Alliance, the Yorkton Public Library, Yorkton Horticultural Society and the Yorkton Family Resource Centre.
Workshops highlight the knowledge in our community and province by providing an opportunity to learn from Saskatchewan growers.
Workshops begin at 1 p.m. with Glen Tymiak, a well-known Yorkton gardener. Glen’s presentation, Gardening 101, will provide tips to ensure success for first time gardeners. If this is the year you intend to plant your first vegetable garden, you are sure to be inspired as Glen guides you through the steps and selection of vegetables to get started.
At 2 p.m. Rachelle Ternier from Prairie Garden Seeds will talk about Organic Seeds. Rachelle grows and saves seeds with her father Jim Ternier on their farm at Humboldt. The Terniers are passionate about preserving the rich biodiversity of our food by saving and sharing seeds as well as the stories that go with them.
At 3 p.m. Laureen LaBrash will let you in on her secrets for Cooking With Beans. She may even share her famous recipe for black bean fudge. Laureen and her family operate a Certified Organic Greenhouse and CSA farm at Lumsden.
This year’s festival features an expanded children’s activity area. While the workshops are underway, children can attend a story time and enjoy a variety of crafts. A new feature is entertainment in the exhibit area. We are pleased to welcome The Grid Pickers from Buchanan.
The seed festival is a project of the Assiniboine Food Security Alliance (ASFA) and is supported by Sunrise Health Region, Public Health. It supports AFSA’s vision that all are living well with the gift of good food. It provides an opportunity for people to learn practical skills in growing food, food storage and protecting our environment. It is an example of the Health Region’s vision “Working together for healthy people in healthy communities.”
For more information contact Stacey at 306-641-4239 or [email protected]
