3rd Annual Ozark Seed Swap - Russellville, Arkansas

3rd Annual Ozark Seed Swap

This project has been expanded to 7 counties!

Conserving Arkansas's Agricultural Heritage

'One for the cut worm, one for the crow,

one to share, and one to grow.'

County Seed Swaps will be held at the following locations and times:

Mountain View
February 13th | 12-3pm 

Ozark Folk Center, Administration Building 

1032 Park Ave
Mountain View, AR 72560 

Contact: Tina Marie Wilcox, Tina.Wilcox@arkansas.gov, 870-269-3851

Fayetteville
February 14th | 1:30-4:45 

Fayetteville Public Library
401 W. Mountain St.
Fayetteville AR 72701 

Contact: Katy Deaton, katyd@ncat.org

El Dorado
February 20th | 1-4 pm 

Barton (El Dorado) Public Library
200 East 5th St.
El Dorado AR 

Contact: Nancy Arn, 870-863-5447

Searcy
February 27th | 10 am-1pm 

Arkansas State University - Beebe, Farms Classrooms
1000 West Iowa St.
Beebe, AR
Contact: Sherri Sanders, 501-268-5394, SSanders@uaex.edu

Jasper
March 6th | 10 am-5pm 

Newton County Library, Community Room
Jasper, AR 72641 

Contacts: D'Coda: dcoda@ozarkseedexchange.com
Jennifer: 870-446-2983

Conway
March 13th | 1pm-4pm 

Faulkner County Library
1900 Tyler St.
Conway AR 72032
Contact: Amy Campbell, 706-248-2597, awheeler1975@hotmail.com


Russellville
March 27th | 10 am-1 pm
Pope County Fair Grounds, Old Entertainment Building
1602 SR 124 Russellville AR 72802
Contact: Crystal Bowne, 479-567-5707, cbowne@atu.edu


Spring is just around the corner and so are the annual seed swaps!    

In addition to the third annual Ozark Seed Swap at the Ozark Folk Center State Park and the second annual Faulkner County Seed Swap at the Faulkner County Library, Conserving Arkansas's Agricultural Heritage (CAAH!) has teamed up with Master Gardeners, Americorps volunteers, and several Arkansas farmers and organic gardening groups to host Seed Swaps in five new communities. This year, Seed Swaps will also be held in El Dorado, Fayetteville, Jasper, Russellville, and Searcy.    

Last year's swaps were a huge success with hundreds of gardeners in attendance and a remarkable number of heirloom varieties exchanging hands.    

'Based on the interest in the previous Seed Swaps, we hope to establish self-sustaining swaps in each of these communities,' said Brian C. Campbell, assistant professor of anthropology, in the Department of Sociology at the University of Central Arkansas. 'The objective is to re-orient the public to the sustainable practice of growing local food to supplement one's income and to connect the younger generation interested in sustainability with the older wiser generation with experience growing their own food.'  

Arkansas farmers and gardeners have a legacy of heirloom seeds that are in danger of being lost, and the sharing of these heirloom seeds will encourage their production for posterity, Campbell said.  'Trading open-pollinated seeds conserves important genetics that may otherwise be lost, in addition to the invaluable stories of Arkansas's agricultural history,' he said.    

Part of Campbell's research is an applied project to document, conserve, and distribute heirloom or open-pollinated seeds of Arkansas. There is a seed bank on the UCA campus. Seeds are grown on campus and in community gardens.    

Campbell's research team provides seeds and logistical help at each of the swaps.    

'Saving seed allows the plants to adapt to local conditions and produce well without the need for expensive, harmful chemicals, and saves the grower money because there is no need to purchase seed each year,' Campbell said.    

Residents are encouraged to bring seeds and stories to swap with other Ozark seed savers. If you do not have any seeds to swap but want to get started, attend a swap or two and mingle with gardeners and farmers who can help. Gardeners and farmers can also bring envelopes, plant cuttings or garden implements to share.    

'We can conserve the heritage of Arkansas while we share good stories, beautify our yards, and of course, get free seeds,' Campbell said.   

There is no charge for admission.

The main event is co-sponsored by the Ozark Folk Center State Park and the University of Central Arkansas, the Conserving Arkansas's Agricultural Heritage (CAAH!) Project will host the third annual Ozark Seed Swap from 12 - 3 PM at the Ozark Folk Center State Park Administration Building. 

Last year was a huge success, with hundreds of gardeners in attendance and a lot more heirloom varieties exchanging hands.  We are excited to invite you to bring some seeds and stories to swap with other Ozark seed savers and yarn spinners.  If you have no seeds to swap but want to get started, come along to mingle with gardeners and farmers who can help.  We can conserve the heritage of Arkansas while we share good stories, beautify our yards, and of course, get free seeds.

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