from the Hudson Valley Seed Library!  Here's the latest from our pal Ken.
Even though the leaves are brown and many gardeners have already laid their beds to rest, seed season is still in full bloom. That's because the new Art Packs are here, replacing the lost colors of summer and keeping our hopes for next year's gardens bright.
I recently came across an old quote by 19th-Century garden writer and Catskills resident Hanna Rion that summed up how I feel about the pairing of our seeds with artists:
"The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses."
The new packs are colorful and tactile, the vegetables they produce are tasty, the flowers they grow sweetly scented, and we hope they sound like pretty great gifts. Whether you collect them for the frame-able artwork, the open-pollinated seeds, or both, we're thrilled to start sharing these 16 new packs with you. To get your dirty gardener hands on these crisp new packs you have a few choices:
- From the toasty comfort of your own home you can visit our online Gift Catalog which includes Art Packs, seedy gift baskets, gift Seed Library memberships, and vintage garden art. For those of you who are 2009 Seed Library members, there are discounts on almost everything in the catalog. (Just log in first by clicking "Log In" in the navigation bar.)
- If you would like to see the original artwork, meet the artists, and maybe even buy one of the originals for yourself or as a gift, you can venture out to our Gallery Opening on November 14th at Roos Arts in Rosendale. We're having a special preview party for the early birds (cost:$10; RSVP required) that includes heirloom appetizers made by a group of sustainability-minded students from the Culinary Institute of America and by Lugasta's Luscious (Lagusta will also be providing some seedy chocolate truffles). We are also excited that potter and returning seed pack artist Ayumi Horie has created a limited edition series of "Pest and Pollinator" plates especially for the show. The show itself is free and open to all starting at 7pm.
- You can also purchase Art Packs by visiting us at some of our events this November and December.
Folk Seeds: I'm looking forward to participating in this panel discussion and seed swap with politics, community building, and food. Organized by the Poughkeepsie Farm Project, Folk Seeds takes place on November 19th. As soon as I have more info, I'll post it on the blog. For now, you can email Nora for info or to help out.
Saugerties Farmer's Market: Saugerties hosts its first winter market of the season on November 22nd. We're happy to be back at this bustling local market.
New Amsterdam Market: We'll be back at this delicious outdoor city market on November 22nd.
Young Farmers Conference: Reviving the Culture of Agriculture. I'm very excited to be one of the speakers at this year's Young Farmers Conference at Stone Barns in Westchester County.
Unison Holiday Craft Sale: Great sale with local craftspeople and artisans.
And, lest you think I forgot, we have a winner! Yes, we've chosen this month's Seedy Sayings Caption Contest winner. To see the winning kernel of wit, visit our blog.
Hope you are all cozy and your seed returns are on their way, either in the mail or in person at one of our events.
In seediness,
Ken
p.s. All of the words that are highlighted and underlined in the above email are direct links to more information. They are like little seeds planted among fertile words. Click on them to find out more!