Swap ’em if you’ve got ’em!

Fifth annual Spring Seed Swap coming up on March 16

This article was published on 03.06.14

Dayna Baumeister, co-founder of the Biomimicry 3.8 Institute, will speak at Chico State’s This Way to Sustainability IX conference on Friday, March 7, at 4 p.m.

Swap ’em if you’ve got ’em
It’s almost time for the (fifth!) annual, quintessential spring-is-around-the-corner gardening event—the Spring Seed Swap, sponsored by the Chico Permaculture Guild and the GRUB Education Program—on Sunday, March 16, from 2 to 6 p.m., at the Chico Grange Hall (2775 Nord Ave.).

The press release announcing the event noted that the seed swap “works in the same style as a potluck—there will be more than eight tables, each labeled with different types of seed, such as vegetables, flowers, natives, herbs, and more. Participants will leave their clearly labeled bulk or packaged seed on the appropriate table, then continue around to the other tables and gather seeds that others have brought.

“Often whole packets of seed are on the tables, but opening them and taking only what you need and sharing the rest is in the spirit of the seed swap.”

This popular, free event “is a celebration marking the arrival of spring and the gardening season,” explained the press release. In addition to seed swapping, the event will also feature speaker presentations; music; local vendors selling plants, seeds, gardening tools and veggies; and more. The Chico Natural Foods Cooperative will be on hand selling yummy, healthy food and drinks.

Speaker presentations will begin at 2:15 p.m., leading off with Kalan Redwood of Redwood Seeds in nearby Manton. Redwood will offer seed-saving tips and will discuss various drought-resistant crops and their benefits. A panel of local water experts, including Butte Environmental Council Water Outreach Coordinator Nani Teves, is next up at 3:30 p.m.; that group will be talking about rainwater harvesting and gray-water systems as ways to garden using less water.

At 4:45 p.m., members of the community will be invited to share their personal stories about gardening and seeds.

Go to www.tinyurl.com/seedswappin to learn more about the Spring Seed Swap.

Spring break at the nature center!
The Chico Creek Nature Center (1968 E. Eighth St.) is gearing up for Spring Camp Chico Creek, which will be held over spring break, Monday through Friday, March 17-21, from 7:45 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. daily.

Spring Camp Chico Creek, as the nature center’s press release put it, is designed to “bring back the magic of summer camp.” It is “an environmental, education-based day camp” for children 5 to 11 years old, aimed at fostering “awareness of nature in a fun, safe and caring setting.”

Cost is $35 per day, or $175 for all five days. Call 891-4671 for more information.

This Way to Sustainability IX
Chico State’s three-day This Way to Sustainability IX conference begins March 6 (today).

Among the keynote speakers, Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture Karen Ross is on tap for Friday, March 7, at noon, Dayna Baumeister (pictured), co-founder of the Biomimicry 3.8 Institute speaks the same day at 4 p.m.

Go to www.csuchico.edu/sustainablefuture/conference for more details about the many other speakers at the conference.

Don’t frack our county!
Attend the Frack-Free Butte County Fundraiser at the Chico Women’s Club on Sunday, March 16, from 1:30-5:30 p.m., in support of the local grassroots campaign to gather 15,000 signatures by May 30 to put an initiative on the November ballot for a moratorium on fracking in Butte County. In addition to music from MaMuse, Hot Potato, and others, the event will feature food, nonalcoholic drinks, a raffle and a 2 p.m. showing of the Josh Fox anti-fracking film The Sky is Pink.