Seed Academy takes place twice each year on our farm in Williams, Oregon which is closed except for special events!

Read on below, or go directly to the event page by following these links:

Spring Seed Academy (2024) - event link

Spring Seed Academy happens in May with a focus on seed planting but includes much of the same material as Fall Seed Academy. You may even catch the end of wild Spring blooms!

Fall Seed Academy (2024) - event link

Fall Seed Academy happens in October with a focus on seed harvesting but includes much of the same material as Spring Seed Academy. The time of abundance and harvest!

MORE ON SEED ACADEMY AT SISKIYOU SEEDS

The Seed Academy’s mission is to increase network capacity, collaboration and synergy in the Seed Freedom Movement in the Rogue Bioregion and beyond. 

Learn with experienced seed farmers to gain the essential skills you need to harvest & process seed. Training is workshop style with different modules and lectures throughout the weekend and oriented towards farmers, gardeners, educators, entrepreneurs, permaculturalists & anyone interested in becoming a part of the Seed Movement. Many people leave this course transformed, inspired and energized!

WHEN: A 3 day event taking place in May (Spring Seed Academy) or in October (Fall Seed Academy). The event begins at 9:00 am on a Friday and runs through 4pm on the Sunday.  Friday and Saturday are 9am-6pm with dinner to follow and a more open, salon type format after dinner. People travelling from out of town can arrive Thursday evening if they are camping onsite by prior arrangement only. 

WHAT: We invite you to join us for one or both of these a 3 day intensives!

Don Tipping is the lead instructor who brings over 30 years experience in organic farming, seeds, permaculture and enthusiastic on-farm education. There are always expert guest instructors included as well. Check out this years' event listings for the guest instructors!

Curriculum includes:

• seed saving
• basic botany & reproductive biology in plants
• understanding selection,
• planting seeds & soil mixes
• seed germination & germination testing
• isolation, crossing,
• seed libraries & storage
• field trip to another small farm that produces organic seeds.
• whole systems, permaculture, regenerative agriculture, and solutions oriented action
• step-by step tools, strategies & inspired vision required to start or upgrade a seed business, or implement a seed system to you farm or homestead. 

WHO: Gardeners, farmers, permaculturalists, homesteaders, those interested in starting a neighborhood seed library or seed bank, those interested in stewarding and preserving heirloom varieties, and all who see growing and saving seed as a wonderful way to grow a positive future. No prior experience is necessary, however, some gardening familiarity will be helpful.

FOOD: Please see the event page for more details! Delicious organic meals centering local food included!  

STAY: Please see the event page for more details! Most participants camp onsite. There are other lodging options in the area through Airbnb, or Grants Pass is just 30 minutes away should you prefer to stay in town. 

VISION: The journey with connecting more deeply with seeds as a source point of life begins with seed saving, then progresses to seed growing on a farm or garden preservation scale. The master level is seed stewardship, cultivating a deep relationship with the species and all of its potential for bioregional adaptation to climate, pests, disease and agronomic & culinary preferences.

We visualize interconnected Community Seed Hubs that are capable of doing breeding, selection, stewardship and improvement that work with bioregional centers that can do finish cleaning, climate controlled storage, marketing and distribution of high quality, open-pollinated organic seeds. In this way we can co-create a sustainable seed system that will support organic food production for local markets and resilient local food systems. Seven Seeds Farm is home to Siskiyou Seeds - a certified organic family farm seed company and has been striving towards providing a Community Seed Hub for the Rogue Valley. We are partnering with the following non-profits Our Family Farms, Southern Oregon Seed Growers Association and other seed freedom organizations.

RECOMMENDED READING (before or after):

• Seed To Seed, by Susan Ashworth
• The Organic Seed Grower, by John Navazio
• The Seed Garden, by Jared Zystro & Miceala Colley
• Guns, Germs and Steel, by Jared Diamond
• Where Our Food Comes From, by Gary Nabham
• Garden Seed Inventory, Seed Savers Exchange
• Return to Resistance, by Roaul Robinson
• Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties, Carol Deppe
• Shattering, Cary Fowler
• Plants & People, & Seed to Civilization, Charles Heiser