A Little Seed Saving

A little goes a long way! 

I started seed saving when gifted field pea seeds a few years ago. The seed, Celia's Peas, has been lovingly kept for generations by a Robeson County woman. I have had them a about a decade, the woman who gave them to me was in her 70's. Celia was her grandmother. I'm guessing they have been grown locally for at least 100 years. I read once that plants adapt to their local ecological system when grown there for a long period. Wonder if that is true? They grow upward climbing an old 9 foot wooden ladder beyond it's top. Covered with flowers that change from butter yellow buds to two toned lavender they then produce long pods with up to thirteen peas. Easy peasy to shell, I love them.

A pretty little flower! 

Okra, mustard, lettuce, parsley, fennel, Contender Beans, marigolds and zinnia's are among those I save-and do my best to give them away because Nature is quite generous. An example: just a few okra pods will yield enough seeds to grow enough for our entire county.
Seed saving has the added benefit of adding flowers for bees in the garden. Bees especially love simple (not frilly) flowers It seems that herbs are especially attractive to them. So save some seeds and help the bees. Remember, unless you buy organically grown seeds all seeds have been treated with pesticides and those pesticides persist in the flowers and the soil. No bueno for the insects.