This is an archive of meeting notes for the group from 2006 till March 2013.
Meeting Notes 2006
Year 2006 Seedsaving Record (PDF)
Meeting Notes 2007
27 October 2007
Another buzzing meeting with a record 20 attendees. many thanks to all who came along.
(Remember – If you want to post a question, comment or report back on an action, use the ‘discussion’ tab attached to this page. You will need to be a member of the group to do this – email john on mcrun @hermes.net.au to become a member.)
We now have the following seeds in our seedbank : Coriander, blue popping corn, garlic chives, bush bean, brown beauty, climbing bean ‘mollys zebra”, climbing bean “scarlet runner”, Italian parsley, climbing bean “white monarch”, lettuce “perpetual curly”, parsley
“triple curl”, pumpkin “potymaron”, dryland/winter cress, Onion “max welsh”, Chillies (? we still have to identify several of our chillies!), climbing bean “Mostollier wild goose”, climbing bean “purple king”, Sunflower “golden harvest”. Also generously given out at the meeting were tomato seedlings “Tommy Toe”, beautiful iris plants, pink yarrow plants, amaranth seedlings. Thanks to Louisa for the delicious home baked (and still warm) muffins and to everyone else who brought along sustenance.
Also much discussion on problems, successes, tricks and big pictures.
Our next meeting will be on Sunday Dec 9 10am – 1pm where we will have a festive/seasonal produce display and lunch. Louisa will organise this and will coordinate with everyone to ensure we don’t end up with 20 plates of mincemeat pies – desireable as this may be from my point of view!
We also discussed the need to have a rotating job of “Seedbanker”. That is, someone who, amidst the frenetic activity keeps a cool head and ensures that information regarding the seeds is recorded for our seedbank document. Sarah has offered to do this for the next meeting, where we will discuss the ongoing role.
IN addition is the ongoing and onerous duty of trying to provide as much information as possible regarding the geneology and viability of the seed you are bringing along. The seedbanker can then collect and collate this information for future reference. Perhaps as a trial we can arrange to plant all the seed we save at the next meeting in a propogating tray. Someone can then take the tray home and report back on the germination results which can then be appended to the seedbank and seed packets. This is important because we need to know if we are using the correct procedure to save and store seeds – and if despite our efforts we are actually producing and passing on bad seed.
Another ongoing and rotating task can be the updating of this webpage – if it proves to be a useful tool for the majority of people.
25 August 2007
Proceedings
· Cakestall raised $240!! Many thanks to those who provided cakes and who staffed the stall to sell the cakes and seeds and talk about seedsaving. Meeting agreed that we should use the money to pay for this years SSN membership and use the remainder to buy seedsaving books to send to village in Uganda (see Julie’s contribution below)
· Discussion about new garden book from SSN – also send printed copy to Uganda. Also find sponsorship to print copies for local schools.
· Julie spoke of her links to a village in Uganda that is trying to establish a seedsaving project. The meeting wished them well and agreed that we should send a gift of seedsaving books to the village. We would also love to hear about what plants they grow and how they grow them, as we are a worldwide community of gardeners.
· Liz spoke about the ‘Kitchen Garden in Every Home project’ being run by Cittaslow Katoomba. It is planned to use seeds saved by MMSS in the project.
· A suggestion by Debbie, and agreed by the meeting was that we didn’t have enough time at the meetings!!! Too many seeds and too much to talk about! It was proposed that the meeting times be extended to run between 9am and 2pm, and to allocate different parts of the meeting to duscissions and seedsaving and packing. Anyone is welcome to attend for as long as they can. (note that cost of hall would increase from $12 at present to $27.50)
· Seeds saved – scarlet runner beans, parsley, pumpkin ‘potymaron’, hyacinth beans, cos lettuce, bell chillies,
· Seedlings – rhubarb, yacon, pepino, oregano, NZ yams
Also, as discussed at meeting, can anyone please indicate if they are able to help staff stall at the Korowal Envirofest on Saturday 22 September.
May 2007
No meeting notes
Minutes of meeting 27 Feb 2007
Present
Sarah, Louisa & Quinito, Erica, Karen, Marilyn, Debbie, David, Ray, Jeff & Anne, Sak, John, Loret
Proceedings
· MMSS have been asked to do talks to local schools, anyone willing to help Loret?
· Will hold future meetings on same day as Bullaburra market (which has moved to a Sunday) so that we can have a stall to sell seeds and distribute information. Also if anyone wants to contribute seedlings to sell
· Tomato Taste test – was to be held at Debbie’s house, but was eventually cancelled because we didn’t have enough tomatoes!!
· Ray is going down to Melbourne for Seedsavers National Conference. He will represent MMSS and bring us back good information.
· Discussion on seed saving and catalogueing process, use of rootstock shoots (prune them off but strike them and graft onto them)
· Letter was sent in support of Slow Food application (john)
Agenda Items for this meeting
Can anyone take on viability testing of our saved seeds – say ony packet at a time?
Seed contributers please ensure that all information available on the seeds you bring is recorded on the attached sheet. There are quite a few ‘blanks’ appearing
Remember to record information about your seeds as you sow them so that you can pass this on when seed is saved
Minutes of meeting 27 Feb 2007
Proceedings
· MMSS have been asked to do talks to local schools, anyone willing to help Loret?
· Will hold future meetings on same day as Bullaburra market (which has moved to a Sunday) so that we can have a stall to sell seeds and distribute information. Also if anyone wants to contribute seedlings to sell
· Tomato Taste test – was to be held at Debbie’s house, but was eventually cancelled because we didn’t have enough tomatoes!!
· Ray is going down to Melbourne for Seedsavers National Conference. He will represent MMSS and bring us back good information.
· Discussion on seed saving and catalogueing process, use of rootstock shoots (prune them off but strike them and graft onto them)
· Letter was sent in support of Slow Food application (john)
Agenda Items for this meeting
Can anyone take on viability testing of our saved seeds – say ony packet at a time?
Seed contributers please ensure that all information available on the seeds you bring is recorded on the attached sheet. There are quite a few ‘blanks’ appearing
Remember to record information about your seeds as you sow them so that you can pass this on when seed is saved
Meeting Notes 2008
Meeting Report October 26
For once a quieter meeting with only 13 of us, but this did include 4 new enthusiastic seedsavers! Feedback from gardens at this point is that it is a good year, particularly for potatoes and lettuce so far. Several people spoke of nature strip takeovers, and one particularly interesting aquaponics project. Kate and Maryanne both spoke of their use of gardening in teaching projects. Mid Mountains Seedsavers donated seeds and the ‘Seed to Seed’ manual to Megalong primary school for their new no-dig raised beds – we are hoping to get some photographs. New members Frank and Kerry have a large orchard in their Springwood garden and Frank has offered to do a budding/grafting demonstration in the autumn.
Ray – Carrots Western Red
John – broadbean Aquadaluce, Broadbean red flowered, Snowpea Golden Podded, Pumpkin Gramma, Peas purple podded
Robyn – quince Rootstock for pear and loquat “Qunice A”?
David – amaranth, Rowes purple flowered peas
Joame – parsley flat leaf
Frank – cherimoya
Next meeting February 8 2009
Meeting Report August 10 2008
Focus Group meeting – a bit of a false start due to a mixup with the key for the hall, but in the cafe we did manage to discuss offering assistance to local schools. Apparently BM City council already offers ‘Seed to Seed’ school garden manual (written by By Seedsavers Network) to local schools. Therefore it was suggested that we offer some packets of local seeds along with the manual, and the offer of a seedsaving talk.
Louisa and Quinito will take a sample of each seed type saved, perform a germination test then report back on the results. It is hoped that this will provide a continual focus on the quality of the seeds we produce. Louisa also stood in for Sarah as Seed Banker and logged all of the activity.
Seedsaving meeting – It’s amazing that a seedsaving meeting can generate so much exuberance and excitement! 25 people met for three hours and talked non-stop about their gardens and seedsaving activities and processed 24 different types of seeds – almost 200 packets of seeds. Intense!
Many people weren’t able to offer seeds – some were just in the process of renovating gardens, however, we had more than enough to keep us busy.
Debra – offered Nasturtium, a climbing pea, and talked about her Garlic
Maryanne – offered red onion, basil and Giant sunflower
Esther – offered tomatoe (RdM) – one of Deb’s seedlings!
Louisa – offered Radish ‘French breakfast’, Spinach ‘South European’ , kale ‘lacinto’ , perllia. Perilla is new to us all – a red leaf vegetable of japanese (?) origin which self sprouted from plants Louisa thought she had lost.
Robyn – offered true-to-type rosehips from a low bush rose which could be useful as a garden bed edge ‘Prince William II’. ALso suggested that we could start to look out for rose types that produce edible flowers and hips.
Rosemary – Italian Parsley seedlings, Thornless Blackberry
Ishta – Italian Parsley seed – 8th year in her garden.
John – several types of bean, mystery leaf, not Bay but fragrant
Erica – offered heartsease plants, ice cream bean, perennial fuschia, wallflower, yacon, jerusalem artichoke, borage plants.
Deb – offered sunflower, lettuce, Rowe’s pea
Next Meeting Sunday 26 October
Meeting Report – May 11 2008
I thought that my mistake of setting the meeting date on Mothers Day would see only a few members turn up. However, almost 20 of us again made it for anopther terrific meeting. So many seeds and plants, experience and advice – so much to talk about!
Sarah – gave an update on the seedbank and her recent efforts to record what we are doing
Erica offered Jerusalem Artichokes, Aloe Vera plants, hearsease plants, tree fuschia cuttings
Kate recounted her impromptu visit to Michel and Jude in Byron Bay, and her involvement in her school garden. her daughter is doing a school project on seedsaving
Ray – has some Western Red carrots in seed and will bring them along next time. He has struck one of Erica’s fig cuttings from a previous meeting (Erica offered additional advice to keep figs in a pot if you have a small garden!), and has some Siberian tomato seedlings on the go which he is going to try to nurse over the winter.
Robin offered chokoes (Erica gave a great observation that in Papua New Gunea, it is bundles of choko shoots which are sold at local markets as vegetables, not the fruit), figs, giant red mustard seeds (which can also be grown for salad sprouts)
Maralyn offered some red Californian poppy seeds
Sak offered Scarlet Runner beans and a collection of silica packs
David offered red Amaranth seeds
Rosemary offered red frilly lettuce seeds, and two pumpkins for the Slow Food Cafe at Katoomba Winter Magic Festival
Lorna offered small tomatoes from a determinate plant which, unlike most other tomato varieties, only grows to a fixed plant size and is therefore good for growing in pots and situations where space or staking is a problem. There followed a discussion on the different methods of processing and saving tomato seeds.
Liz offered an unidentified seedhead given to her by a friend. After appropriate discussion of the possibilities (parsley, dil, fennel, parsnip), it was decided that it was most likely Fennel.
Joame offered Scalet Runner and Painted Lady beans
Maryanne offered a mosquito repelling groundcover plant which Marylin was able to identify as ‘Lads Love’ or ‘Southernwood’
John offered Perpetual Spinach, Cos lettuce seeds and seedlings, and a germination/viability test display.
Grafting Workshop
We are able to announce the details of and accept bookings for our Grafting Workshop. This will be held on Sunday 3 August 10am – 3pm (approximate) at the Bullaburra hall. Jill Cockram from Southern Highlands Permaculture will be leading the workshop. Jill has been holding very popular ‘grafting days’ in Moss Vale for ten years and has great experience and skill to pass on. The cost of the workshop is $35. Jill will be providing rootstocks for the apple, pear, plum, peach, cherry (a couple of each type for each person), grafting tape and mastic. She will also be providing some scion (top part with the fruit type we want) material, but if anyone can bring along their own scion material if it is known to be a good type. Participants should bring their own lunch, hat, gardening gloves, warm clothing (it will be cold!), secateurs and most importantly a grafting/budding knife (available from good nurseries or online/mail order). We will also need to label our work, so labels and marker pens are required also. Tea/Coffee hot drinks facilities available and we will provide the basics.
If you do know of any fruit trees that are worth replicating (of the varieties mentioned above) then collect some prunings (around 30cm with growing tips intact) as soon as they have lost their leaves and have gone dormant (June onwards?) wrap them in moist newspaper and then in a plastic bag and if possible keep them in the crisper in the fridge. Remember to record the name of the variety or a description and attach it to the material.
If you wish to attend this workshop YOU MUST LET US KNOW NOW as places are strictly limited and are filling very fast!!! Please email mcrun@hermes.net.au, or phone on 4759 2118
Next Meeting Sunday 10 August
Meeting report – February 10 2008
Our little group is going from strength to strength. We had another meeting with over 20 people in attendance with several newcomers brought in by word of mouth recommendation, as well as the usual old-hands returning to the friendly and generous atmosphere.
There were two main topics were on peoples minds during our sharing session. These were the variable weather (In the Blue Mountains we have had one of the wettest and coldest summers for a very long time) and the serious situation regarding genetically modified food. Pollenation and pest problems were in there too, as usual.
Members spontaneously agreed to organise a public viewing of the documentary film “The Future of Food” by Deborah Koons Garcia, as well as undertaking to write to politicians and engage with food producers and supermarkets expressing concern.
Many thanks to Sarah who is has volunteered to be our new Seedbanker. This is an important task which ensures that our efforts are properly recorded and our seeds are grown out and returned. Thanks also to Ray who was able to demonstrate how easy it is to do a viability test on the seed brought to the group. We are streadily trying to increase the quality of the seed we save, and proper records and viability testing are important tasks, as is remembering where the seed came from in the first place!
The Blue Mountains Cittaslow/Slowfood group is organising a major project in the region entitled “A Kitchen Garden in Every Blue Mountains Home” which is aimed at getting people who haven’t gardened before, and involves getting them to complete a simple planter box garden of easy salad vegetables. Our seedsavers group has been invited to contribute a pack of seeds to the kit which participants will receive, in addition to seedlings from a local nursery.
Our group is also organising a grafting workshop for ourselves which will be held in July of this year, where we hope to develop skills in grafting fruit trees. Thanks to Jill from Southern Highlands Seedsavers for helping us out.
We are also experimenting with technology and are trialling a site on ‘Wikispace’ with the aim of sharing information outside of meeting times, and with other groups. We don’t have the resources to manage our own website, so this offers the possibility of an internet space which the group manages as a whole. Any comments welcome!!
On top of all of this we processed, packed, banked and swapped : Pea purple flowered, Lettuce perpetual curly, Anise hyssop, marjoram, thyme, garlic chives, warragul greens, tree onions, Tomato siberian (seedlings), Lettuce goldrush, curly parsley, bush bean Brown Beauty, Tomato Ida Gold, Tomato Gold Nugget, Gramancha (seedlings) Ice cream bean (seedling), Jumbo garlic,
Next Meeting May 11
John McNaull
Meeting Notes 2009
21 November
Another huge turnout. Thanks to the generosity of all attendees who continue to make this a truly uplifting as well as practically productive gathering.
Seeds saved as follows.
| Plant | Variety | supplier | postcode | Use-by | packets | To seedbank |
| Rocket | Broad L | David O | 2788 | nov 11 | 24 | 1 |
| Rocket | Broad L | Melanie | 2784 | Nov 11 | 1 | |
| Brocolli | Daniel H | 2776 | 1 | |||
| Sweet Pea | Louisa | 2778 | 12/10 | 9 | 1 | |
| Chard | Ruby | Louisa | 2778 | 1/12 | 8 | 1 |
| Radish | French Breakfast | Louisa | 2778 | 1 | ||
| Tomato | Tigerella | John G | 2778 | 2011 | 6 | 1 |
| Rockmelon | Edens’s Gem | John G | 2777 | 6 | 2 | |
| Amaranth | Red | David | 2778 | 2014 | 16 | 1 |
| Pea | Golden Podded | John G | 2777 | 2012 | 1 | |
| Pea | Deb | 2778 | 2010 | 32 | 1 | |
| Chilli | Bell | Deb | 2778 | 2011 | 4 | 1 |
| Broccoli | Waltham | 2776 | 2014 | 12 | 1 | |
| Tatsoi | 2778 | 2010 | 26 | 1 | ||
| Parsley | Italian | Robyn | 2779 | 2012 | 19 | 1 |
| Chilli | Birdseye | Robyn | 2779 | 2014 | 6 | 1 |
| Pea | Onward & Upward | 2778 | 2011 | |||
| Rocket | Broad L | John | 2783 | 2011 | 17 | 1 |
| Marigold | African | Diana | 2777 | 2010 | 8 | 1 |
| Parsnip | Hollow crown | Ray | 2778 | 2010 | 3 | 1 |
| Radish | Long Scarlet | Ray | 2778 | |||
| Calendula | Louisa | 2778 | 2012 | 5 | 1 | |
| Tomatillo | Green | Louisa | 2778 | 2012 | 1 | |
| Pea | Rowes | Louisa | 2778 | 2010 | 4 | 1 |
| Rocket | Mediterranean | 2011 | 4 | 1 | ||
| Carrot | Western Red | Ray | 2784 | 2012 | 23 | 1 |
| Parsley | Flat leaf | 2778 | 2012 | 26 | 1 | |
| Mizuna | Red | 2780 | 2011 | 11 | 1 | |
| Daikon | 2778 | 2012 | 7 | 1 |
30 August
Another record attendance! 28 people squeezed into our little hall and swapped plant lore and seeds. We literally ran out of chairs!
Australian Bureau of Meteorology reckons we just had the warmest August on record
Round Table
Janet – new resident Bullaburra
Ray – Bullaburra – waiting for weather to become more stable. Spending time improving soil. Seeds : Carrot western red, kale scotch, rocket
Helena – Bullaburra 14 years, poor soil..sowed seeds last week – salads,
Ben – Springwood, preparing strawberries, flowering and setting now. Growing in protected conditions
Jason – Wentworth Falls – Daikon successful last year,. Jerusalem artichokes doing very well – multiple crops. Experimenting with dehydrating artichokes, then rehydrating them for use.
Gwen – North Katoomba – good supply of round leaf rocket. Lettuce red oak doing well. Cabbage doing well. Flat leaf parsley coming into seed. Onions and garlic, borage going well. Nashi Pear pruned heavily to spread fruit production. Jonathan apple tree Carrots, English spinach
Erica – woodford – brown fig cutting, taro, Vietnamese mint, horseradish roots, Purple perilla, JA red, Russian Kale
Melanie & Alexander – Bullaburra – building up beds – strawberries flowering, onions carrots salad greens, tatsoi, all doing well Qld Blue pumpkin Seeds.
Liz – Katoomba – McIntosh Clumping leeks, red cabbage not doing well, broccoli seedlings – 3.5 months to flower, cauliflower heading now.
Greg – Hazelbrook -novice Mid Mountain Community garden – next Saturday
Gabriel – north Katoomba. Lots of trees in the garden, just lopped, Chinese cabbage and broccoli
Jen (novice)– Lawson – Brussel Sprouts. Using CDs to deter birds in fruit trees?
Jans – from Sydney organising Climate Camp in Helensburgh
Nerida – from newtown
Daniel – Faulconbridge – started in April/May terraced garden. Had as much success with mulch beds, rather than buying soil. Mini cauliflower, chard, spinach – surplus produce. Got rid of front lawn – everything is netted. Pictures of netting structures – has gained a lot from local permaculture network, No seeds, curry plants, and green leaves. Can get rock dust at half price.
Sahaia – Lawson – parsnip, celery, rocket seeds. Noticed garden is responding to spring arriving. Kindle Hill Fair 19th September – seedlings, seeds welcome.
Leila – does gardening at school, parsnips, silverbeet, recently made spinach and fetta pie using spinach from garden.
Bondi – urban farmer – all in boxes – all edible, starting to seed.
Kate – Valley heights – demonstrated apple peeler, spare Greenharvest catalogues. Planning aquaponics system, Crows stealing chicken eggs.. Grandpa chook feeder works well. Beekeeping workshop a possibility.
Lynn (novice) – Katoomba – just noticed cauliflower. Unidentified old apple trees. Liz can put in contact with Fruit and Nut Tree register
Jerome – Katoomba – very small garden – very successful broad bean – read and white. Peas growing well, beetroot growing but not bulbing. Dill Seeds 110% viable!!
Helen – Blackheath – established garden – six beds rotation on old tennis court. Plastic cloches – celery, spinach, broccoli, carrot. Four types of lettuce seed
Rob & Eva – Katoomba – just moved on to property which has been permaculture managed for 10 years. Parsnips seeding, sold parsley to coop. Trying to sprout potatoes. Using lawn clippings. Cherries, apples trees
John – Winmalee – for 37 years. Specialises in climbing beans, tomatoes and lettuce, seeds – golden podded snowpeas, ‘frost’ climbing beans, marigolds
Maria – Penrith – totally different climate. Good success with citrus – sold mandarins to coop. has ruby grapefruit. Lots of plants self seeding – rocket, globe artichoke. Limes – stevia seed Jason has gown stevia indoors – but from cutting. Basil seeds – not growing yet. When to graft citrus
Frank – Faulconbridge – lady Williams apples finishin, cherimoya starting, lime sulphur home recipe for peach leaf curl, a new treatment for fruit fly based on kaolin spray??
Louisa – Woodford. chook course postponed till next February. (Frank – free chooks from commercial breeders after 18months). Romanesco broccoli formed heads after 1 year? A friend experienced the same
Thanks to Melanie for viability testing of seeds from last meeting. Parsnip Hollow Crown 40%, Onion White Onion 50%, Pea Blue Capucyner 90%, Silverbeet ? < 5%
Next Meeting 22 November
| Packed | source | type | var | Grown in | packets |
| 30/8/09 | John | Bean | “Frost” Red Yin Yan | 2777 | 8 |
| 30/8/09 | Snow Pea | Golden Podded | 2777 | 2 | |
| 30/8/09 | Helen | Lettuce | Brown mignionette | 2884 | 1 |
| 30/8/09 | Helen | Lettuce | Green mingnionette | 2884 | 1 |
| 30/8/09 | Helen | Lettuce | Green oakleaf | 2884 | 1 |
| 30/8/09 | Helen | Lettuce | Brown Cos | 2884 | 1 |
| 30/8/09 | Joame | Dill | 2780 | 17 | |
| 30/8/09 | Parsnip | 2783 | 6 | ||
| 30/8/09 | Tomato | Ida Gold | 2777 | 2 | |
| 30/8/09 | Ray | Kale | Curly | 2784 | 15 |
| 30/8/09 | Melanie & Alexander | Pumpkin | Qld blue | 2784 | 19 |
| 30/8/09 | Ray | Rocket | Broad leaved | 2784 | 14 |
| 30/8/09 | Melanie | Daikon | 2782 | 9 | |
| 30/8/09 | Broccoli | Calabrese | 2750 | 20+ | |
| 30/8/09 | John | Ground Cherry | 2777 | 1 | |
| 30/8/09 | Ray | Carrots | Western Red | 2784 | |
| 30/8/09 | Tomato | Burkes backyard | 2777 |
9th February 2009
Another great meeting with 23 people braving the hot temperatures to come and swap seeds, plants, knowledge and questions.
Interesting aside…..
Inspection of the Bureau of Meteorology website indicates that the weekend of the meeting set two new temperature records. Hottest maximum temperature 37.6C (previous record was 36.6C set on 21 Feb 2004), and hottest minimum (overnight) temperature 24C (previous record 22.6 set on 21 Feb 1991). These numbers relate to the closest BoM weather station in Katoomba . Five days later the temperature only got as high as 11.7C only 0.7C way from the lowest maximum ever (Feb 19 1966). Two days after that, and It has now been raining heavily for 24 hours….
| Date | Name | Variety | Species | Seed |
| Packed | Grown | |||
| (Postcode) | ||||
| Feb 09 | Pea | Blue Capucyner | Pisium sativum | 2778 |
| Feb 09 | Bean, broad | Red flowered | Vicia fava | 2783 |
| Feb 09 | Bean, broad | Aquadulce | Vicia fava | |
| Feb 09 | Parsnip | Hollow Crown | Pastinaca sativa | 2783 |
| Feb 09 | Echinacea | Echinacea purpurea | 2783 | |
| Feb 09 | Cherimoya | 2776 | ||
| Feb 09 | Onion | white | Allium cepa ? | 2778 |
| Feb 09 | Lettuce | Gold Rush | Lactuca sativa | 2780 |
| Feb 09 | Lettuce | Brown Romaine | Lactuca sativa | 2783 |
| Feb 09 | Rocket | broad leaf | Eruca sativa | 2783 |
| Feb 09 | Rocket | wild | 2782 | |
| Feb 09 | Parsnip | Hollow Crown | Pastinaca sativa | 2778 |
| Feb 09 | Parsley | Flat Leaf | Petroselinum crispum? | 2779 |
| Feb 09 | Mustard | Red | Brassica juncea ? | 2779 |
| Feb 09 | Thyme | “BBQ”? | Thymus mastichina | 2779 |
| Feb 09 | Cress | Land | 2779 | |
| Feb 09 | Gem Squash | Rolet | Cucurbita pepo | 2777 |
| Feb 09 | Bean, bush | Phaseolus vulgaris | 2780 | |
| Feb 09 | Silverbeet | Beta vulgaris ssp cicia | 2783 | |
| Feb 09 | Pea | purple podded | 2777 | |
| Feb 09 | Pea | Blue Capuchin | 2778 | |
| Feb 09 | Globe Artichoke | 2778 | ||
| Feb 09 | Pumpkin | delicata mini | Cucurbita pepo | 2777 |
| Feb 09 | Poppy | Peonie | 2778 | |
| Feb 09 |
Meeting Notes 2010
Meeting December 5 2010
Loret – first tomatoes from Lawson (John’s seedlings from last August, spent most time in polytunnel) – “Christmas grape”
Kate – Valley Heights – moving House. Recommends “Food Inc”
Ishtar – Bullaburra – Bush Pea seedlings
Erica – Woodford – tall fuschiae seeds edib, perilla, Oasis Voucher, Fig tree, Tomatoe seedlings, peppermint Geranium (chocolate cakes), Nasturtium seeds, chervil, larkspur, mitzuma
Robyn, Hazelbrook – Chinese/garlic chives (blanch or raw), salsify (eat flowers and new leaves, ‘vegetable Oyster’) growing wild in Lawson, Nettle (tea, compost tea, vegetarian rennet, in cream for insect bites, ‘spinach’ high in iron), clumps of Canna edulis (seeds damper)
Joame (Katoomba) – Tommy Toe tomatoe seeds plum tomato seeds
John (Winmalee) – Golden nugget & Ida Gold tomato fruit 84 days from transplanting. Article “How the cabbage family pollinates”
Melanie & Alesander (Bullaburra) – snails eating everything – French breakfast radish seeds, geranium ‘Mary Bradshaw’, Holyhock mixed , peach tree seedling (yellow flesh)
Greg (Bullaburra) – not much garden – most effort going in to Community Garden at Kihilla
Ray (Bullaburra) – tomatoes going well – parsley & rocket seeds
Rob (Katoomba) – Rhubarb seedlings, nectarine & peach pips, Mt Tomah established orchard now going to become a community orchard.
David (Linden) – rocket, parsnip
John – Seedsaving bed at the community garden – January 9th at Kihilla
S’haila (Lawson)
Maria (Penrith) – Golden Podded peas, Lemon grass shoots,
| name | variety | postcode | source | viablity | Use by | pkts |
| Snow pea | Golden podded | 2750 | MMSS | 100% | 2013 | 13 |
| Rocket | 2778 | 6 | ||||
| Mizuna | 2012 | 12 | ||||
| Radish | French breakfast | 2780 | 2014 | 1 | ||
| Tomato | Tommy Toe | 2780 | 90% | 2015 | 4 | |
| Tomato | ‘plum’ | 2780 | 90% | 2015 | ||
| Rocket | Broad leaf | 2784 | 80 | 2012 | 41 | |
| Salsify | 2783 | 2012 | 5 | |||
| Garlic chives | 2779 | 4 | ||||
Meeting October 10 2010
Request Volunteers to assist with organising Seed Skills Day in the Autumn – email mmsseeds@tpg.com.au
Request Volunteers to assist with constructing and curating a seed bed at the Mid Mountains Community Garden
John – Kahlongi seeds (Indian spice for curries) have sprouted. Gwen advises they are actually Nigella.
Gwen – East Timor – our seeds
Debra – parsley, purple podded peas
Melanie and Alexander – Heirloom geranuim, serano chillies, New Internationalist issues on Seedsaving and Bees
David – Parsnip, New Zealand Spinach, MMCG garden bed available now for MMSS
Greg – Rowe Morrow talk in Lawson Bowlo this wednesday
Ishtar – parsley and pea plants doing well seeds next time.
John – Siberian tomatoes finished cropping in July in Winmalee, grew through winter in unheated polytunnel in Lawson and has just set fruit. Looking for Chinese parsley, advice on fruit fly bait. Rhubarb
Richard – good tips for snails copper wire around pots, copper sulphate paste on terra cotta pots
Graeme – new vegetable patch –
Rob – part of group which has adopted a netted orchard in Mt Tomah. bunching leeks
Danielle, Anne from Orange wanting to start a new seed saving group
| Common Name | Variety | Latin Name | Pkts | Viability | Grown in | Use by |
| Broad Bean | Aquadulce | 9 | 2777 | 2012 | ||
| Climbing bean | Rattlesnake | Phaseolus vulgaris | 8 | 2777 | 2014 | |
| Perilla | 5 | 2777 | 2012 | |||
| Climbing pea | Purple podded | 7 | 2778 | 2013 | ||
| Chilli | Long and hot | 12 | 2778 | 2015 | ||
| Rockmelon | Ma-Ogen | Cucumis Helo | 6 | 2777 | 2013 | |
| Climbing bean | Frost | Phaseolus vulgaris | 2 | 2777 | 2012 | |
| Tatsoi | Brassica rapa | 6 | 2777 | 2014 | ||
| Tomato | German Red Strawberry | 4 | 2777 | 2012 | ||
| Lettuce | Royal Oakleaf | 8 | 2777 | 2015 | ||
| Parsley | Flat/curly cross | 32 | 2782 | 2013 | ||
| NZ Spinach | Tetragon | 20 | 2778 | 2015 | ||
| Brocolli | Calabrese | 6 | 2750 | 2011 | ||
| Parsnip | Hollow Crown | 30 | 2778 | 2011 |
Meeting July 4 2010
News – Gabrielle has taken some of our seeds on a trip to East Timor
Gabrielle – Skirret, Green Curly kale (50%)
Loret – ‘Acorn squash’, butternut shaped jap pumpkin – are they from different genus? Need to grow it out for a few seasons to make sure. Also look at catalogues.
John – Memory herb ‘brahimi’, Euphorbia ‘diamond frost’, Tree onions. Tomato fruit (‘siberian’) still fruiting planted in January.
Richard – ‘Snow White’ tomatoes doing very well in Hazelbrook. Seeds from Tasmania, grown in plastic covered cage.
Ishtar – garden starting to come together in Bullaburra
Melanie – bean crop lost through rains, peas lost to lyre birds. Yacon corms. Green zebra tomatoes, Polycodon grandiflorus – compact blue flowers in Spring, bees love it.
Maria – coral lettuce, curly parsley (80%), offer to pre print labels
Joame – tomatoe – sweet bite, tommy toe, flat beans (Musico), Horsh Radish, Toona sinensis (pale purple leaves in spring, eaten in Vietnam), JA, chervil seed
Maryanne – Oca, Chinese celery(?), books for sale – funds to east timor (Gabrielle)
S’haila – green tomato cake
Gwen – four successive days of heavy frost (-3) in north katoomba. Kiwi fruit doing well.
Group agreed that MMSS should donate up to $100 for materials to build a garden bed dedicated to maintain and grow out our seed bank. Bed would be primarily curated by MMSS for the objective of maintaining a long term sustainable seed supply for the mid mountains community.
Richard – offered bed in his own garden as well.
Next Meeting – Sunday Oct 10 2010
| Common name | Variety | Latin name | pkts | viability | Grown in | Use by |
| Parsley – curled | 34 | 80% | 2750 | Feb 2010 | ||
| Lettuce | Coral | Lactuca sativa | 5 | 0 | 2750 | Jan 2014 |
| Tomato | Green Zebra | 2 | 0 | 2784 | July 2012 | |
| Tomato | Green Zebra | 2 | 0 | 2777 | Feb2014 | |
| Chervil | Anthrisas cerefolium | 14 | 0 | 2778 | Nov 2010 | |
| Climbing bean | Musico | 8 | 0 | 2780 | ||
| Pumpkin | Anna Swartz | Cucurbita maxima | 16 | 0 | 2777 | 2014 |
| Dill | 17 | 0 | 2780 | 2012 | ||
| Mizuna | 3 | 0 | 2778 | Oct 11 | ||
| Tomato | Tommy Toe | 8 | 0 | 2780 | Feb 2014 | |
| Tomato | Sweet Bite | 2 | 0 | 2780 | Feb 2014 | |
| Tomato | Plum | 2 | 0 | 2780 | Feb 2014 | |
| Skirret | Sium sisarum | 9 | 85 | 2780 | 2012 | |
| Dwarf Astra | Blue | Platycodon gradiflorus | 24 | 0 | 2784 | 7/2013 |
| Celtuce | 5 | 0 | 2777 | 07/2012 | ||
| Kale | Green curly | 3 | 0 | 2780 | 5/2014 | |
| Sunflower | Unknown variety | 9 | 0 | 2778 | 2015 | |
| Marigold | Dwarf French | 6 | 0 | 2778 | 6/2012 | |
| Basil | Grandi Froglie | 6 | 0 | 2777 | 2/2015 | |
| Bean climbin perennial | Scarlet Runner | 6 | 0 | 2777 | 2014 | |
| Tomato | Tigerella | 3 | 0 | 2777 | 2012 | |
| Bean, climbing | Torquay | 9 | 0 | 2777 | 2014 | |
| Bean, climbing | Rattlesnake | 7 | 0 | 2777 | 2014 | |
| Bean climbing | Zebra | 14 | 0 | 2777 | 7/2010 | |
| Marigold | Red Marietta | 14 | 0 | 2777 | 2012 |
Meeting Feb 28 2010
An extremely productive meeting of 22 people, and a record 42 separate contributions of seeds to share. Everybody commented on the impact of the rain on their garden’s productivity – most negatively, but some Blackheath gardeners felt positively. the BoM site records 421mm rain for Katoomba, which is more than twice the long term average.
Announcements
Our thankt o Gwen for arranging seed packet stamps, brought all the way from Dilli.
John has asked the new Mid Mountains Community Garden if it would consider setting aside a dedicated seedsaving bed where we could jointly grow out our seed bank.
MMSS Skills Day – Loret asked for interest level in holding another Skillshare day in Spring. Feedback was positive – we have a wealth of knowledge, the last one was well received, and it provides the possibility to network with other groups. Ideas and offers to assist to Loret
We desperately need a Display/Storage box for the seeds. Robyn will explore metal cases from bunnings for seeds, Gwen to ask ConSoc if they don’t use their old calico bag.
Next Meeting – 4th July next meeting
Round Table
Alex & Melanie – green zebra, pyrethrum, golden eschallot, sweet potato ‘mother plant’
Rob – parsley, dill, bunching leeks,
Maria – basil seed, red mustard seedlings, problems with fruit drop – rain? Viability tests – all > 100% (!!)
Janine – Hornsby (permaculture north) – broad beans, finger limes, pollenless sunflower, small pumpkin (galston) African horned cucumber, French breakfast radish, queen Annes lace, ‘David’s little bean’ (preston?)
Gwen – stamps from Dilli, curly kale
David – parsley
Gregg –
Leslie – mint plants
Joame – runner beans (musico?), tomatoes?
Liz – school seedsaving class 4/5 Katoomba public
Kate – sweet potatoes doing well in rain, spinach rotted, ‘mother of herb’ cuttings,
Pete – garden hit hard by rain
Isla (new) – tomato seeds cherry and grape
Robyn – green mustard and rocket
Catherine – flat leaf parsley
Daniel – sunflowers, golden bantam, popcorn, red lettuce, marigold
Helen – great year in Blackheath across the board, upland cress, green cos, snow peas, dill, parsnip, mignionette, crimson flowered broad beans,
Sak – red oak lettuce, broad beans, leeks
John – talking beans? (fresh), pumpkin – delicata & ?
Ray – western red carrot, poppy,
Debbie – oak leave, spinach, bok choy, parlsey, rocket, Cos lettuce
Margaret –
| Name | Var | Grown by | postcode | Harvest | pack | viability | Use by | packets |
| Bean, broad | Crimson flowered | Helen | 2758 | 15/2/10 | 100% | 1 | ||
| Basil | Sweet | Maria | 2750 | Jul 09 | Feb 10 | 100% | 16 | |
| Celtuce | John | 2777 | Jan 10 | Feb10 | 2015 | 6 | ||
| Tomato | Green Zebra | 2784 | Feb 10 | Feb 10 | 90% | 2014 | 6 | |
| Bok Choi | 2778 | 1/9/09 | Feb 10 | 2015 | 7 | |||
| Bean | Broad | 2077 | Dec 09 | Feb 10 | 3 | |||
| Tatsoi | 2784 | 10/09 | Feb 10 | 90% | 2014 | 7 | ||
| Kale | Curley | 2780 | Feb 10 | 70% | 20 | |||
| Coriander | Upper mtns | Feb 10 | 90% | 2 | ||||
| Radish | French breakfast | 2117 | Nov09 | Feb10 | 2014 | 7 | ||
| Bean, climbing | Musico | Joame | 2013 | Jan 10 | Feb 10 | 2013 | ||
| Lettuce | Aus yellow leaf | JohnG | 2777 | Jan 10 | Feb 10 | 2015 | 6 | |
| Pea, sugar snap | 2785 | Jan10 | Feb10 | 90% | 3 | |||
| Bean, broad | Aquadulce | Sak | 2783 | Dec 09 | Feb 10 | 8 | ||
| Parsnip | 2785 | Feb10 | 85% | |||||
| Pea s | Sugar snap | 2785 | Feb 10 | 100% | 12 | |||
| Parsley | Italian | 2776 | Feb 10 | 2013 | 9 | |||
| Parsnip | Hollow Crown | 2778 | Feb10 | 9 | ||||
| Queen Anns Lace | 2117 | Jan 10 | Feb 10 | 2013 | 7 | |||
| Upland Cress | 2785 | Feb10 | 90% | 2 | ||||
| Lettuce | Mignioette | 2785 | Feb10 | 80% | 2 | |||
| Popping Corn | 2776 | Feb 10 | Feb10 | 60% | 2015 | 8 | ||
| Mustard | Green curly leaf | 2779 | Feb 10 | 14 | ||||
| Eschallots | Golden | 2784 | 2/10 | Feb 10 | 2012 | 19 | ||
| Carrot | Western red | 2784 | Jan 10 | Feb 10 | 80% | 2012 | 21 | |
| Sweetcorn | Golden bantam | 2776 | Jan 10 | Feb 10 | 60% | 2012 – 2020 | 5 | |
| Dill | 2780 | Jan10 | Feb 10 | 2013 | 3 | |||
| Lettuce | Cos brown | 2785 | Jan10 | Feb10 | 65% | 3 | ||
| Rocket | Wild, narrow leaf | 2780 | Jan 10 | Feb 10 | 2012 | 5 | ||
| Parsnip | 2780 | Feb 10 | 2011 | 12 | ||||
| Dill | 2780 | Feb10 | 1 | |||||
| Melon | Ha Ogen | 2777 | Jan09 | Feb 10 | 3 | |||
| Lettuce | Oak leaf | 2779 | 12 09 | Feb 10 | 4 | |||
| Curry Plant | 2783 | Dec 09 | Feb10 | 2012 | 6 | |||
| Rocket | Broad leaf | 2779 | Feb 10 | Feb 10 | ||||
| Mustard | Red leaf | 2779 | Dec 09 | Feb 10 | 2013 | 25 | ||
| Bean | Climbing, zebra | 2777 | Jan 10 | Feb 10 | 2013 | 4 | ||
| Pyrethrum | 2784 | Jan10 | Feb10 | 2013 | 16 | |||
| Sunflower | ‘pollenless’ | 2117 | Jan10 | Feb10 | 2015 | 11 | ||
| Marigold | Giant African | 2776 | Feb 10 | Feb 10 | 60% | 2013 | 6 | |
| Lettuce | Crispmint | 2776 | Feb 10 | 100% | 2015 | 1 | ||
| Lettuce | Red | 2776 | Feb 10 | Feb 10 | 100% | 2015 | 1 | |
| Poppy | Red | 2784 | Feb 10 | 80% | 2010 | 10 | ||
| Sunflower | ‘large’ | 2776 | Feb 10 | 80% | 2014 | 20 |
Meeting Notes 2011
Meeting December 4 2011
Spring Season comments – mixed patches of weather, warm and cold, wet. Good years for berries.
John – Lettuce Brown Romaine, Chervil
Kerry – Chervil, Broad leaved rocket
Rob – parsnip, parsley
John (Winmalee) – growing new pumpkin type grown for the seeds. Wrinkled butternet, Basella (Ceylon spinach) seeds. Golden nugget tomato seeds, lettuce, cucumber, upland cress, perilla, giant tree tomatoe
Ray – old seed
David – Rocket, parsnip,
Louisa – sweet pea, purple scented, striped roma tomato, tatsoi, chervil, angelica
Erica – lemon verbena plants, coffee, borage, Kale, cavallo nero seed
| Name | Variety | Postcode | Source | Viability | Use by | pkts |
| Nasturtium | Nasturtium troepalium | 2778 | Erica | now | 4 | |
| Cucumber | Mexican sour gherkin | 2777 | John | 2017 | 3 | |
| Kale | Cavallo Nero | 2778 | Erica | 2015 | 6 | |
| Broad Bean | Aqua Dulce | 2777 | John | 2014 | 2 | |
| Cucumber | Meet | 2777 | John | 2017 | 4 | |
| Chervil | 2783 | Kerry | ||||
| parsnip | hollow crown | 2780 | Rob | 2012 | 11 | |
| tomato | siberian | 1 | ||||
| climbing bean | Zebra | 2777 | John | 9 | ||
| Borage | 2778 | Erica | 2 | |||
| climbing beans | rattlesnake | 2777 | John | 10 | ||
| Rocket | broadleaved | 2783 | Kerry | 4 | ||
| Parsnip | hollow crown | 2778 | David | 9 | ||
| Tatsoi | 2778 | Louisa | 7 | |||
| Aqualegia | 7 | |||||
| Tomato | Rouge de Marmande | 2777 | John | 4 | ||
| Upland Cress | 12 | |||||
| Rocket | broad leaved | 2778 | David | 6 | ||
| Perilla | 4 | |||||
| Ground Cherry | Physalis pruninosa | 2777 | 2012 | 1 | ||
| Lettuce | Austr Yellow Leaf | 2777 | 3 | |||
| Angelica | Erica |
Meeting September 4 2011
Notes
Footlights Festival – need a volunteer
Spring Celebration 24 / 9 at community garden – need volunteer for seed stall (Melanie to do flier for general purpose use)
consultation for national food plan – David made submission, consultation document available. Food Fairness Alliance website has critique
Loret – golden podded pea seedlings,MMSS for several years, 100% viability
Melanie and Alexander – Nigella seeds
David – red Amaranthus seeds, parsnip hollow crow seeds
Rob -EOI : seedling market in front garden 29th cooincides with Earth Day in southern hemisphere
Kerry – new member Lawson. Greg advised there are food circles wh
Kate – has a hand of green bananas in Valley Heights !! Dwarf Cavendish
Greg – Mid Mountains Community Garden – going really well,
John – tomato seedlings, has written information sheet on garlic, pumpkin Cucurbita moscata ‘trombonchino’ sseds, Marigold ‘red marietta’ seeds,
Robyn – yellow tamarillo seed,
Erica – plants – borage, nasturtium,nigella
Ray – parsley (old), red carrot (old), celeria seed, bean ‘brown beauty’
David (new member) – fennel, motherwort,
Debbie – no seeds yet.
| Name | Variety | Postcode | Source | Viability | Use by | pkts |
| Nasturtium | 2778 | Erica | now | 2 | ||
| Nigella | 2778 | Erica | now | 3 | ||
| Borage | 2778 | Erica | now | 3 | ||
| Bean climbing | Zebra dwarf | 2777 | John | 2012 | 13 | |
| Bean climbing | Rattlesnake | 2778 | John | 2012 | 5 | |
| Marigold | French Red marrietta | 2778 | john | now | 11 | |
| Garlic Chives | 2778 | John | now | 2 | ||
| Tamarillo | Yellow | 2779 | Robyn | now | 17 | |
| Bean bush | ‘Ying and Yang’ | 2777 | John | 2013 | 4 | |
| Tomato | Rouge de marmande | now | 1 | |||
| Tomato | Siberian | now | 1 | |||
| Tomato | Black Russian | now | 1 | |||
| Angelica | 2758 | Cloud farm (rob) | 2013 | 35 | ||
| Parlsey | curley | 2784 | Ray | now | 5 | |
| Celeriac | 2784 | Ray | 80% | 2015 | 4 | |
| Bean climbin | Brown beauty | 2784 | Tay | 2012 | 7 | |
| Motherwort | Leonorus Cardiaca | 2778 | David | 2013 | 6 | |
| Bean climbing | ‘Torquay | 2777 | John | 80% | 2013 | 10 |
| Pea Purple | 2777 | John | 2014 | 13 | ||
| Peony | 2777 | 2014 | 9 |
Meeting June 6
No meeting notes
Meeting March 5
No meeting notes
Meeting Notes 2012
March 4 2012
10th Birthday
John – Calendula, Chives
December 2
Thanks to everyone for the abundance of seeds and plants shared at the meeting.
John – tomato seed Siberian (grown for winter), Russian red, hulless pumpkin seed kaki (cucurbita pepo), climbing bean – giant of stuttgart, Lettuce flame, fruit from tomato ida gold and golden nugget, very early varieties. Seeds – black Russian, lettuce flame, green zebra, Tommy toe, tigerella, speckled roman, basella, perilla, giant tree tomato, snow pea yukomo giant, climbing bean painted lady, tomato burkes back yard,
Frank – selection of soft fruit in season, jabot, raspberry, apricot (buleda), blueberry
Loret & John – avocado (Bacon) now able to ripen on tree.
Louisa – chervil, radish (mystery mix), interesting variety of pumpkin to try and grow out, ducat dill, tamarillo (goodlets), Cherokee wax yellow bush bean, mostollier wild goose, borlotti bush bean, grey pumpkin from food coop. Pickled nasturtium seeds ? Dark purple sweet pea. Nigella. Davidson plum seedling.finger lime fruiting
Erica – chervil seed, mizuna, aquilegia, calendula ( yellow and orange).
Kate – grew out seed bank, some tomatoes (green zebra, Tommy toe, yellow pear) and spinach (f1)
David – masters in sustainable agriculture. Warragul spinach seedlings
Kerry – fox got chooks this week !
Gabriella – how to promote perennial leek – cut off flowers. Persimmons – hasn’t flowered yet after several years – discussion – try astringent variety because of katoomba cold.
Alexander and Melanie – good success this year with raspberries, loganberries, volunteer peach and plum trees fruiting, asparagus did well, eschallots too. Seeds – Queensland blue from 4 years in garden. Climbing bean lazy housewife – same plant can provide both fresh and dried bean. Organic bullhorn capsicum. Pickling beans has produced good results. Crop and swap fallconbridge – Holm street at community hall.
Seeds Packed Dec 2
Calendula – 4pkts, Erica
Nasturtium – 2 pits, Erica
Mizuna – 6 pkts, Kerry, 2783
Rocket – small leaf 2 pkts , Kerry
climbing bean – lazy housewife , 2784
Snow pea – Yokohama giant, 2777, use by dec 12
Capsicum – bulls horn 2784, use by 2017
Aquilegia – various
Climbing bean – mostollier wild goose, 2778 use by 2013, 4 pkts
Chervil – 20 pkts, 2778, use by 2014
Bush bean – borlotti, 5 pkts, 2778, use by 2012
Pumpkin – baby blue, 2782, use by dec 2017, 3 pkts
Pumpkin – Queensland blue, 2784, use by 2017, 4 pkts
Tomato – speckled roman, 2777, use by 2014
Perilla – 6 pkts, use by 2013, 2777
Tomato – black russIan, 7 pkts, use by 2016
Mizuna – 10 pkts, use by 2014,
climbing bean – Cherokee wax, 2778, use by 2013
Nigella, woodford, dec 2013, 5 pkts,
Lettuce – flame, 2777, use by 2017, 6 pkts
Dill, – dukat, 15 pkts, use by 2015, 2778
Mixed radish – 4 pkts, woodford
Meeting Notes 2013
March 3 2013
10 people braved the cold and wet day to share their seeds and knowledge, including three new visitors – most welcome.
Florence Fennel
English Marigold (orange) (Calendula officianalis)
Bean – climbing – Giant of Stuttgart
Spring Onion
Kale – Purple
Brocolli – Purple Sprouting
Chervil
Nigella
Snow Pea – Melting Mammoth
Fennel – Florence
Bean – Dwarf – ‘Butter’
Rocket – Borad leaved
Celeriac
Marigold – dwarf french orange/yellow
Mizuna
cucumber – mini white
Borage
Aquilegia
Mid Blue Mountains Seed Savers 