Time has come around again for the next Australian Seedsavers National Zoom meetup online.
Its free and anyone can participate – you just need an internet connection, register to get the link and then turn up on zoom at the right time. The Zoom software is also free and runs on pretty much all current operating systems and devices like phones and tablets. There is no obligation to talk or interact if you don’t want to – but we encourage people to tell others about what’s happening in your area with your seeds.
Now that there have been a few initial meetups and we have had a chance to talk and get feedback and input from a range of seed saving groups around Australia the format is evolving. The first few meetings were to simply see what people wanted to talk about. Now there will be more of structure to the sessions and it will include more technical seed saving content with people presenting Australian seed saving projects and with more of a Q&A type approach.
Details for registering and getting the Zoom link are provided below.
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G’day seedies,
We hope your spring has been going fabulously and your seedlings are bursting with life and your garden is flourishing. It looks like another wet season here in the South East and that might present some challenges for tomato growing. A Canberra Seed Savers member, Thea, has written up a Guide for Growing Tomatoes in a Wet Season to help local Canberra growers get a tomato crop good enough for seed saving this season. Here’s a link to the topic in the Connect and Share Forum at www.seedsavers.org.au: Growing Tomatoes in a Wet Season – Australian Seed Savers forum Please jump in and add your thoughts, ideas and share your tips.
Next National Zoom – 5pm-6.30pm Sunday 6th November 2022
Please register here to receive the link to join the meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEud-2vrTMsGdfkcPUEE9LUcdC_McIUwLTX
We are trying a new format including a presentation on a seedy topic, time for questions and answers with the presenter; and also a half hour section for discussion about whatever seed questions and topics people want to discuss.
Format for the November 2022 zoom is proposed as:
- 5pm intros and general/beginner discussion and Q&A
- 5.30 Presentation and then Q&A with Patrina
- 6.15 Wrap up and ideas for future topics.
For our next zoom meeting, we are very excited to have Patrina Nuske-Small, a co-founder of the Dwarf Tomato Project and breeder of dwarf tomato varieties right here in Australia. Patrina will tell us about the development of the project and her experience as a tomato breeder.
The Dwarf Tomato Project is an international collaboration that aims to breed and share open pollinated varieties of dwarf tomatoes that are protected by the Open Source Seed Initiative (OSSI) pledge to keep the right to further breed and use the genetics in public hands. Dwarf tomatoes are easy to grow in small urban environments, come in an amazing variety of colours and sizes and tastes and, through the southern hemisphere program, many tens of interesting, local varieties have been developed. Canberra Seed Savers is one of the groups currently working to grow, save and share some of these local dwarf tomato varieties such as Bundaberg Rumball, Gondwana Lighting, Kangaroo Paw Green and many more!
To find out more about the Dwarf Tomato Project, check out the website: https://www.dwarftomatoproject.net/
To find out more about the Open Source Seed Initiative (OSSI), check out
Hope to see you there! Please invite your seed saving friends and colleagues to join the discussion too.
Cheerio,
Arian, Liz, Lloyd and Maria
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Mid Blue Mountains Seed Savers 