961: Seed Commons: Cultivating Shared Wealth

Our monthly Seed Chat at SeedChat.org

In This Podcast: Greg Peterson and Bill McDorman explore the idea of the seed commons—seeds as shared cultural, ecological, and community wealth rather than private commodities. They discuss how market-driven seed systems have eroded biodiversity and why community-based models are essential for resilience in the face of climate, economic, and social uncertainty. Through stories, examples, and lived experience, they show how seed co-ops, exchanges, libraries, and grassroots experimentation restore abundance, adaptability, and human connection. The conversation frames seed saving as both a practical survival skill and a deeply human act of stewardship.

Key Topics & Entities

• Seed commons
• Shared wealth
• Biodiversity loss
• Climate change adaptation
• Seed co-ops
• Appalachian Seeds
• Snake River Seed Cooperative
• Seed exchanges
• Seed libraries
• Seed Library Network
• Seeds in Common
• Open-pollinated seeds
• Indigenous and community seed stewardship

What does it mean to treat seeds as part of the commons?

• Seeds are framed as shared wealth—like air or water—meant to circulate freely so they can keep adapting, carrying cultural memory, and supporting future generations rather than being locked behind patents or profit motives.

Why is the current market-based seed system failing biodiversity?

• Large-scale commercial systems prioritize uniformity and profit, leading to the extinction of many traditional varieties and reducing the genetic diversity needed to adapt to climate and ecological change.

How do seed co-ops work in practice?

• Regional growers collaborate to grow, clean, package, and distribute seeds together, sharing labor and profits while keeping ownership local and ensuring regionally adapted varieties remain available.

What role do seed exchanges and seed libraries play in communities?

• They provide accessible, low-cost ways for people to share seeds, stories, and growing knowledge, strengthening trust, local resilience, and intergenerational learning.

What is unique about the Seeds in Common model?

• Instead of preserving varieties separately, Seeds in Common mixes many varieties together and distributes them widely, prioritizing real-world adaptation and survival over strict categorization or commercial naming.

Can individuals really name and steward new plant varieties?

• Yes—historically, many important crops came from backyard growers. Naming and caring for a variety is an act of responsibility, not ownership, rooted in long-term stewardship rather than profit.

Episode Highlights

• Seeds as shared wealth are essential for resilience, adaptability, and cultural continuity.
• Seed co-ops like Appalachian Seeds and Snake River Seed Cooperative keep control local and varieties alive.
• Seed exchanges offer efficient, story-rich ways to share seeds and knowledge within communities.
• Seed libraries have rapidly grown worldwide, each shaped by local values and creativity.
• Mixing and growing diverse seeds reveals what truly works under local, low-input conditions.
• Naming and saving seeds is a deeply human tradition that predates modern agriculture.
• Abundance thinking emerges naturally when people engage directly with growing and saving seed.

Calls to Action & Resources

Join live Seed Chats — https://seedchat.org

Explore regional seed co-ops — https://snakeriverseeds.com | https://www.utopianseed.org

Learn about seed libraries — https://seedlibrarynetwork.org

Participate in seed sharing experiments — https://seedsincommon.org

Visit UrbanFarm.org/961 for the show notes and links on this episode!

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