In the opening salvo of spring, gardeners from across Rossland and around the region will gather for a seed swap at the Miners’ Hall on March 6 at 4 p.m., followed by chili dinner, cupcakes, beer, and two highly acclaimed movies — FRESH and Dirt! — from 5:30 p.m. onwards.
A joint effort by Rossland REAL Food and the Rossland Council for Arts and Culture (RCAC), the swap will be a great time to stock up on seeds and chat about spring plans with experienced gardeners.
Local seed savers, both hobbyists and commercial growers such as Stellar Seeds from Johnson’s Landing on Kootenay Lake, will have seeds for sale and trade.
Expert gardener Sarah Flood chose five colourful and delicious varieties of organic potatoes that she bought in bulk from Eagle Creek Seed Potatoes in Bowden, Alta.
“I’ll have small bags with two of each kind, bigger bags with a few more, and some for sale by the kilo,” Flood said.
For those with nought but a patch of dirt, a free basket will accept donations of seed packages and give of itself freely.
Bring any extra seeds you have to sell, trade, or give away, whether saved from your own plants or from packages you previously bought.
Note that younger seeds stored in cool, dry, and dark conditions will be the most viable, so try to remember how long ago you got your seeds and where you’ve stored them.
At 5:30 p.m., the gathering will adjourn for chili ($4 a bowl) and baked treats while the Miners’ Hall transforms into a movie theatre for a double feature: FRESH followed by Dirt! Beer and beverages will be available throughout the afternoon and evening.
In a celebration of innovative farmers and businesses across America, FRESH inspires its audience to grow fresh food, to cultivate new ideas, and to become active participants in the vibrant, ever-growing, worldwide movement towards healthy and sustainable alternatives to industrial agriculture.
The uplifting story received great reviews from the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the San Francisco Chronicle and many others.
Dirt! digs into the wonderment of the living soil, then links its abuse by modern industry to drought, famine, climate change, and war.
It was selected for the Sundance festival in 2009 and won top awards at the Mendocino, Maui, and the Visions/Voices Environmental film festivals.
Proceeds from dinner and refreshments support REAL Food endeavours — such as the farmers’ market, the community garden, and year-round gardening tours and workshops — while proceeds from the film will be shared between REAL Food and the RCAC, to support the RCAC’s mission to bring high quality music, theatre, and art to our mountain town.
Admission is $10 at the door for FRESH, beginning at 6 p.m., and Dirt! will be shown as a free bonus feature at 7:30 p.m.