The Seed Farmer Podcast

Dan Brisebois

The Seed Farmer Podcast with Dan Brisebois of Tourne-Sol Co-operative Farm. Every episode I'm going to bring you a conversation with a grower who has integrated Saving Seeds into their own farm systems. Some grow seed crops to sell commercially and some do it just for their own farm use. I'm hoping their stories will make you want to save seed on your own farm... and if you already save seed on your farm, I hope it makes you want to save more!

  1. FEB 25

    Ep. 55 Seed Workers Unite - Edmund Frost, Commonwealth Seed Growers

    Edmund Frost is a seed grower and plant breeder based at Twin Oaks Community in Virginia. He is the manager of Commonwealth Seed Growers, a cooperative seed company focused on regionally adapted varieties for the Southeast.   In this episode, Edmund shares the hidden realities of contract growing and his efforts to build a Seed Workers Union through the Seed Worker Organizing project to advocate for fair wages and better working conditions. We discuss the transition of Commonwealth Seed Growers into a co-operative model, the importance of self-advocacy when negotiating seed contracts, and how seed stewardship provides farmers with a resilient insurance policy against the disappearance of commercial hybrid varieties.   In the deep dive, Edmund and I get into Cucurbit Breeding. We cover the devastating impact of Downy Mildew since the 2004 pathogen shift and how Edmund uses vine tracing to select for truly resistant plants. Edmund also shares his exciting work crossing Korean and Brazilian genetics to create a summer squash that is naturally immune to Squash Vine Borers. Enjoy the conversation! Support the Seed Farmer Podcast http://spreadsheet.farm/supportpodcast         Episode links Common Wealth Seed Growers website   Common Wealth Seed Growers on instagram   Seed Worker Organizing website   Twin Oaks Community website News Links  Visit  LocalSeeds.org to support A Campaign to Raise Awareness of the Importance of Seeds. Stay in Touch Follow the Seed Farmer on instagram Get my weekly seed newsletter Order Tourne-Sol seeds (Canadian orders only)   Get my new book The Seed Farmer https://danbrisebois.com/seedfarmerbook/   ❤️ Thanks for listening!

    1h 4m
  2. FEB 12

    Ep. 53 Collard Greens: The Jazz of American Cuisine - Bonnetta Adeeb, Ujamaa Cooperative Farming Alliance

    Bonnetta Adeeb is a founding member of the Ujamaa Cooperative Farming Alliance, a program of the non-profit STEAM Onward based in Maryland. Bonnetta is dedicated to increasing the number of BIPOC seed farmers stewarding culturally meaningful crops and liberating seeds from "seed jail".   In this episode, Bonnetta shares her journey to find the Stone Mountain Watermelon, a variety mentioned in family lore that allowed her ancestors to purchase land after slavery. We discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic transformed a local gardening project into the Ujamaa Cooperative Farming Alliance, a regional network for seed production and training through the Ira Wallace Seed School.   In the deep dive, Bonnetta and I get into Collard Greens. We cover using Ultra Crosses as a community breeding method, the necessity of cold snaps for seed production, and why Bonnetta describes collards as the Jazz of American Cuisine. We also explore how the rhythmic movements of harvest are like dancing.   At the end, Bonnetta also talks about the upcoming Seeds & Culture 2026 Conference on March 6-7 in Washington DC. Enjoy the conversation! Support the Seed Farmer Podcast http://spreadsheet.farm/supportpodcast         Episode links Ujamaa Seeds website   Ujamaa Coop Farming Alliance on instagram   Seeds & Culture 2026 Conference  March 6–7, 2026 Washington DC. Columbia   Ira Wallace Seed School   Heirloom Collard Project   Steam Onward website      News Link   Northern Latitudes: Sourcing and Saving Seeds from Similar Climates     Stay in Touch Follow the Seed Farmer on instagram Get my weekly seed newsletter Order Tourne-Sol seeds (Canadian orders only)   Get my new book The Seed Farmer https://danbrisebois.com/seedfarmerbook/   ❤️ Thanks for listening!

    1h 17m
  3. JAN 28

    Ep. 51 Looking For Hakurei Turnip Alternatives - Shannon Jones, Broadfork Farm

    Shannon Jones runs Broadfork Farm with Bryan Dyck in River Hebert, Nova Scotia. They grow vegetables and cut flowers for market. I've been trying to get Shannon on the podcast since the beginning of the pod because Broadfork is a great example of how a market farm can integrate seed production into their vegetable and flower fields. And we finally found a time that worked for us to have a conversation. In this episode, Shannon shares how she and Bryan choose the seed crops they grow and how they manage seed harvest through the season, and clean seeds in the off season. She also explains about how they sell some of their own seeds during their spring seedling sales. In the deep dive, we explore growing Salad Turnips for seed. We start with why Shannon was looking for a Hakurei turnip alternative, then get into trialing different OP salad turnips to figure out which variety to work with, and finally cover planting, harvest, and cleaning. We also talk about Bupleurum and Onions for seed.   Enjoy the conversation! Support the Seed Farmer Podcast http://spreadsheet.farm/supportpodcast   Episode links Broadfork's website Broadfork Farm on instagram Freed Seed workshop: Botany of Seed Formation    Stay in Touch Follow the Seed Farmer on instagram Get my weekly seed newsletter Order Tourne-Sol seeds (Canadian orders only)   Get my new book The Seed Farmer https://danbrisebois.com/seedfarmerbook/   ❤️ Thanks for listening!

    1h 20m
5
out of 5
33 Ratings

About

The Seed Farmer Podcast with Dan Brisebois of Tourne-Sol Co-operative Farm. Every episode I'm going to bring you a conversation with a grower who has integrated Saving Seeds into their own farm systems. Some grow seed crops to sell commercially and some do it just for their own farm use. I'm hoping their stories will make you want to save seed on your own farm... and if you already save seed on your farm, I hope it makes you want to save more!

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