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. APR 8

    Ep. 61 A Suitcase Full of Seeds - Charlie Watt, Homecoming Seeds

    Charlie Watt runs Homecoming Seeds in Northfield, Vermont. His seed journey began in Montana under the mentorship of John Austin, a connection that eventually led Charlie back to his roots in the Northeast with a suitcase packed with high-altitude adapted seeds. In this episode, Charlie shares the logistical challenges of scaling a seed business from a home garden to a production farm. We discuss the steep learning curve of his first year, including winning a venture capital pitch competition and the logistical hurdles of seed contracting. Charlie also reflects on the meaning of his seed company's name, and how seed work is a homecoming for anyone looking to deepen their relationship with the land. In the deep dive, Charlie and I get into growing eggplant seed,  a crop that has frustrated both of us. We cover when to harvest, how to speed up eggplant seed extraction and the mysteries of eggplant germination rates. Enjoy the conversation!   Support the Seed Farmer Podcast https://www.farmerspreadsheetacademy.com//supportpodcast       Episode links Homecoming Seeds Website https://homecomingseeds.com Homecoming Seeds on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/homecomingseeds/ Charlie's YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@charliewatt22   Stay in Touch Follow the Seed Farmer on instagram https://www.instagram.com/danbrisebois.farm/ Get my weekly seed newsletter https://www.farmerspreadsheetacademy.com/seeds Order Tourne-Sol seeds (Canadian orders only) https://fermetournesol.qc.ca/   Get my new book The Seed Farmer https://danbrisebois.com/seedfarmerbook   ❤️ Thanks for listening!

    1 hr
  2. MAR 25

    Ep. 59 Climate Resilience and Seed Stewardship - Sarah Kleeger, Adaptive Seeds

    Sarah Kleeger runs Adaptive Seeds alongside Andrew Still in Sweet Home, Oregon. Their journey began twenty years ago with the Seed Ambassadors Project, a massive seed-finding expedition through Europe that saw them return to the U.S. with over a thousand rare varieties that had almost no commercial presence in North America.   In this episode, Sarah shares what it's like growing over 380 crops in a year while balancing trials, stewardship  and producing seeds for the catalog. We discuss OSSI (the Open Source Seed Initiative) as a way to keep seeds in the public domain. And we get into contract seed growing and how Adaptive Seeds tries to incentivize quality and share the risk with their grower network. We also touch on the impacts of wildfires and smoke seasons on both farmers and the seeds themselves.   In the deep dive, Sarah and I get into her favorite crop: Amaranth. We cover why amaranth is such a climate-adaptable grain, how to determine the perfect moment to harvest the seed, and Sarah's threshing machine of choice.   And of course we talk about the cats of Adaptive Seeds.   Enjoy the conversation! Support the Seed Farmer Podcast http://spreadsheet.farm/supportpodcast     Episode links Adaptive Seeds Website Adaptive Seeds on Instagram OSSI - Open Source Seed Initiative News Links   Fundraiser to support Saved by Seeds: Embracing Diversity, Adaptation, and Diversity. Chris Smith's upcoming book.   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 13m
  3. MAR 11

    Ep. 57 Looking for Seed Opportunities on Market Farms – Jesse Frost, Rough Draft Farm

    Jesse Frost operates Rough Draft Farm in Kentucky with his wife, Hannah Crabtree. Jesse is also the author of The Living Soil Handbook and hosts the No-Till Growers Podcast. As a writer and farmer, Jesse approaches plant breeding as a creative process; a rough draft shaped by the unique terroir of his land.   In this episode, Jesse shares how he moved past the seed intimidation of his early years to a more integrated approach, and simply looking for seed opportunities within his existing market rotations. We discussed the evolution of the Topper Popper pepper, a project that actually began at Tourne-Sol (where I farm) and that Jesse refined on his farm. Jesse gets into how to find the capacity for seed work without sacrificing production and being patient with your farm's evolution.  And how all you need is a pocket full of rubber bands to become a plant breeder.   In the deep dive, Jesse and I get into Sweet Potatoes. How to harvest them, how to cure them, and how to propagate them as slips without scurf. Enjoy the conversation! Support the Seed Farmer Podcast http://spreadsheet.farm/supportpodcast         Episode links   Rough Draft Farm on instagram Rough Draft Farm website   No Till Growers on instagram No-Till Growers website         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 7m
  4. 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
5
out of 5
34 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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