We’re excited to announce that Southern Exposure’s Ira Wallace will be giving a couple of talks this fall! For those new to Southern Exposure who don’t know Ira, she’s the guiding spirit behind Southern Exposure Seed Exchange; she’s been providing farmers and gardeners with high-quality, heirloom seed for decades. She supports food sovereignty and everyone’s right to save seed and is the author of an invaluable garden guidebook, The Timber Press Guide to Vegetable Gardening in the Southeast.

Black Farming: Community Land & Food Sovereignty Conference

The first event will be keynote remarks for the Black Farming: Community Land & Food Sovereignty Conference on September 11, 2021, at 3:00 pm. The conference will also feature other fantastic keynote speakers, including Dr. Jessica Gordon Nembhard, Leah Penniman, and Malik Yakini.

This year’s conference will focus on looking at the economic impacts and the power of the cooperative business model, emphasizing the power of growing your own food, from seed saving to community gardening, and celebrating the contributions of our black and underrepresented food and farming community.

The entire conference is a combination of virtual and live events on September 10th and 11th. You can find the full schedule, more information, and register for the conference here.

2021 American Community Gardening Association Conference

Later in the month, Ira will be a keynote speaker for the American Community Gardening Association Conference. She’ll be discussing Seed keeping: An Everyday Act of Resistance on Friday, September 23, 12:30 – 1:30.

She’ll discuss the importance of seed keeping to preserving cultural heritage with examples of historic varieties as well as the wealth of heirloom varieties from the African Diaspora, especially in the US and Caribbean. She’ll also touch on her work with Acorn Community Farm and Southern Exposure Seed Exchange which she says are her “legacy to young farmers looking for ways to do well doing good work.”

“Black and brown people are integral to the story of food and farming in this country. Learn how including them in our gardens through seed saving, storytelling about seeds, the traditions they represent, the taste they evoke, and the people who created great varieties can be an everyday act of resistance.” – Ira Wallace

The whole conference themed Gardening in Challenging Times will take place September 23 – 25, 2021, in Hampton, VA. It will feature more than 30 workshops where you can learn about community gardening with fellow gardeners, organizers, and sponsors from across the US.

You can find more information and register for the conference here.

Be sure to join us at one of these incredible conferences this fall! They’re an excellent way to connect with the gardening community and sharpen your gardening skills!

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange is proud to be a partner in The Heirloom Collard Project. In conjunction with The Utopian Seed Project, Seed Savers Exchange, Working Food, and The Culinary Seed Network we’re striving to build a coalition of seed stewards, gardeners, farmers, chefs, and seed companies working to preserve heirloom collard varieties and their culinary heritage.

Join us this December as we celebrate Collard Week!

This December 14-17, immerse yourself in food history, seed stewardship, gardening, farming, cooking, and more. Join the conversation as part of the Heirloom Collard Project!

All events start at 1 PM Eastern and will be live broadcasted via Culinary Breeding Network’s Youtube channel. All episodes will be approximately 1 hour in length.

Schedule

Monday, December 14, 1 PM – Michael Twitty presents the History and Significance of Collards in the South

Michael Twitty will kick off Collard Week with a talk about the historical, culinary, and cultural heritage of collards in the South.

A 45 minute pre-recorded presentation will be followed by a Live Q&A with award-winning author, Michael Twitty.

Tuesday, December 15, 1 PM [Part I] – Ira Wallace & Co. present Results and Updates from the 2020 HEIRLOOM COLLARDS TRIAL

• Ira Wallace will share an overview of the Heirloom Collard Project.
• Nora from Seed Savers Exchange will share preliminary results from the 2020 Collards Trial.
• Collards across the USA – a photo show of collard trial participants.

Tuesday, December 15, 1 PM [Part II] – Jon Jackson leads a Collard Trial Farm Tour of Comfort Farms

Jon Jackson, a former US Army Ranger, started Stag Vets, Inc, operating at Comfort Farms where he says, “nothing grows in comfort.” Well aware of the trauma returning veterans face, Jon created a space for healing and connection through an approach he calls “Agro-Cognitive Behavior Therapy”.

Wednesday, December 16, 1 PM – Amirah Mitchell presents Saving Seeds and Growing Community

Amirah Mitchell will teach us how to save seeds, with a focus on brassicas (Collards), and why it’s so important.

Thursday, December 17, 1 PM – Ashleigh Shanti presents Cooking with Collards

Ashleigh Shanti will lead a cooking demonstration and discourse on cooking with collards. We’ll share her recipe ahead of time so you can be prepared to cook along and enjoy the dish!

To learn more about these awesome events please visit The Collard Week website.

Registration

These events are free but you do need to register ahead of time. Please register at The Culinary Breeding Network website.