Welcome to Seed Savers Australia

See an overview of our activities, the countries in which we have worked, our story so far with archives of our work and how you can get involved. We have authored and published three books and produced a one hour documentary - purchase our publications or film. A new one is about to be released. 

If you think that Monsanto is the Big Bad Wolf and you really want to do something positive towards our seed and our food sources, then we welcome you to join our movement.

In 2009 our site had visitors from 130 countries. We had in excess of 30 000 people looking at the clips on Youtube and on this site. Please use the resources we offer at no cost to you and without sponsored links.  If you like what you see here please add us to your blogspot, Myspace, be a "fan" on Facebook, follow us on Twitter (look left!), be a subscriber on Youtube (and receive a notification when we add a clip), add comments to clips or articles we publish. These are the best way to support our seed work.  You can also make a link from your site (s) to ours. Thank you for the efforts.

If you wish to make a contribution to our work, you can also make a donation. You are welcome to volunteer your services by email by using the contact form at the bottom of each page. Our current needs are:- Anyone??

  • Using social media networks more effectively
  • Optimising our Drupal platform
  • Optimising our usage of Apple computers.

Our premiere publication: The Seed Savers' Handbook

30 000 copies sold so far. This is a classic and enduring reference for any gardener with an interest in growing a diversity of vegetables, culinary herbs and flowers. It assists you to become a seed saver and improve the quality of your seeds. Order a copy online and it will be sent airmail. The book has been translated into French, Basque, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese and Bahasa Indonesian.

SeedBlog

Ready for an adventure? The SeedBlog is sort of like a written seed-cam. Unedited, unpredictable. Come along on our journeys to the back blocks and get your hackles up over the continued degradation of the world's food vigour.

About us

Yes, the big story behind the story. A bit of our journey, highlights from a long walk with the media, and the mysterious mechanics of how our operation keeps rolling along without government funding,  just friends helping where they can.

Whole Culinary Garden Workshops in Byron Bay until 24th July

Posted Mon, 07/06/2010 - 12:41 by Jude Fanton

Whole Culinary Gardens Workshop next Saturday

 

We're holding a series of workshops over six Saturdays from 19th June to 24th July, 10am to 3pm. You may take any one of the workshops as each is exclusive. Next Saturday we're doing fruite crops.

Teachers are Jude and Michel Fanton, Seed Savers founders and Permaculture practitioners since 1978. They wrote three food garden books, produced two documentaries on food diversity and trained in twenty-one countries. This is a rare opportunity as the Fantons are frequently travelling now. 

Learn how to plan, grow, collect and prepare culinary delights at the twelve year old gardens at the Seed Centre in Byron Bay. Practise using traditional tools from our collection from around the world.

We gather and prepare a vegetarian lunch in a French country kitchen and give out free planting material (cuttings, seeds and slips) each week.

Available for perusal - database of 800 perennials in the garden, database of 8500 seed samples. Cost on a sliding scale $90 to $56 per session, includes lunch. Book more than one Saturday or with a friend and enjoy a generous discount. See table of charges at the end. Register at our Payment page - use the Donations option and send us a message. Press Read more for Programme.

Successful Regional Seed Savers Conference

Posted Wed, 02/06/2010 - 13:57 by Jude Fanton

Castlereagh Seed Savers ran a successful regional conference in Mudgee last weekend, 30th and 31st May 2010. Dennis Grimshaw reported there were over forty people attending. Seven Local Seed Networks were represented: Castlereagh Seed Savers, Leichhardt Seed Savers, Permaculture Southern Highlands Seed Savers, Illawarra Seed Savers, Wollondilly Seed Savers, Permaculture Sydney North Seed Savers, Shoalhaven Seed Savers.

Here is the report in the local newspaper, the Mudgee Guardian.

Workshops on seed saving in Victoria in April

Posted Tue, 23/03/2010 - 17:21 by Jude Fanton

There will be two seed saving events in Victoria on the weekend of 10th and 11th of April.

OK Magazine Loves Seed Savers

Posted Fri, 19/03/2010 - 15:04 by Michel Fanton

Asked to be naked for a cause, society agent Jonathan Pease has taken his clothes off for OK magazine (along with other celebs from Triple M, Miss Universe) to raise awareness about the issues they support. Jonathan chose Seed Savers, bared it and OK donated one thousand dollars to Seed Savers. In case you don't know ... OK is a celebrity magazine.

See issue 198, 29th March

Oyster Bay Preschool Creates Sunflower Seed Game

Posted Wed, 24/02/2010 - 08:25 by Jude Fanton

Email 18/02/10

Hi Jude and Michel,
I hope you remember us as we certainly remember you for your support to our Sustainability Expo. A few years ago you very kindly donated a book for our raffle at our Sustainability Expo. Well that was an inspiration to us and we have been saving seeds ever since.
I just wanted to let you know that we are now distributing a game the children made based on their seed to seed gardening experiences. Originally the children made the game to share with their family at Christmas. Due to the continued children's love of the game we are launching a shop as part of our website and will be selling the game.
Here's the details of our game:

India bans GE eggplant - Monsanto 'fakes' safety data

Posted Tue, 23/02/2010 - 17:07 by Jude Fanton

 

The Indian Government has banned genetically engineered (GE) eggplant after the ex-Director of Monsanto India admitted the corporation provided 'fake scientific data' to regulators. In announcing the moratorium on GE eggplant, Indian Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh, said there was not enough evidence that GE foods were safe to eat and that they didn't harm the environment.

Seed Savers Stall at Major Kitchen Garden Project in Sydney

Posted Sun, 21/02/2010 - 12:45 by Jude Fanton

CarriageWorks is a major performing arts centre in Sydney. Late 2009 a Kitchen Garden Project was created there. Three Local Seed Networks combined to have a stall at the Expo & Launch of Stage 2 on Saturday 6 February 2010.

Organics Use Massive Amount of Plastic

Posted Thu, 18/02/2010 - 16:07 by Jude Fanton

In the Cameron Highlands of Malaysia we interviewed an immigrant agricultural labourer, Mahmoud Rahid, from Bangladesh about the difference between local organic and conventional growing methods. He described he often had to spray conventional crops with what he called “medicine”, but he also did not like how organics are grown with so much plastic.

   

Cameron Highlands pay the price of vegetables for distant cities

Posted Thu, 18/02/2010 - 15:08 by Jude Fanton

Cameron Highlands are near the centre of the Malay Peninsula. The rainforest-clad mountains reach 2500 metres. The area is blessed with plentiful rain, a cool and constant climate and fertile free-draining soils. Or should we say “cursed”? For these characteristics feed globalised trade. And there is a price; a much higher price than the vegetables fetch.

      

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