FARMINGTON — The fourth annual Farmington Seed Savers Conference, “Growing Good Seed from the Ground Up,” will be held from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8 (snow date Feb. 15), at the University of Maine at Farmington, Lincoln Auditorium, Robert’s Learning Center.

Jim Gerritsen of Wood Prairie Farm will be keynote speaker on “The People’s Seed. Who’s in Charge and How Do We Develop and Protect it?”

Gerritsen is president of Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association and the lead plaintiff in OSGATA, et al vs. Monsanto. In 2011 UTNE Reader named him “Organic Food Champion” and visionary who is changing your world.

Then choose to attend three of the following six workshops:

Session 1: “Growing Good Potatoes” with Gerritsen, or “Small Scale Seed Saving: Preserving Basic and Unique Food Crops” with Amy LeBlanc, MOFGA certified organic farmer and seed saver.

Session 2: “Backyard Garden Plant Isolation and Breeding” with Roberta Bailey of FEDCO Seed and Seven Tree Farm, or “Pest Management for the Home Gardener: with Clay Kirby, insect diagnostician at UMaine Cooperative Extension.

Session 3: “Building Vibrant, Fertile, Resilient Soil” with Bruce Hoskins, certified soil scientist at UMaine Cooperative Extension, or “Saving Seeds of Biennials; Why It Matters” with Will Bonsall, Scatterseed Project seed curator.

Brochures will be available at the Saturday Farmington winter farmer’s market and at the Better Living Center on Front Street in Farmington.

The event is sponsored by Farmington Seed Savers Group. A $5 donation is suggested to help with funding. Call 831-9384 for more information.

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