Slow Food Piedmont’s Fourth Annual Seed Swap & Potluck to be Held at Old Salem

"Slow Food Piedmont, with support from the Gardens at Old Salem Museums & Gardens, will hold their annual Seed Swap and Potluck on Saturday, January 24, 2015 in the James A. Gray, Jr. Auditorium in the Old Salem Visitor Center at 900 Old Salem Road in Winston-Salem from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. A potluck lunch will begin at 12:30 p.m. This event is free and open to all. This is the fourth year that Slow Food Piedmont has held the Seed Swap at Old Salem.

Slow Food Piedmont’s Annual Seed Swap encourages first time growers, experienced gardeners, and all who are interested to come and swap seeds or corms, handy tips, and garden wisdom. Local experts will be on hand to answer questions. Please bring a dish to share at the potluck, something from your garden or from a favorite recipe. Please bring a permanent marker and containers for seeds. Small envelopes, prescription bottles without labels, and film canisters work well.

In addition, if you have heirloom seed that has been handed down over generations, the Old Salem Horticulture Department will be collecting “Seeds with Stories” during the Seed Swap. Visit our Seeds with Stories web page for more information. Contact Eric Jackson, Old Salem Heritage Gardens and Outreach, at ejackson@oldsalem.org or (336) 201-5174 to schedule an interview

Traditionally, seed saving was a part of every growing season. However, in recent decades, food varieties extinction in America has accelerated so that an estimated 90% of our historic vegetable and fruit varieties are now gone. There has never been a more important time to celebrate, save, and exchange seed.

For more information, email slowfoodpiedmont@gmail.com.

Slow Food is a global community, connecting people to the land and to each other through local projects, educational events, and shared meals.

About Old Salem

Old Salem Museums & Gardens is one of America’s most comprehensive history attractions. Its museums—the Historic Town of Salem, the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA), and the Gardens at Old Salem—engage visitors in an educational and memorable historical experience about those who lived and worked in the early South. Old Salem Museums & Gardens is located at 600 South Main Street in Winston-Salem. For more information call 336-721-7300 or visit oldsalem.org.

About Slow Food Piedmont

Slow Food is a non-profit, eco-gastronomic member-supported organization founded in 1989 in Italy.  Our local chapter, Slow Food Piedmont, celebrates local food and those involved in growing, selling, preparing, and enjoying it. Our aim is to support farmers and food producers who focus on sustainable practices, experience, and preserve our food traditions, rediscover traditional ingredients, recognize those who contribute to the quality, authenticity, and sustainability of the region's food supply and advocate for better food in our schools. For more information visit slowfoodpiedmont.org."

- A Press Release