Intro to Adaptation Agriculture

Diversity is resilience!

This year Glasgow Seed Library is working with The People’s Plot to learn how to grow and adapt seed successfully in busy sites like allotments.

We’re growing genetically diverse ‘flocks’ of broad bean and ultracross collards as part of a collaborative crowdbreeding project with The Gaia Foundation. By encouraging the crops to cross pollinate freely, we can rapidly adapt plants to new conditions and changes in climate.

Join our open plot day to find out more about adaptation agriculture, landrace seeds, promiscuous pollination and why these may be crucial for future food sovereignty.

Most importantly, get your hands in the soil, and help us cultivate the seed crops! Activities may include: preparing beds, planting out, wedding, mulching and netting.

Bring gardening gloves if you have them, a bottle of water, some snacks or lunch with you for an impromptu picnic (weather dependent!)

Glasgow Seed Library is a collection of seeds and a community of growers. The library stocks organic and open-pollinated vegetable, herb and flower seeds for everyone to borrow, grow and save. Throughout the year, Glasgow Seed Library organises free workshops, talks and events around seed skills, community growing and earth care.

The People’s Plot is a co-operative of local growers, formed in 2021 to address the lack of adequate allotment provision in Glasgow. We cultivate a community plot at Southwestern Allotments and advocate for folk to have access to green space for growing all over the city.

Glasgow Community Food Network’s Food & Climate Action project aims to work alongside local communities to co-create a more resilient food system that is fairer and kinder to both people and the planet. The funding provided by GCFN is part of their movement building work, called ‘The Life Cycle of Food’.

The Gaia Foundation’s Seed Sovereignty Crowd Breeding project is a participatory plant breeding project, working together to create a viable alternative to the industrial seed system. The focus is to collectively create new evolutionary populations of crops that are genetically diverse, promiscuously pollinating and locally adapted.

Accessibility

Southwestern Allotments has a range of level path surfaces which are gravel, mat and grass. Plot 52 has 40cm wide paving. There is a wheelchair accessible composting toilet for all the use. Please email meg@cca-glasgow.com if you have limited mobility or other access needs and would like to be involved.