Free the Seeds event is coming up March 1
Land to Hand announces its 10th annual Free the Seeds event, taking place on Saturday, March 1, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Art and Technology Building at Flathead Valley Community College. This free, family-friendly event celebrates seed saving, gardening, and sustainable living.
This year’s keynote speaker is Bob Quinn, a pioneering organic farmer from Big Sandy, Montana. Quinn, who transitioned his family farm to organic practices in the 1980s, is the founder of the Quinn Institute, dedicated to healing the earth through food as medicine. He will deliver his address in the Legate Black Box Theater at 9 a.m. The event will also feature a special tribute honoring the founders of Free the Seeds and the presentation of four legacy awards.
Following the keynote address, the seed giveaway and workshops will kick off at 10:30 a.m. Attendees will have access to over 14,000 seed packets and a wide variety of bulk seeds. Twenty-three engaging workshops will be offered throughout the day, covering a diverse range of topics. Workshop highlights include:
Gardening Tips with Cassady Daley of Raven Ridge Farm
Mushroom Cultivation for Home and Garden with Shawn McDyre of Sun Hands Farm
Making Medicinal Mocktails with Anna Presetegaard of Spiritworks Herb Farm
In addition to the workshops, Free the Seeds will offer children’s activities, a community room showcasing local businesses and non-profit organizations focused on sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship, and three food trucks providing lunch options.
Free the Seeds is a community-focused event designed to empower individuals with the knowledge and resources to grow their own food. The event is free and open to the public.
Land to Hand MT is a grassroots, community organization founded by farmers, community members, business leaders, and food system planners from around the Flathead Valley. The mission of Land to Hand MT is to build a strong community food system that fosters socially just ways of accessing food. Learn more at landtohandmt.org.
Note: This has been corrected to reflect that March 1 is a Saturday.