Hey Everybody. At many points in my life, I have heard about the importance of The One.
Typically, in reference to the fact that one person or a moment in time can be extremely
important to the greater whole. I was reminded of that experience here in the garden, looking
at this poorly lettuce. It made me think about the fact that this is the only plant of this
variety growing in my garden. The last of it's kind. If it were not to create seed,
it could be lost forever. I know that is dramatic, because it is a common variety, and I could
reorder it from another grower, but things didn't always used to be like that. In times
past, saving seed was extremely important, and I feel it should be important still. Consider
this, last year, I had a dozen of these plants. I even did a video to show you how I was collecting
and saving seed from them, and I had such a plentiful harvest, that I even did a giveaway
and gave away a good bit of this seed. However, I neglected to save my own seed very well
and misplaced all the seeds that I had set aside to regrow this variety again this year.
That is, all but for one packet of seed, that had been packaged up and ready to ship out
but never was actually sent. That one packet allowed me to replant, and this one plant
is what managed to come up. This one plant will now produce hundreds of seed, and those
hundred of seed will produce hundreds of plants. Hundreds of plants that can be used to provide
sustenance for my family, all because that one seed survived. Now that might not be extremely
important for you, so let me characterize this into something that's a little more common
place, and for better or worse, perhaps considered to be more important, money. Let's say you
only have one dollar, just one, and you decide that you want to invest that dollar, and you
found out that there's an investment plan that, for your one dollar, in 90 days, you
can have $1000 returned back to you. You'd probably make that investment, wouldn't you.
I'm sure most people would. And then, when you get that $1000 you just might consider
what a great deal you got, and decide that you want to do it all over again. So, if you
use money to buy your food why not treat your food like money. I have decided to step up
my seed saving efforts this year, from the pick as I go method of last year to bagging.
I started by buying some premade bags that we found in the bridal section of a local
department store, but then my wife discovered a roll of this material call tool, and I began
to sew the bags myself, so that I could get the size that I want for the many different
kinds of seed that I'm going to save. Placing these bags around flowers that have been given
a chance to pollinate ensures that as the seed heads dry, I will capture every bit of
seed that I possibly can. After all, nobody wants to lose money. This lettuce is perhaps
a dramatic example, but I am saving seed like this throughout our entire property, from
marigolds to comfrey, yarrow, sage, borage, and I'm sure there're going to be many other
varieties to save as well. So, if you're not yet trying to save seeds on your property,
as yourself why you're not, and if you are saving seeds, ask yourself if there's perhaps
a better way to do it, so that your return on your investment could be even better for
you, your family, and all of those around you. Thank you all for watching. We'll see
you next time.