Old Town Center presents
Legendary Seedsman
Bill McDorman
Seeds of Sustainability
Thursday, December 16, 7 - 9:00 pm
$12 in advance, $15 at the door
The Old Town Center for the Arts presents legendary seedsman Bill McDorman, President of Seeds Trust, Thursday, December 16th, 7 - 9 pm at 5th and Main in Cottonwood. Admission is $12.00 in advance and $15 at the door. In this unique presentation, Bill will address consumer concerns about genetically modified seeds and the take over of our food system. Ten companies own 67% of the world’s seeds as of 2008. Diversity is disappearing by as much as 80%. The use of hybrid seeds is now prevalent in even third world countries. The ticket price includes a seed packet – adaptable to our local area. Bring one or two small packets of your favorite saved seeds for swapping.
Bill will present an overview of the world seed situation and the companies involved. He will engender his audience to think seeds first, as a way to re-create the genetic foundation for a truly sustainable agriculture. Bill will inspire his audience to rejoin the ancient ritual of seed saving.
This summer Bill and his wife Belle Starr traveled to 13 different cities in California, Colorado and Idaho presenting 17 lectures from the Berkeley Ecology Center to Denver Botanic Gardens. The Going to Seed Summer Revival Tour was amazingly successful. “I had no idea,” “So much of this is unbelievable,” “You may have just changed my life forever,” were some of the comments heard by attendees. Now the couple is bringing the message home to the Verde Valley.
In 1989, Bill traveled behind the Iron Curtain on a horticultural and botanical garden tour. At the time, Seeds Trust was incorporated as High Altitude Gardens. With the globalization of the seed market and virtually no area left untouched by hybrid American seeds, Bill’s hope was to find some remarkable open-pollinated, cold-tolerant varieties in Russia and he did.
The stories from Siberia are rich and engaging. Bill was personally handed the seeds to many treasures. Some gardeners graciously provided him seeds under severe penalty. All who gifted him with these heirloom beauties accompanied their offerings with words of peace. It was a profound experience and provided the world with tomatoes never before seen or tasted. Bill’s company has made those seeds available since that historical journey.
On Thursday, December 16, from 7 -9 pm, at the Old Town Center for the Arts, Bill will passionately share his experience from Siberia with amazing slides (powerpoint) and stories. He will also recount the early days of his non-profit in Missoula, Montana when it became clear someone needed to save the heirloom seeds rapidly disappearing. That became the genesis for the companies Bill went on to develop.
Other topics of discussion include: the terminator gene, hybrids, heirloom seeds and the importance of diversity. This should engender an exciting repartee between Bill and attendees.
Bill is one of the most knowledgeable people in the field. He has a degree in philosophy and weaves historical and philosophical perspectives into his lectures.
In the end, Bill and others would argue food grown from seeds selected, saved and planted locally just tastes better!
Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door
“One of the greats of the seed-saving, seed-selling world.”
Mike McGrath; host of Public Radio’s You Bet Your Garden,
Editor in Chief of Organic Gardening magazine 1991-1997
Bill McDorman
Home Events Tickets Theater Studio B Classes Cafe Map Links Contact
all content & design copyright © 2009 Old Town Center for the Arts all rights reserved