In this entry
Seed House preserves and assesses planting stock for the city's growers. Staff identify recovered lots, test small samples and keep seed separate from grain intended for meals. During a shortage, eating planting stock can solve an immediate problem while making the next season worse. Knowing what remains viable helps farmers choose what they can actually grow.
Age and storage conditions affect seed even when the original label is still readable. Small germination tests give growers evidence about a recovered lot before they commit a field to it. Records connect that result to the stock being stored.
Different crops and separate reserves reduce reliance on one supply. Seed House supports those choices rather than deciding the future of every farm. Growers still have to account for their land, water and available labor. A usable reserve is valuable because replacing it can take much longer than finding another bag of meal grain in the market.
