One of the primary aims of CVGSS (Comox Valley Growers and Seed Savers) is to get more people saving seeds and growing them in their garden. The seeds should come from heritage, or unhybridized, original, varieties, so that they grow true, with no nasty surprises from a murky past of crossing with others..... Many of our members who had never saved their own seeds before find it easier than they thought, and enjoy the numerous benefits from doing it: free seeds of varieties adapted to this location, a wide range of interesting vegetable varieties to try out, new gardening friends to swap with and learn from, and the satisfaction of preserving a vital heritage that could very easily be lost.

Seed Savers hosts many activities to promote saving and growing seeds organically, and you might be interested in a new idea - becoming a Seed Steward. We have a Demonstration Garden in Royston where members grow many different plants with a view to saving the seeds. A Seed Steward would agree to plant out a specific seed type from the Demo Garden, and save some of its seeds, to be given back to CVGSS. We are looking for as many people as possible to be Seed Stewards, and of course you would receive any instructions and help you need if you decide to try it. Please contact Susan Holvenstot at 334-2375 for more information.

We also hold seed packing bees during the winter months, where thousands of envelopes of saved seeds are packaged. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the whole process or to bring your own seeds to pack. The next one is Thursday, Dec 10, from 2 to 4 pm. Call Vivien at 338-8341 to register or FMI.

Here on the coast we have many types of foliage and berries that lend themselves to Christmas decorations, such as salal, holly, Oregon Grape, ivy, cedar boughs, snow berries, seed heads, dogwood, so we can bring the beauty of nature into our homes.

If you are looking for a present for the gardeners on your list, we suggest the following:
~ a home-made wreath
~ bird food, seeds, suet, etc.
~ gardeners' hand cream
~ a membership for CVGSS for 2010. Only $20 gives you newsletters, free entry into Seedy Saturday, workshops and much more
~ a weeding stool or kneeling mat
~ spring bulbs potted up in a nice container
~ gardening gloves
~ plant pots
~ a gardening calendar (Carol Mackintyre, a local gardener, has a great one available in local bookstores)
~ outdoor thermometer
~ gardening book (May we suggest "A Year on the Garden Path" by Carolyn Herriot, and "Winter Hrvest Handbook" by Eliot Coleman for those wanting to try winter gardening), plus of course hundreds of others.

We wish you all a very merry Christmas and a Fruitful New Year!

Vivien Adams
on behalf of CVGSS
www.comoxvalleygrowersand seedsavers.ca