Seed Swap

Swap your surplus seeds

4 Nov 2012

Always wondered why all the stores seem to carry the same variety of seeds? It's because Big Companies are monopolizing the market. Visitors of the seed swap celebrated the diversity of nature, bypassing the regular selling points, and instead found out which exciting, exotic or just plain forgotten seeds fellow gardeners have tucked away in their homes.

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Seeds for swapping - At the Seed Swap Jolien Ruiter

Why swap seeds?

The seed swap was inspired by a successful Reclaim the Seeds event in Amsterdam, early 2012. Because of recent developments in the seed business, these days a few big businesses decide which seeds you can buy, when, and for what price. Cityplot and Seedy Penpals want to raise awareness for this problem, and make the seed supply more diverse.

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Visitors are bringing seeds to swap - At the Seed Swap Jolien Ruiter

Besides swapping seeds, we also swapped stories. You know your seeds best, so you could let your seeds' new owner know if they prefer sun or shade. Or where the seeds came from. Or how you used them.

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Seed Rangoli - A rangoli is a colourful Indian artwork usually made from seeds, coloured flour, rice or sand traditionally made by Hindu women to use as decorations at festivals. This one was made at the Seed swap . Jans Possel

The seed swap was part of Ruilen, an exhibition, events and online marketplace from October 20 till January 6. Open from Wednesday through Sunday, from 13.00 to 18.00.