Evening Talk:
"Modern Science Meets Ancient Maize"
with Lorenz Schaller of the Kusa Seed Society
Saturday, January 25, 6:30pm-8:30pm $5 donation
Emacs!

Location:
Santa Barbara Central Library, Faulkner Gallery, 40 E.Anapamu St, Santa Barbara,CA

more info, www.sbpermaculture.org

Maize was the plant-food staple of MesoAmerica and the first American societies.  Domesticated from teosinte grasses in Southern Mexico, Maize was the staple grain of the Aztec empire.  Ancient Mayans had over three hundred Maize foods, while the Incas, an advanced agricultural civilization that skillfully developed an amazing variety of plants like quinoa, beans, amaranth and potatoes, prized Maize above all others as the plant that nourished and allowed their civilization to rise and thrive.

In his talk Lorenz Schaller will share the history and ancient secrets of the sacred-maize tradition, "as revealed by the bright light of modern science in the fields of human nutrition, cereal chemistry, and holistic health & well being".  Attendees of the talk will have a chance to learn the basics of preparing whole-grain maize for human use, including the historic and delicious cinnamon or sometimes chocolate maize based hot drink Atole, still popular in Mexico today.  Please join us for an enlightening evening!

A longtime Ojai resident, Lorenz Schaller is a remarkable steward of his environment.  Formerly a staff member at the California Institute of Technology (Cal-Tech), Schaller studied and taught the nutritional, culinary, and ecological significance of bio-diverse seed crops for many decades.  Over time, his scientific knowledge merged with a deeper spiritual connection to the life cycles of the planet.  Schaller founded the Kusa Seed Research Foundation and Kusa Seed Society in 1980, with an intention to assure the survival of many ancient, rare, and endangered edible seedcrop strains that were the building blocks for human civilizations around the globe.  Operating as a scholarly think tank, the Kusa Seed Society also maintains seed archives of precious seed stocks, with seeds and informative seed publications available to the public.  Kusa is a Sanskrit word meaning sacred grass.   Kusa Seed Society: http://www.ancientcerealgrains.org/





Read More:

followed by
Annual Community Seed Swap:
Sunday, January 26, 2014
 11 AM - 3 PM, FREE

Both events at the downtown Santa Barbara Central Library, Faulkner Gallery
40 E. Anapamu St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101


Continuing on  Sunday, January 26, the 6th Annual Community Seed Swap takes place, this year with a theme of plants from MesoAmerica and the Western Hemisphere.  Please come and share your examples of plants from the Americas like squash, corn, chayote, potatoes, beans, tomatoes, avocados, guavas, chili peppers, manioc, agave, and prickly pear.  A truly rich heritage, a gift from our skilled ancient ancestors, may we steward their legacy with care.   But as always all seeds, especially locally grown seeds, are welcome.

Local groups will table, including the Santa Barbara Seed Saving Guild who will share valuable seed saving techniques and encourage local gardeners to grow out and harvest some of their best seeds for future gardens and seed swaps, making us a truly food secure community.  Seed saving is a fun and easy way to connect to the circle of life. 

More than 400 people attended the Seed Swap last year, sharing seeds and knowledge with other backyard gardeners, plant lovers, and farmers. Come be a part of this seed saving movement, making sure that locally adapted varieties of seed & plants are passed on to future generations.  Children are welcome!

Bring seeds, plants, cuttings, and garden knowledge to swap.
Don't have these?
Then come get seeds.
Seeds to sow.
Seeds to grow.
Seeds to harvest.
Seeds to save and share next year.
Activities for all ages
Music that will have your toes tapping
Special Speakers throughout the day
A gathering of garden friends old and new.


 For more information, (805) 962-2571, margie@sbpermaculture.org, www.sbpermaculture.org

~A community program hosted by the Santa Barbara Permaculture Network Non-profit~
www.sbpermaculture.org
Event co-sponsors: Island Seed & Feed, Healing Grounds Biodynamic Nursery, & the Santa Barbara Seed Saving Guild


 Santa Barbara Annual Community Seed Swap on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/632203483488117/





Seeds, they are our past, they are our future.  In past times, they were skillfully adapted to climate and location.  Are we as smart as our ancestors?  In the America's, the Western Hemisphere, amazing skill was exhibited to develop a huge array of edible plants---a wild, bitter gourd is encouraged to become an edible and nutritious squash; a simple and weed-like grass into corn---all done without GMOs!  Come join us as we encourage our community to save and grow out seed specific to our own climate and place, while honoring our ancestors gift & legacy.



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Santa Babara Permaculture Network Logo  
(805) 962-2571
P.O. Box 92156, Santa Barbara, CA 93190
margie@sbpermaculture.org
www.sbpermaculture.org

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