Gathering: Memoir of a Seed Saver [Hardcover]

Diane Ott Whealy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 6, 2011

Daughter of Iowa farmers, Missouri homesteader, and mother of five, Diane Ott Whealy never anticipated that one day she would become a leader in a grass-roots movement to preserve our agricultural biodiversity. The love for the land and the respect for heirloom seeds that Diane shared with her husband, Kent Whealy, led to their starting Seed Savers Exchange in 1975.

Seed Savers Exchange, the nation's premier nonprofit seed-saving organization, began humbly as a simple exchange of seeds among passionate gardeners who sought to preserve the rich gardening heritage their ancestors had brought to this country. Seeds that Ott Whealy herself inherited from her paternal grandparents were the impetus for the formation of Seed Savers Exchange, whose membership has grown from a small coterie to more than thirteen thousand. Its influence has been felt in gardens across America.

Ott Whealy's down-to-earth narrative traces her fascinating journey from Oregon to Kansas to Missouri then back home to Iowa where, in 1986, Heritage Farm became the permanent home of Seed Savers Exchange. Her heartwarming story captures what is best in the American spirit: the ability to dream and, through hard work and perseverance, inspire others to contribute their efforts to a cause. Thus was created one of the nation's most admired nonprofits in the field of genetic preservation.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Diane Ott Whealy is the co-founder of Seed Savers Exchange and presently serves as Vice President of Education. For more than 35 years, Diane has been a national leader in the heirloom seed movement and a strong advocate for the protection of the earth's rare genetic food stocks.

Founded in 1975 as a non-profit organization, Seed Savers Exchange has more than 13,000 members, made up of gardeners, orchardist, chefs and plant collectors, dedicated to the preservation and distribution of heirloom varieties of vegetables, fruits, grains, flowers and herbs. With thousands of varieties in its collection, Seed Savers is one of the largest non-governmental seed banks in the United States.

In 1986 Diane helped to develop Heritage Farm, Seed Saver's scenic 890-acre headquarters near Decorah Iowa. Heritage Farm is a unique educational center designed to maintain and display collections of endangered food crops. Diane also founded the Flower and Herb Exchange where members offer over 2000 heirloom flowers and herbs for exchange each year.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Seed Savers Exchange; First Edition edition (July 6, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0615457746
• ISBN-13: 978-0615457741
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #263,210 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Seeds of a Grassroots Cultural Revolution September 11, 2011

By Julie Fischer

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By telling her adventurous story about the places where she lived, gardened, raised five children,and came to know fellow gardeners, many of them old timers,Diane Ott Whealy has done an important service to our country and to the world, and in a natural voice that makes this book charming not preachy. Because of her organic relationships, and the abundant goodwill of others, Diane and her husband Kent were encouraged to follow their conviction that genetic diversity must be preserved for all the people and not come into the exclusive control of the five seed corporations. This led to the founding of The Seed Savers Exchange in rural Decorah,Iowa, now an internationally recognized garden crop research, seed bank, and public education facility. As you read, you will feel as though Diane were your best friend, revealing to you her most memorable moments with the home-grown humor of an Iowa farm girl, who, no matter what the crisis, just does what needs to be done, even in the midst of a muddle when, on short notice, Martha Stewart herself decides to come calling! Her gentle acceptance, beyond all expectation, of her increasing responsibilities and roles in a growing family and a burgeoning movement kept me reading. Diane is a standard bearer for the quiet, grassroots, cultural revolution on which in part our survival as a species depends. This book will bring you hope.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Good Read February 26, 2012

By LJohnson

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If you're at all interested in heirloom veggies and, in particular, the birth of Seed Savers Exchange, the wonderful repository of heirloom seeds in Decorah, IA, this book is for you. I thought Ms. Ott Whealy did a commendable job of weaving the story of her marriage to Seed Savers' co-founder with the birth and growth of the Exchange. Her descriptions of the land (IA, MO, KS) and its people and all the individuals who have contributed to the success of the Exchange were especially well done. I liked this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book! December 29, 2012

By Sandi Wallace

Whealy's memoirs were written with graciousness, humbleness, and a dash of humor. Her style is down-to-earth, literally, as she chronicles the beginnings of her love of seed saving...and growing plants and children.
This is also the fascinating story of the Seed Savers Exchange and the great things that nonprofit organization achieves. Definitely check into their work and give them your support if possible.
I am a lifetime member and was sent this book free, BUT I was not asked for a review. I wanted to review this book because it is excellent!