What is the Peace Corps Paraguay Seed Bank?

The objectives of the Seed Bank are:
1. To provide Paraguayans access to non-hybrid seeds (of green manures, trees, garden & field crops, etc.) that they cannot otherwise afford or find locally;
2. To promote sustainability through seed-saving;
3. To operate sustainably by making loans of seed (at 10% interest rate) through Peace Corps Volunteers; and
4. To ultimately help seed other local and regional seed banks throughout Paraguay.

Seed Bank Blog Information

How do PCVs & Chokokuekuera contribute to this blog?
- Anyone wishing to share experiences or information may send the author of this blog the content they wish to have posted. Please send photos along with your content. The email address to send your posts to is: seedbankpcpy@gmail.com

How is blog intended to help those interested?
- This blog is intended to be a resource for everyone planting and seed saving around Paraguay. The seed bank committee will also use blog gather information helpful to its continued success and the success of its members.

What are the key areas and goals of this blog?
1. Communication and Information Sharing
2. Information Gathering
3. Providing Resources and Useful Links
4. A Guide to Seed Saving as a Part of a Sustainable Livelihood System

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Seed Savers Review

Douglas Stephens G25
November 2008

Last fall I was lucky enough to be at Justin Mog and Amanda Fuller’s house when the first shipment of donated garden seeds arrived from Seed Savers Exchange on their way to the Peace Corps Seed Bank. Before being brought to Asunción I shamelessly borrowed some prized seeds. The results:

Green Arrow Pea

This is an English Pea variety very well suited to colder climates and is a good winter crop. Though billed as a climbing pea, mine grew no taller than 2+ feet in stature. Production was modest. Each plant gave a sizable number of pods which all ripened within days of each other. The plants produced only once before dying, though the culprit could just as easily have been the series of long hot spells this winter rather than the pea variety itself. The most striking aspect about this plant is its durability. A particularly violent storm felled a dead tree, which collapsed on my garden. Both the tree and part of the fence landed squarely on the peas and gave them a thorough thrashing, ripping them off of the trellis. They took it like a champion whipping boy and continued to grow and produce seemingly as if nothing had happened.

Overall Rating: Fair


Indian Climbing Spinach

This strange vine is technically not a spinach, though its leaves have a similar flavor and can be used in the same manner. Slow to grow at first the young plants are susceptible to ants and caterpillars, but once established they are hearty and virtually untouched by pests. You can start harvesting leaves as soon as they are 2-3 inches long, even if the plant only has 6 leaves. From the base of almost every plucked leaf grows a new vine. This results in a messy, tasty and impressive looking plant. I highly recommend a good climbing structure. The leaves themselves are thick and can be waxy. The tastiest leaves are the smallest new sprouts.
Harvested a few leaves at a time this plant has a very long life. I’ve been eating it in salads and stir-fry for nearly 5 months. Seeds are produced in copious amounts in cones of dark red berries that sprout from the stem of each leaf. Cuttings can be replanted (though I haven’t tried it myself). A warm weather crop, it did surprisingly well in the winter and I expect it well perform even better this summer.

Overall Rating: Excellent


Red Cap Mushroom Pepper

Another summer crop from India, this hot pepper was rated a very spicy 4 on a 0-5 scale for hotness. This, of course, got me very excited. But, for the life of me, I cannot get it to germinate or keep the tiny sprout from being devoured by ants. I urge someone with a greener thumb than mine to give it a go (and then give me a plantita).

Overall Rating: Poor


Musicbox Sunflowers

Another disappointment, these flowers germinated well but, in spite of venenos caseros, were devoured by bichos before they were fully established.

Overall Rating: Poor

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