Can vegetables go extinct? Not if the Long Island Regional Seed Consortium (LIRSC) has anything to say about it. They are dedicated to preserving and propagating those crops that few have even heard about, the types of things that have fallen out of favor or been crowded out of today's agricultural landscape.

Today we interview Steph Gaylor and Cheryl Frey Richards, two of the founders of LIRSC (along with Ken Ettlinger) about their work. It takes dedication, hard work, meticulous historical research and a devotion to craft beer. You'll hear about the success they've had bringing back the Long Island Cheese Pumpkin, the challenges of finding and propagating long lost seeds, and the important role of seed swaps and seed libraries in places like Patchogue and Bayport.

 

Related Research:

• Long Island Seed Consortium
• Seeds and Suds: Kabul Leek edition
• Seed Savers Exchange
• Chillies to Chocolate: Foods the Americas Gave Us (via WorldCat)
• Seed Libraries of Long Island on Facebook