Farmer, seed developer and activist Nate Kleinman talks with Growing Good host Lisa Munniksma about his work in the food system and advice for growing some unusual perennial crops. Hear about Experimental Farm Network’s development of perennial staple crops to adapt to various growing conditions—and about how you as a citizen scientist farmer can take part in developing these seeds. Learn about seed rematriation and the work of relationship building behind that effort. And find out how the Cooperative Gardens Commission started, including a small history lesson on the phrase victory gardens, and how this organization grew by leaps and bounds in the early days of the pandemic.

Be sure to listen to the end for advice on how to grow passionfruit, or maypop, even if you don’t live in a subtropical environment. Nate also tells us his favorite crop to grow. (Hint: It’s the fourth most widely grown grain in the US, yet most of us have never planted it.)

Experimental Farm Network

EFN Seeds

Maypop Passionfruit Improvement Project

Cooperative Gardens Commission

Indigenous Seed Keepers Network