Heirloom Seed Program & Display at the LUMPKIN COUNTY LIBRARY starting May 15.

Post date: Apr 21, 2014 4:4:42 PM

In partnership with the Appalachian Studies Center of UNG, the library is pleased to display last year’s communograph which is a large fabric display detailing a map of Lumpkin County, with photos of seeds, plants, and community members transferred onto large pieces of fabric. It will be displayed at the Lumpkin County Library beginning May 15. This year’s communograph will be displayed beginning May 22. Both will remain on display at the library through June 12. As a celebration of the heirloom seed project, volunteers from the Appalachian Studies Center will be presenting a FREE program at the Lumpkin County Library on Thursday, May 29, from 5:30 – 6:30. The program will present an opportunity for the community to learn more about the preservation and sustainability of heirloom seeds, as well as learn about the connection that Lumpkin County residents have had in celebrating their Appalachian heritage.

Many of us have a family treasure that has been passed down from generation to generation. Perhaps you cherish a family Bible that used to belong to your great-great-grandmother or an old music box that played when your grandfather was a young child. Did you know that some families pass down seeds? Heirloom seeds are those that have been passed down from one generation to another. Most heirloom seeds have been carefully grown and saved because they possess some quality, such as taste, hardiness, or productivity that has set them apart. Some heirloom seeds have been harvested and saved for 100 years or more. Students at the University of North Georgia have collected heirloom seeds from Dahlonega and the surrounding communities. Not only have they collected the seeds, but they have gathered the stories behind them from gardeners and families throughout Lumpkin County.

Through their project, “Heirloom Seed Keepers & their Stories: Growing community and sustainability through arts-based research,” the students and faculty through the Appalachian Studies Center at UNG hope to preserve Appalachian culture and heritage in the community.