In compliance with the Sonoma County Health Officer's Health Order to shelter in place, CSE has cancelled classes and work parties and has closed the seed library until further notice. Please check this page for updates in CSE's schedule.
This fall the Community Seed Exchange,
along with members of the community, will continue to grow out our Garlic Collection,
honoring the legacy of Chester Aaron.
Chester Aaron lived in Occidental, where he became a garlic farmer. For more than 40 years, he grew over 60 varieties of garlic from 20 different countries. He is known worldwide for his books on garlic and his efforts in popularizing garlic farming. He was instrumental in expanding what garlic varieties we have access to here in California and the United States. When he died in 2019, we at the Community Seed Exchange thought it would be wonderful to honor his work with garlic by establishing a stewardship program to maintain his legacy for the community.
Featured above are some of the garlic varieties in our collection. Click on photo to scroll through images from our garlic swaps. Explore the many garlic varieties we are growing out this year and learn how to Grow Great Garlic in Northern California adapted from an annual class taught by Sara McCamant.
From Sara McCamant, Ceres Garden Manager and CSE volunteer,
some tips for setting up your garden:
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Permaculture Skill Center: Building Your Pandemic Victory Garden Training with Erik Ohlsen (and guests Benjamin Fahrer and Jenny Pell)
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UC Master Gardeners of Sonoma County: Year Round Food Gardening in Sonoma County provides information on planting windows, whether to direct sow or use transplants, spacing, days to maturity and harvest notes.
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Food Gardening articles from the UC Master Gardeners of Sonoma County.
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iGROW Sonoma resources: http://www.igrowsonoma.org/resources/ A great compilation of resources for Sonoma County gardeners, a simple chart of what to plant when.