Abstract
This project investigated the characteristics, motivations, knowledge, and experiences of farmers and gardeners who are involved in growing, saving, and sharing open pollinated, heirloom seeds. The goal of the project was to help the Revitalizing Ozark-Ouachita Seed Traditions (ROOST) seed bank better understand the people who participate in the seed exchange events that ROOST participates in, sponsors, or organizes. We used participant-observation, interviewing, and a survey to gather our data. We selected nine seed savers from the ROOST database for in-depth interviews that we conducted in various places including homes, seed swaps, gardens, and greenhouses, and we followed this with a survey of a broader group of ROOST seed savers. This article analyzes data from this research and makes recommendations regarding how ROOST and other similar organizations can be better and more effective supporters and stewards of local agricultural biodiversity conservation networks.