Seed Swap Set for Saturday at TTU Oakley Farm

Seed vendors from across the country will visit Tennessee Tech’s Oakley Farm Saturday during the Sustainable Mountain Agriculture Seed Swap.

Dr. Michael Best is a professor of agricultural economics and director of the Sustainable Mountain Ag Center. He said the seed swap allows vendors to give the public access to vegetables that are not commonly available.

“There’s a group of people out there that really enjoy growing the old-time varieties,” Best said. “It’s to make these varieties available to the general public. It’s to give the general public an opportunity to come and see all the different unique varieties that are out there for tomatoes, for okra, for sweet corn, field corn, green beans, all those different things.”

Best said the event will feature seed vendors from Tennessee, Kentucky, Michigan, Indiana, and Virginia.

“What they bring are heirloom vegetable seeds that they’ve grown over the years,” Best said. “The visitors can bring seeds to trade with the vendors, or they can just come and buy seeds with the vendors… This is an opportunity to share with them all the different kinds of flavors and textures that they can get from these heirloom vegetables.”

Michael Best, a professor of agricultural economics and director of the Sustainable Mountain Ag Center, looks over some of the sunflowers being grown at the Oakley Farm. (Photo: TN Tech Public Relations)

He adds the event will be of interest not only to the vendors, but to those who enjoy a variety of vegetables and produce.

“They’re what I would call ‘foody’-type people where they like to have good tasting, good quality products,” Best said, “and locally grown and fresh is obviously the best way to go. The heirloom varieties typically have distinct flavors and characteristics associated with them.”

The event begins at 9 a.m. and will close around 3 p.m. The Tennessee Tech Oakley Farm is located at 295 Deck Cove Lane in Livingston.