A group of growers and care farms who multiply seeds from seedproof varieties have united in a cooperation named the Zaderij. The members of the cooperation believe that breeding, selection and seed cultivation is now too dependent on a small number of large seed companies and that the influence of technology and supermarkets on plant breeding is too high. The growers want to provide a positive contribution to biodiversity and diversity of ideas of what our food should look like by taking seed cultivation into their own hands.
For thousands of years growers have selected and maintained vegetables and other cultural crops by themselves. They did that from their own insight with attention to their environment and the soil and a drive to grow nutritious crops. And the growers of the Zaderij plan to do this again. By selecting themselves on their organic fields instead of the lab, by using ecology and sustainability as a basis instead of quicker and quicker, by focusing on short chains and fair compensation instead of scale enhancement and low wages. And by selecting based on flavour and food quality instead of uniformity and high yields.
The members of the Zaderij want to get old varieties back or breed new varieties that are better in their view than the high yield modern F1 hybrids, in particular in the areas of flavour and nutritional value. Much can still be achieved with scientific knowledge from the biodynamic agricultural sector among others.
The Zaderij is the only Dutch seed company that is organised like a growers cooperation and only produces seedproof varieties. There is already an assortment of seeds available for growers and hobby growers. The seeds are for sale both in a webshop and in colour bags in a wooden display for in natural food stores and garden centres.
The Zaderij will be at the Biobeurs at stall 260. Breeder Jan Velema will also give a reading on his own seed cultivation on Wednesday night.
For more information: www.zaderij.nl