Introduction & Background Information
“Hey, bud! How’s it growing?”
“Hey, bud! How’s it growing?”
The overall goal of this resource is to engage young people with their natural surroundings through the lens of seeds and seed saving.
As such, all seeds/advice you will find in the stories and activities are based on plants that grow in Ireland (native or naturalised). Most if not all are seeds you would find at this time of year (Autumn).
Each of the 3 activities includes background information, directions, and some printable black and white worksheets that might be useful. The activities presented in this resource target three developmental groups (Activity A for ages 6-7; Activity B for ages 8-9; Activity C for ages 10 12 ). However, these activities can be differentiated (tailored) as needed to cater for the individual needs of the young people who engage with this resource. The approach taken when translating the stories and activities from English into Irish was to ensure that the language presented was accessible to both students attending gaelscoileanna and also students from senior classes attending English speaking schools. As is the nature of translating, some differences can be found between the two sets of stories. However, the main framework of the stories remains the same and therefore corresponds with the activities presented in conjunction with this resource.
This resource does NOT claim to provide a comprehensive resource on seed saving, but instead it seeks to provide a window into this beautiful topic which we see as a very important aspect of regenerating our ecosystem. We view this project as an opportunity to share a uniquely Irish rooted version of this subject that is playful and brings in natural heritage and cultural landmarks. We know we are only scratching the surface of this rich content area there is so much to know! Please engage with the many linked resources to start to learn more.
Ensure comfortable, respectful and safe facilitation of the activities that
If working in a school or community setting, ensure compliance with land access protocols, health and safety policies, and risk assessments.
Remove any allergens relevant to the group related to seeds Guarantee that the plants and seeds are known by the facilitator. See links below for support Plants under conservation Common poisonous plants http://www.wildflowersofireland.net/ Follow the wisdom of the honorable harvest
Take time to meet the plants
Take only what you need and no more (and only if there is enough in the first place). Give back. Build relationship of reciprocity (give and take) with the land Share!
Autumnal
At
Individually,
...
Adapt
Can be ‘packaged’ in different ways
Fruit-bearing plants/flowering (angiosperm) Cone (gymnosperm)
Can require different amounts of time to germinate Overwintering
10 years
Ancient
Can be different sizes/weights
Travel in different ways, searching for the right place to meet their needs of sunlight, soil and water Wind Water Jump pop/drop/roll Attach/ ‘hitchhikers’
Digestion - consumed for food
Anatomy/ Processes
Embryo + seed coat + cotyledons Monocots vs. dicots
Have all the food they need stored inside for the first couple weeks
Will form roots/shoots, and after their seed coat sheds and cotyledons emerge, they conduct photosynthesis (converting sunlight into energy/food for themselves)
Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth (comprehensive seed saving book)
Top seed saving tips Seed Saving ‘How-To’ Videos Charles Dowding (UK based no dig gardener/educator) Saving Seeds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=bHFg6ZEsMCw&ab channel=CharlesDowding https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=ZVb9JIAXJxU&ab channel=CharlesDowding Growing in the Garden Saving Seeds Irish Seed Savers advice Klaus Laitenberger (Ireland based gardener) tomato seed saving with his son
Ideas for Activity Extensions: All Ireland Pollinator Plan Make your own origami seed envelopes
Content/Skills (What do I want to teach?) CM Methodologies (How do I want to teach?) History
Strands: Local studies
Strand units: My locality through the ages
Seed anatomy & travel
Purpose of seeds and seed saving Seed saving techniques Sensory awareness Mindfulness
Connection of seeds with wider ecological context
Peer to peer learning - turn and talk Content relevant games Reflection and journaling
Demonstration and modelling
Experiential Small group work Pair work Careful observation Scientific drawings Mathematical and scientific calculations Critical thinking skills
Geography Strands: Natural environments, Environmental awareness and care
Strand units: The local natural environment, Environmental awareness Science Strand: Living things
Investigation and research using online and print resources
Developmental Group: 6 7 year olds
This activity seeks to break down seed saving techniques as they are applied to a native Irish tree (oak), a common flower (calendula), and a vegetable with a pod seed casing (mangetout peas) Though it focuses on 3 specific seed types, the outlined strategies can be applied to other seeds in their categories.
General rules of thumb when collecting seeds from nature
Handle with care seeds are alive!
Leave some behind for wildlife seeds are a food source for many creatures Take only what you need/what you think you will actually grow. Have a plan for where you will plant these seeds/where they will go so you can figure out how much is reasonable to take. Collect open pollinated seeds, NOT hybrid varieties this will ensure that what grows will be the same as the parent plant.
It will be easiest if you attempt to save/replant seeds from self-pollinating plants to avoid crossover with other varieties.
E D J O U R N E Y S A C T I V I T Y P A C K
FLESHY or DRY casings (fruit). Seeds from fleshy casings (like berries) usually need to be mashed or extracted in some kind of messy way, and seeds dry casings (like pods or nutshells) usually need to be dried before they’re ready to be taken out or planted.
Many seeds found in nature (from native trees or wildflowers) require a dormant period in a cold environment before being ready to germinate, and this mimics the winter to spring period of time they typically experience outdoors Seed Preparation & Storage
Part 1: Many seeds need to be dried in a warm, open environment for a few weeks and then cleaned before being ready for storage.
Part 2: Once dried and cleaned, most seeds prefer a cool, dark, dry place. Typically seeds will continue to germinate for 3 5 years after storage, but there are exceptions.
Ultimately each seed type will need different things so refer to the guides below/other references to get the specifics.
To start learning more about the science of these processes and get more
information read on here and here
oaks
acorns
about Acorn collecting and planting in Ireland
Irish seed processing/tree
video from LifeLab
from Our Trees resource
from All Ireland Pollinator Plan
from Betterplants
mangetout peas from seed from Quickcrop ie
mangetout advice from School Earth Education
NAME:
What's an acorn? In a nutshell, it's an oak tree.
Bucket or basket*
Sessile (Irish) vs Pedunculate (English) Oak Guide
Breathable sack (hessian or onion sacks will work)
Label (piece of paper with string/twine)
Pen/Pencil
Reuse idea: clean and dry recycled yoghurt pots or ice cream tubs are perfect for this purpose
Make certain you are working with the correct tree.
Usually acorns are ready to collect during September and October.
Check the soil underneath oak trees. The fallen acorns are the ones that are ready to be collected. From underneath oak trees, check for acorns that are:
Brown in colour (green ones aren’t ready and if they are too dark they might be rotting)
Free from nibbles or bites (no holes)
Gather the acorns into your basket or bucket.
Note: The bigger the better it means the acorn has more food stored inside it. It will grow faster when it’s planted
Place the acorns in a sack that lets the air through to make sure they don’t get mouldy.
Write the acorn type, date, and your name on lthe abel and attach it to the sack.
Make sure you plan to put them in a place that issafe from creatures like rats. Keep the acorns in a cool, dark, dry place until you ’ re ready to plant them.
When you are ready to replant, put all acorns in a bucket of water. If acorns sink, they are ready to plant. If they float, they will not grow and they can be put back outside to become soil.
The best time to plant the acorn seeds is in Autumn timeso you can plant the harvest seeds right away after collecting them. If stored properly, you can plant acorns up to 4 months after they’ve been collected but not much longer.
Ripe acorn ‘ caps ’ should be easily removable. To plant, ensure the acorn ’ s ‘ cap ’ is off, and plant it in a container full of compost in a cool place out of direct sunlight. The acorns will start to sprout by springtime. The little oak trees will need to stay in a pot for a couple of years before being planted outdoors.
NAME:
Dried head of calendula flower
Calendula Flower Identification
How do the calendula seeds feel? What do they remind you of? How do you think these seeds would replant themselves if humans didn’t do it?
Bucket or basket*
Bowl or plate*
Small Funnel** (optional)
*clean and dry recycled yoghurt pots or ice cream tubs are perfect for this *purpose. *the top half of a water bottle makes a great funnel.
Make certain you are working with the correct plant. The seeds from this (edible!) usually yellow or orange petaled flowers are probably ready when the head of the flower has completely dried and the petals have dropped off. They are usually ready in September and October.
The seeds left behind are ready to harvest when:
You can see that they are curved, like little letter C’s, or small snakes, or tiny worms The seeds are tan or brown in colour
Note: if some of the seeds are still green and not brown yet, you can still pick them and leave them in a warm dry place until they turn brown
Carefully snap or cut the flower stem below the dried flower head to take it off. Place the flower head in a basket along with any others you collect.
As you take each dried flower head out of bthe asket, use your fingers to gently push the crescent moon-shaped seeds off of the hflower ead and onto the plate or bowl.
Save any leftover pieces of the flower for the compost.
Write the variety name, date, and your name onto the envelope. Place the dried flower seeds into the envelope. (Use the funnel if it is useful)
Seal the envelope. Keep it in a cool, dry place. Some people like to keep seeds in their refrigerator or freezer!
Flower seeds should last in storage for 3 5 years.
When you realise…’I wasn’t all that interested in flowers, but I planted a few seeds, and they grew on me!’
You can plant the saved calendula seeds outside, between March and August!
NAME:
Mangetout
Reuse idea: *clean and dry recycled yoghurt pots or ice cream tubs are perfect for this *purpose. *the top half of a water bottle makes a great funnel.
Make certain you are working with the correct plant. Wait until the mangetout peas are fully grown on the vine. The plant will look dried out and brown. There will be 3-5 peas per pod.
The peas will feel big and circular in their pods, a little smaller than a marble. They will sound crackly when you wrinkle the pods.
They are usually fully grown about 3-4 months after they are first planted from seed.
Note: if the peas are big enough but not fully dried yet,lift the whole plant out of the soil and hang it somewhere warm and dry until they are fully dried
Gently pull the dried pods off of the plant and place them in a basket/bucket. Bring them to your sorting station.
Open each pod and take out the pea seeds inside.
Put the pod or ‘shell’ in one bowl (for the compost) and the dried peas in another bowl.
Write the variety name, date, and your name onto the envelope.
Place the dried peas into the envelope. (Use the funnel if it is useful)
Seal the envelope.
Keep it in a cool, dry place. Some people like to keep seeds in their refrigerator or freezer!
Pea seeds should last in storage for at least 3 years.
Do
You can plant your dried pea seeds between March June, and they will grow delicious
Developmental Group: 8 9 year olds
This activity engages learners with investigating seed features, using sensory methods to observe seeds with close attention, and creating scientific drawings of seeds. The activity seeks to guide learners to use evidence from their observations to make predictions about how seeds travel.
Seed Hunt activity from RHS
Seed dispersal investigation from Science Spar
J O U R N E Y S A C T I V I T Y P A C
To prepare: Discuss with your group what do you already know about seeds?
Where do you find them? How did they get there? What do they need to grow? What is mysterious about seeds? What do you still want to discover?
Read the Seed Journeys Stories together to connect the idea of seed saving to the seasons and wider ecosystem in Ireland. Use the questions on each page to reflect together about seed cycling.
Refer to other books like Gail Gibbons’ From Seed to Plant (read aloud linked here) to access the bigger picture around the science of pollination, seed development, and dispersal.
Go on a walk around your school’s area. You can do this in advance, ask children to do it at home with their family if you are in a school setting, or you can go with the group you’re learning with.
Collect whatever (nonpoisonous, not protected) seeds are available.
It doesn’t matter if it’s rural or urban seeds are available from dandelions growing in cracks in the pavement, etc. Lay the seeds out in front of you.
Observe one seed at a time. We recommend having a sampling of seeds that travel in different ways, You can use the ideas/illustrations provided too in "A Closer Look" .
Finally, observe new seeds, predicting and testing their travel methods using the "Seed Observations" worksheet as a guide.
With a partner, discuss what you notice about each seed in your collection. Use these questions as prompts for your chat:
What shape is it?
What is the texture of the seed? Is it light or heavy?
attaching
Developmental Group: 10 12 year olds
This activity guides learners in creating their own seed bank. It is a multifaceted, active process involving teamwork and ideally community engagement. Seed saving is all about sharing and collective food resilience, and a seed bank is a practical way to bring people together for this nourishing
Build meaningful relationships with community and land
security/food
Can support pollinators and building biodiversity …and the list goes on!
Importance
a message from Irish Seed
T I V I T Y P A
Read and discuss background information about the history and importance of seed saving This link has a good summary under the headings “Background Information” and “Making Connections” (though it has a U.S. centric narrative).
Questions to guide your discussion:
What do you already know about seeds how they are made and how they travel?
Why would we save and share our own seeds from our local area, if we can just buy them at the store?
Plan a Seed Bank
Check what seeds you have growing in the local area Use an identification key (and the help of experts!) to guide you. You must be 150% sure that the plant is what you think it is! The main categories of seed you might save are from native trees, meadow wildflowers, or vegetables and fruit in the garden Identification keys/guides/games to start you off: fruit/seed identification Autumn tree leaf
to help identify trees that seeds might be hanging on tree/seed matching Wildflowers pictured at different stages of growth Some apps that could be useful (but need to double check with other sources!): Seek Picture This Plant Net
a.
Keep a log of the plants you find that you are interested in using the "Local Plant Log" worksheet to help Research seed saving strategies/details for these plants
1. a. b. c. d. i. ii. iii.
Information to start you off: Main difference in strategy between seed saving for fleshy fruits (like tomatoes) vs dry receptacles (like pea pods): pg. 37 39 Tree seed saving instructions Excellent overview of wildflower seed collection and storage
Vegetable seed saving advice Starting page 19 Seed Saving for different vegetables overview Books to buy Book from Brown Envelope Seeds Seed Saving Handbook from Irish Seed Savers website
Design & Create a Seed Bank using the "Seed Bank Planning" document.
Keep in mind, while the Seed Bank is a place to store seeds you’ve saved, it can also be a great opportunity for building community a place for gathering and connecting people with place. Hold onto that idea as you make your plans…
1.
Decide which plants from the log to harvest/store and make sure you have collected all the information you need
Make a list of materials needed (for the seed harvest, seed storage, and seed bank itself)
Things to consider:
Things
consider:
are
a few weeks first in a warm,
Things
consider:
Why It’s Interesting (edible, good for pollinators, pretty, etc.)
Why It’s Interesting (edible, good for pollinators, pretty, etc.)
Why It’s Interesting (edible, good for pollinators, pretty, etc.)
Why It’s Interesting (edible, good for pollinators, pretty, etc.)
NAME: DATE:
The Team: Who is
Most great work requires collaboration. Adults, peers, etc. Some jobs you might consider assigning are:
It will need to be a cool, dry place. Will it be a shed? In a storage closet in your home/school?
Where will the seed bank be? Who will look after it?
What will you need to make it happen? What can you reuse/recycle? Can anything be donated?
Seed harvest Seed storage Seed bank
What will it cost? Who will pay for it? Do you need to fundraise?
How will you share information about the Seed Bank and related events and activities?