Heirloom Seed Expo in Santa Rosa

As we walked to the entrance, my sister seemed more than a little amused. "What's so funny?" I asked. "We're going to a seed expo," she snorted. I get it; we aren't exactly a farming family. But if you cook or garden then save the date for next year and drive up to Santa Rosa for the seed expo. Until I went for myself, I couldn't understand why anyone would want to go for the whole three days. Three days of heirloom seeds-gawking and Monsanto-slamming sounded excessive, but next year I might do just that. Their website will tell you everything they offered, but I decided to include just a few pictures below. 

Wednesday was an educational day, so mothers and children had free early entrance. Kids had a chance to learn how to save seeds, dig for treasure in the dirt, glue a bean mosaic, and watch a sheep get a haircut. Next to the children's area was a huge barn with heritage breeds of chickens, ducks, and turkeys. That may not sound thrilling here, but it was amazing to see. My new goal is to be ready to bring home two Nigerian Dwarf Goats by this time next year. 

The food vendors were varied and from what I could tell, they all looked good. Above is a picture of a grilled cheese sandwich, all from local ingredients. Many of the food vendors listed not only what they were selling but where they sourced their ingredients. We ate chocolate hemp ice cream, Indian food, two kinds of pie, and of course the grilled cheese. It was all good, but be forewarned that it is not the kind of place you can find cotton candy or a corn dog. Everything there will be much better. 

The exhibits themselves were beautiful and educational. I had the chance to learn a little about biodynamic gardening, aquaponics, and beekeeping. That was all we could do with two small children in ninety-five degree heat, but next year I'll be back.