The Gulf South Heritage Seed Conference

Kurt Bridges and J.C. D'arbonne were prolific seed collectors in communities near Opelousas, Louisiana. Sprout purchased this extensive seed collection to preserve and promote this rare find. Over the multi-year process of cataloging the collection, the Gulf South Heritage Seed Project (GSHSP) formed to organize and document this treasure trove of local seed. The GSHSP is led by 6 core stewards: August Green (Lead), Anna Timmerman, Angie Comeaux, Maggie Kaiser, Blaise Pezold, and Margee Green. We are also thankful for the many people from Louisiana and the greater Gulf South who have volunteered their time to help organize the collection. These folks represent a deep cultural connection that we wish to foster with the GSHSP.

We are proud to debut this collection of rare landrace and heirloom seeds to seed savers in Louisiana and across our country at the Gulf South Heritage Seed Conference! This multi-day event will showcase recognizing heirloom and landrace seeds in your communities, seed saving, and seed trialling. We have multiple speakers scheduled throughout the week from our team and other organizations. We will host field trips to Urban farms in the New Orleans area and take a day to explore farms in Bayou country. The week will culminate with a seed symposium featuring John Coykendall, August Green, and many more. Please join us for this wonderful week of seeds and fellowship!