Humboldt Permaculture Guild Marks 25 Years of Annual Seed Exchange in Arcata

Twenty-five years of passing seeds across tables at the Arcata Community Center comes to a head this Saturday when the Humboldt Permaculture Guild hosts its annual Seed, Plant & Scion Exchange from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 321 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway.

The event, organized in collaboration with the North Coast Growers' Association Agricultural Programs and the Redwood Community Action Agency, asks participants to bring seeds, live plants, and fruit tree cuttings known as scion to share, "and take whatever they realistically expect to use." Entry runs on a sliding scale of $0 to $10, with the Guild describing the exchange on its website simultaneously as a "FREE community event" and listing the sliding-scale admission in the event details. Raffle proceeds and entry donations go toward covering the cost of running the event, while grants from local organizations provide additional funding.

Grafting demonstrations will be available alongside advice on the best fruit tree varieties suited to the North Coast climate, and fruit tree rootstock will be on sale. Farmers and businesses from across Humboldt County will offer seeds, plants, art, and garden-related services. Local nonprofits will staff educational booths on topics ranging from native plants to affordable access to local food.

For lunch, Cafe Cozé, Frybread Love, and Chilango's will all be on-site. The raffle, described as a "huge" draw, rounds out the afternoon's offerings.

The Guild, a volunteer-run nonprofit, frames its mission around building "a more resilient redwood bioregion through permaculture practices," with an emphasis on regenerative lifestyles, local seed development, natural building, and water and energy conservation. The exchange itself, which recurs every spring at the Arcata Community Center, is staffed entirely by volunteers.

Those interested in volunteering or signing on as a vendor can find a form at humboldtpermaculture.org, where future workshop and speaker announcements will also be posted. The Guild's Instagram account, @humboldtpermacultureguild, carries updates as the event approaches.