Seed Extravaganza

Letter to the Community: Cultivating Resilience

PPI is looking forward to assisting in cultivating community (food) resilience for the future here in Livingston MT and providing a workable template for other cold climate regions. Some of our accomplishments since receiving our tax exempt status, July 31, 2013 are:

• 33 classes to date with 12 different instructors from three counties (Park, Gallatin, Jefferson).
• Our first annual Seed Extravaganza event in 2015.
• A series of plant walks led by herb specialist Bev Axelsen to identify native medicinal plants first-hand.
• Development of a permaculture demonstration site.
• Paradise Transition Gardens, a new program to help homeowners transition from undeveloped yards to permaculture food gardens.
• Moveable wooden planter boxes to bring herbs and edibles to the sidewalks of Livingston. Look for the first one in front of Bodega Bakery this spring.

Our immediate goal: To purchase and set up a Rolling High Tunnel in Spring 2016 to grow more effectively and efficiently by extending the season on both ends. This will be an important educational tool for PPI to share knowledge with farmers, gardeners, and students. We plan to create a propagation environment (natives, medicinal, herbs, vegetables, less commonly known varieties high in nutritional value, edible trees, small trees, shrubs, ground cover, vines) to use in our classes and transition gardens, and plan to work with other local nurseries. Community educational opportunities will include learning how to grow the plants, save the seeds, and use them in recipes, teas, tinctures, salves, and more.