The story below is from our July/August 2018 issue. For more like it subscribe today, log in to read our digital edition or download our FREE iOS app. Thank you!
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The Mainspring Conservation Trust has easements on four farms in Cherokee County that are helping protect heirloom seeds, including the Long Family Farms and Gallery. The farm is owned by Harold Long, a member of the Cherokee tribe, and his wife Nancy, who plant only vegetables passed down from the Eastern Band of Cherokee. Sara Posey with the trust says beyond the importance of preserving horticulture history, maintaining a variety helps protect the food supply, but the key is to share the seeds. Recently, the University of North Carolina-Asheville hosted a seed exchange. The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association has a similar program.