In Salt Lake City as in an increasing number of cities across the country, networks of backyard growers in urban neighborhoods and small-scale farmers along with nonprofits like Seed Savers Exchange and Native Seeds/SEARCH as well as Slow Food USA’s Ark of Taste have helped to preserve rare heirloom varieties and other agricultural jewels through public seed swap events.

SLC’s People’s Market, in conjunction with Wasatch Community Gardens, will presents its fourth annual seed swap Saturday, Jan. 30 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Sorensen Unity Center (1383 S 900 W). The event gives farmers and horticulturalists the opportunity to share seeds, grow heirloom crops and keep their genetic stock healthy.

“If you have seeds left over from last year, bring them. If you have no seeds, come and you shall receive,” says People’s Market founder Kyle LaMalfa. “Bring your friends, trade your seeds, and expand your garden space with variety. This is one of our more popular events throughout the year, and we’re looking forward to seeing many new faces.”

The seed swap event has become a good platform not only for growers to start work on their gardens, plots, and fields for this year but also to exchange gardening tips, anecdotes, tasting notes, and recipes. Among the most critical types of information available include how individuals can save seeds, become caretakers for the varieties they use in their gardens, and work to keep varieties genetically pure and strong.

Carly Gillespie, WCG’s community educator coordinator, and Allison Parks, development and outreach coordinator, will conduct seed-starting demonstrations, answer questions, provide gardening literature, and swap seeds themselves.

Slow Food Utah also has selected numerous varieties from the U.S. Ark of Taste catalog that should propagate successfully in Utah and has purchased many of the seeds in bulk. The group will distribute sampler packets of seeds to participants at the Seed Swap. Slow Food USA’s catalogue includes more than 200 foods that have laid dormant in production but are being rediscovered gradually in networks located where varieties are best suited for cultivation.

“Wasatch Community Gardens is thrilled to co-sponsor the People’s Market Seed Swap because they share our vision of strengthening community through gardening,” says Claire Uno, WCG’s executive director. “We hope to see a lot of people at the Seed Swap seeking inspiration to diversify the colors and tastes of their garden this coming year.”

WCG joins with People’s Market each year to support the Seed Swap, build community, promote gardening, enhance food security, and encourage people to think of market gardening as a viable entrepreneurial activity.

Light refreshments also will be served including soup, crusty bread, cookies, water and soda.

For more information about the Seed Swap, see here.