Paolo Arrigo with his mother Theresa
"You won't need a projector at the meeting - I will be projecting into people's heads!
"It will be a journey in vegetable seeds from Roman London to present-day Winchmore Hill and then a trip around Italy in endangered and heritage vegetable varieties."
The message sent to Sue Davies of North London Organic Gardeners from the very special guest at the group's March meeting next Wednesday evening - Paolo Arrigo of Seeds of Italy. Paolo has plenty of strings to his bow: he's a member of the Guild of Food Writers, a multiple RHS Medal-winner, an author and public speaker and Slow Food UK's Person of the Year 2020. But perhaps most importantly, given current concerns, is his record as a leading biodiversity campaigner.
Franchi Seeds' Endangered Vegetables Survival Kit. There is also a Climate Emergency Pollinators Survival Kit and a Brexit Vegetable Growing Survival Kit
Seeds of Italy are the exclusive UK distributors for Franchi Seeds, the oldest family run seed company on the planet, founded in 1783 and seven generations later still in the same family. Franchi specialises in heritage, endangered and ethical seeds. 94 per cent of the world’s heritage vegetable varieties have been lost in the last century alone, but Franchi supply well over 100 varieties from the remaining 6 per cent. So by using Franchi seeds you are supporting biodiversity.
North London Organic Gardeners meet once a month in the Small Hall at Winchmore Hill Baptist Church, Compton Road, N21 3PA. Paolo Arrigo will be speaking at the next meeting, on Wednesday 4th March at 8pm - visitors welcome!
An 11 year old asked me recently, “Don’t medicines come from plants?”.
The young get biodiversity. It is their future, which is why Franchi Seeds are the first major seed brand in the UK to declare a Climate Emergency. The problem is that at the moment some gardeners are indifferent, happy to grow mass produced corporate varieties sold by corporate seed brands. So instead of just growing Gardener's Delight where there are literally hundreds of producers, why not also grow an endangered San Marzano Nano alongside? Or our other Heritage varieties?
By using Franchi seeds you are supporting Biodiversity on the planet.(Paolo Arrigo, Seeds of Italy)