Join our 2025 Art and Seed Swap!
The Deadline to sign up is December 30th, 2024

Sowing Seeds and Connections - Annual Art and Seed Swap

Sharing seeds is an age-old practice and an act of building resilience. Preserving the diversity of crops we still have is important to our future, especially in the face of climate change. 

The vision for this project is for garden and nature-loving artists to share seeds and become stewards of biodiversity. While also showcasing and sharing their creative talents through unique seed packet designs.

“Seeds are the foundation of agriculture but they also encode a memory of the land, the climate, the weather, as well as people’s cultural values, aesthetics and stories. And now people of all generations are coming together to recognize the importance of seed heritage, to create new ways to counteract the globalization and industrialization of our food systems, to resist monocultures.” - Rowen M White

Be sure to check out this PDF presentation on how to save seeds from an OSU Master Gardener.

The Verdancy Project would like to invite you to participate in our annual seed swap & packet design. We are looking for creatives who love to garden to participate in a mail-in seed swap and to create original seed packet artwork. 

The Details: 

Who can participate?
This is an open call to anyone who would like to participate. There is no age limit.

What are the requirements?
To participate you must sign up, pay the small fee, create 10 seed packets with original artwork and mail them to The Verdancy Project. There are no geographic restrictions, if you can mail in your seeds you can participate.

What do I get for participating?
You will receive approx. 11 packets of seeds (mailed to you), the original artwork on the seed packets (these can be framed after the seeds are used), your seed packet artwork in an online exhibition, a feature of your seed packet artwork on our social media platforms, and connecting with a community of like-minded individuals. 

Does this cost anything? 
There is a small $15 fee to participate. This covers postage to mail seeds back to you, processing, packaging, and admin work to create the online exhibit.
Participants are responsible for the cost of their own seeds, which could be free if collected from their own garden, any art supplies to create their packets, and postage to mail in the seed packets when complete. 

How many seed packets do I need to create? 
At least 10 but you are welcome to send more. We usually have 30-40 participants.

What kind of seeds should I send? 

  • They can be flowers, fruits, herbs, or vegetables. 

  • We are requesting they be organically grown seeds. 

  • The seeds can include locally saved seeds, excess or purchased seeds, seeds brought back from another region or country, or excess seeds that a seed company donated—you decide what you want to swap.

  • Make sure you include enough seeds in each packet to ensure a decent harvest. 

  • Consider the viability of the seeds. The older a seed is, the worse its germination rate will be. Limit the swap to seeds no more than 2 years old for the best quality. 

  • Each packet can be a different type/variety of seed, they do not all have to be the same.

What about the seed packet design and art? 

  • You can make your own seed packets, you can buy a premade envelope, or create something different. Make sure it is 4x6 inches or smaller, please. 

  • You can create an original design for each packet or create one design and reproduce it for all the packets. 

  • Be sure to include the common name and variety, and the year the seeds were collected. It is strongly encouraged that you also include any extra information about propagation, growing, etc.  This can also be a separate sheet of paper.

  • Include your name and website or social media on the packet. 

  • Please make sure your packets are sealed properly so no seeds sneak out.

  • Need some inspiration? Check out our previous Art and Seed Swaps above

When is the deadline? 

December 30th, 2024- This is the deadline to sign up to participate by.
January 15th, 2025 - All seed packets need to be mailed to The Verdancy Project before January 15th.

You will receive your batch of seed packets in February 2025.

The Verdancy Project
30310 SE Division DR.
Troutdale, OR 97060

You can pay the participation fee here.

Do you have more questions? Feel free to reach out to us at: info@verdancyproject.com