Gathering: Memoir of a Seed Saver

by Diane Ott Whealy

Daughter of Iowa farmers, Missouri homesteader, and mother of five, Diane Ott Whealy never anticipated that one day she would become a leader in a grass-roots movement to preserve our agricultural biodiversity. The love for the land and the respect for heirloom seeds that Diane shared with her husband, Kent Whealy, led to their starting Seed Savers Exchange in 1975. Seed Savers Exchange, the nation's premier nonprofit seed-saving organization, began humbly as a simple exchange of seeds among passionate gardeners who sought to preserve the rich gardening heritage their ancestors had brought to this country. Seeds that Ott Whealy herself inherited from her paternal grandparents were the impetus for the formation of Seed Savers Exchange, whose membership has grown from a small coterie to more than thirteen thousand. Its influence has been felt in gardens across America. Ott Whealy's down-to-earth narrative traces her fascinating journey from Oregon to Kansas to Missouri then back home to Iowa where, in 1986, Heritage Farm became the permanent home of Seed Savers Exchange. Her heartwarming story captures what is best in the American the ability to dream and, through hard work and perseverance, inspire others to contribute their efforts to a cause. Thus was created one of the nation's most admired nonprofits in the field of genetic preservation.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Plants, Gardening, Environment

256 pages, Hardcover

First published July 6, 2011

Reviews

[Stephie Jane Rexroth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many authors thank their supporters by name, listed paragraph after paragraph at the end of their book. 'Gathering' does not conclude with just a page or two of appreciation.

Diane Ott Whealy has masterfully written a book-length 'acknowledgments.' She chronicles the dozens (if not hundreds) of individuals who made Seed Savers Exchange possible and prosperous. Through touching short stories, she beautifully details each person's character and contribution; introducing the reader to her kind, wonderful, very-extended family.

It's a lovely, picture-filled memoir about a non-profit organization (and its local/global village) rather than that of one woman; proving that it is possible for life, work and family to be one and the same.

"SSE's story is about dreams and about individuals who believed in those dreams – family, friends and those who provided financial support."

"Kent's and my greatest accomplishment, aside from raising five wonderful children, was converting a dream into reality and inspiring others to keep that dream real. I am proud that our vision started the organization thirty-six years ago. But we have evolved over the years, and matured. Perhaps it is we who have changed, and all that remains unchanged is the vision. And that is as it should be."

[Kathleen Ernst · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was written by one of the people who founded Seed Savers Exchange, an organization dedicated to preserving the seeds for flowers and vegetables that are rapidly being lost. This work is vitally important, as any variety of a certain veggie might be the only one which is resistant to disease or other blight. I've been familiar with SSE's work for years, and I enjoyed having the opportunity to discover how the organization got started and grew. I hope lots of people discover the fun and importance of growing old varieties in their own gardens. And a plus: the book is beautifully presented, with both original color artwork and photos throughout.

[Julieann Wielga · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this is a gorgeous book and a true story of the unpredictable organic growth of the grass roots organization of seed savers which grew from a few morning glory seeds from Grampa Ott to an organization with over 13000 members on 819 acres of land. This organization has one purpose to insure the genetic diversity of plants.

That Diane and Kent Wheatley felt compelled to give up their lives off the grid to save seeds, to host weekend campouts, to raising 5 children,to make catalogs, to doing a photo shoot with Martha Stewart, to traveling to Holland, to surviving a surprising divorce.

The author's point is to transmit how the saving of seeds was a movement that is so totally necessary to us as an agricultural society, that in the face of technoligical changes, it happened nearly on its own. The writing does not promote tension or suspense just a sound appreciation of seeds in the face of big business.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I grew up with the Seed Savers Exchange catalogs; what a sentimental journey it was to discover the origins and hear the stories of how this amazing organization was born. I found this book quite by accident on the new book shelf at the library. What a beautiful cover! It was a pleasure to read, with photos and illustrations including covers from some of the early SSE catalogs that I recall from childhood. However, it seemed to me to have been written with a certain level of detachment, documenting the facts in a skimming and superficial (though lovely) manner that rarely dove below the surface to share the more personal passions and perils that surely were experienced. It felt a bit numb. When I reached the end of the book, I understood why. Definitely pleased I read this, but I turned the last page with a heavy heart.

[Melanie Ullrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very sweet and thoughtful retelling of a life dedicated and shaped by the preservation of seeds. It amazes me that a simple goal like saving heirloom seeds could explode into such an amazing organization with the support of "seedy" people all over the world. It truly is revolutionary and inspiring! I loved how the whole book was essentially a big "thank you" to everyone that has touched her life.
I had the luck of making the 5 hour trip to see Seed Savers Exchange in the middle of reading this book and I really felt that it added a whole other appreciation for this book. The pictures and paintings that accompanied this wonderful story were lovely, but barely skim the surface of the true beauty of the actual place.

[Pam Joslin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful illustrations and photography to accommodate a great story of the beginning of the Seed Saver Exchange. I thank my daughter for giving the book to me for Christmas.

[Joanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a warm and feel-good story about how Seed Savers Exchange began but by the end I was googling straight into the center of a bioengineering conspiracy. Whealy tells the grassroots story of gardeners collecting and swapping the seeds their family has cherished for centuries. Each chapter is more a vignette with a loose chronological structure that tracks the nonprofit’s growth. It’s all charming and inspiring until the last two or three chapters when she mentions she and her husband divorced and he was eventually removed from the organization. She seems to think their mission was worth it. I’m not convinced. But her husband’s side of the story led to some less-rosy interpretations of SSE’s board and funding that all links back to the big seed growers who hope to patent their products—including a UN conspiracy centered on the cool (I thought) seed bank in Norway. So this wound up being quite exciting though sad.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diane writes beautifully. The entire book was reminiscent of the wholesomeness of life, the way it used to be. Nostalgic maybe. She and her then husband, Kent, followed their dream and gave the planet a valuable jewel. Maybe it would have been done by someone else. Don't know, but I'm sure grateful that they did it when they did. There is a piece of the globe in Decorah, Iowa. With politics and climate the way it is, this gives a slice of hope that just maybe humanity will not make itself extinct.

[Moss · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very sweet book about the founding of Seed Saver's Exchange. Minus at least one star for false salamander advertising on the cover. I thought it was a cool look into the workings of founding an organization, especially an agricultural one.

[Barbara Q · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars for the beauty of the physical book. A bit less for the writing, which is adequate for telling the story of Seed Savers Exchange (SSE) but not especially scintillating.

[amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful book! Interesting story but maybe felt a little too chronological? Forever grateful for seed savers!

[Ellen Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gathering is the memoir of Diane Ott Whealy, one of the two original founders of the Seed Savers Exchange (SSE), the largest private, not-for-profit seed bank in the United States. The story begins in Diane's childhood, and weaves its way through her marriage, children, and homesteading in several states, and explains how SSE finally landed in Decorah, Iowa. Today, SSE's headquarters is still there, at a nearly 900 acre property called Heritage Farms, located in the rolling hills of northeastern Iowa.

Both as a gardener and an Iowan, I loved this book. Whealy tells her story in a simple, engaging way, with enough information that I felt like I was there, but not so much that I was bored with the excessive details. In addition to the pleasant writing, the book is filled with beautiful color photographs that document the journey of Whealy and SSE.

I finished the book with a renewed excitement for gardening and a new-found understanding of the danger of hybrid plants and GMOs and the importance of preserving our agricultural heritage through seed saving. Not only do I want to become an SSE member, I can't wait to visit Heritage Farms! If you are someone who seriously loves gardening, you'll enjoy this book. And if you're an avid gardener who also happens to live in Iowa, this book is an absolute must-read!

[Ginna · Rating 3 out of 5]

An inspiring look at the beginnings of the Seed Savers Exchange, a group I had no knowledge of prior to reading this book. The writing is down to earth, the pace plods a bit sometimes, but the story is worth a look and a thought when thinking about starting a nonprofit with a lot of passion and not so much knowhow. The ins and outs of preserving and passing along heirloom seed varieties were much more complicated and interesting than I had imagined, and I grew very invested in the story of the family at the heart of the organization.
I was pleased to find http://www.seedsavers.org/, which will be a great resource for my future gardening efforts.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book, because a good deal of it was very familiar to me. I lived in Decorah, Iowa for four years during which time the Seed Savers Exchange, co-founded by Ott Whealy, had just purchased what became Heritage Farm, and rehabbed and reshingled the barn. I was even on a Park/Rec volleyball team with Diane and her then-husband Kent for a couple of seasons, and became familiar with the great work they had fostered.

It was great to hear Diane's backstory, and I developed a greater appreciation for the years of effort and devotion (a lifetime, actually) she put into raising five children and the preeminent seed-saving organization on the planet.

[Jill Myers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of Seed Savers Exchange (SSE) in Decorah, Iowa. They have insured that thousands of vairieties of flowers, vegetables, fruits and now, heritage farm animals do not go extinct. They are a remarkable organization and a real treat to visit if you ever get a chance. The author of this memoir is one of the founders of SSE and she chronicles the decades long journey of the organization. I enjoyed learning more about this beloved non-profit that is safe guarding the genetic diversity of so much of our food supply.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diane believed in the virtue of living modestly off the land, "I began to think about a more rooted, more meaningful life..." Seed Savers has grown and become a place that embodies resilience and rebirth: "Seed Savers is a place of hope - hope that we will cherish this place, Earth, where we live, take good care of it and of each other. Seed Savers is action, not just words and ideas..." -Greg Brown

[Susan Dermond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe it wouldn't rate quite so high, but it paralleled my life story. Loved going with her on the journey from living in an Oregon cabin, to living on the land in Kansas, to networking with other gardeners, through giving over to an ideal, and finally, living in an imperfect reality. She accomplished so much...yes her husband did a lot...but along the way she took care of FIVE children. Her love or the "plant people" is tangible.

[Brenda Klaassen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for an in-person book discussion. I thought it was very interesting to learn the background of a company that calls Iowa home. I enjoyed each little story. The collection inspired me to do what I could to make the world a better place. I might try some container gardening because this book inspired me to grow something. I can't wait to find out what the rest of the group thought about the book.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like downhome stories IN DETAIL, you will like this book. I expected more info on gathering, seed saving, and growing out the seeds. It is definitely a history of Seed Savers Exchange, but probably more interesting to the people actually involved. It did give me an appreciation of what hard work and passion can produce. Also, I really liked how generations of small farm growers were given credit for the vast knowledge they possess and are passionate about passing on that knowledge.

[Elyse · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author is the co-founder of Seed Savers Exchange - a still thriving non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of agricultural plant varieties in danger of extinction. She and her husband started the project as newlyweds and the story of their struggle to make their vision a reality and raise five kids at the same time is amazing. Book has a sad ending but their hard work building SSE remains a success.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 243 page, almost coffee table sized book is a great read for the farm girl (which I am), the gardner and grower,a vegetarian, the ecologist and/or preservationist. The story of a life, a love, a family, a passion, which ended in a very successful seed saver company "Seed Savers Exchange". I found the ending so sad.

[Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't read a lot of nonfiction but really enjoyed this story of how the Seed Savers Exchange was started and grew to it's current state. Besides being well written, there are wonderful illustrations and photographs showing some of the beautiful vegetables and flowers that have been saved through their efforts.

[Lanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Gardeners everywhere will never want to plant a hybrid again once they read this! Without giving it away, I will say this is a memoir without a storybook ending even though I sure was hoping for one.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful history of the Seed Saver Exchange.

[captain america · Rating 2 out of 5]

heartfelt but mostly a tepid retelling of events already well-known in seed savers exchange circles. yeah i'm jaded 'cause i got involved with SSE in 1980...