Join journalist Susan Dworkin on Saturday, March 20, from 2 – 3:30 pm at the Berkshire Botanical Garden for an exploration of the world’s delicate supply of wheat, international agribusiness, scientific intrigue, and the Svalbard “Doomsday Vault.” Learn about the extraordinary work of Bent Skovmand, one of the greatest plant scientists and pioneering seed bankers. Follow his quest for “agriculture’s public library” as he spearheads an international effort to collect and preserve crop seeds to ensure that we won’t starve. Dworkin will share tales of daring agricultural rescues and discuss the politics and perils of monoculture and patenting of plant genetic resources by corporations. She also will examine how the citizenry must overcome the urban-rural divide in order to protect the world’s harvest. Enjoy a reception and book signing with the author following the lecture. All proceeds benefit the Berkshire Botanical Garden Education Department. Members of BBG $16, non-members $21.
Susan Dworkin lives in the Berkshires. She has written several biographies and social histories, including the bestseller The Nazi Officer’s Wife. Her articles have appeared in Ms., Ladies Home Journal, The New York Times, and other periodicals. Her fascination with agriculture dates from early stints at the US Department of Agriculture and as a journalist covering agricultural aid programs in the Middle East. For tickets and more information, log on to www.berkshirebotanical.org.
