Join expert seed saver Randel Agrella from Baker Creek Seeds and New England’s premier heirloom seed company, Comstock-Ferre Seed Company for a talk and walk at Berkshire Botanical Garden on Thursday, August 22, from 10:30 – 12:30, with emphasis on saving seed for future gardens. This program will focus on correct planting, harvesting, extracting, and storing of seeds. Although the instructor will focus on heirloom fruits and vegetables, many of the techniques covered are applicable for ornamental heirloom flowers as well. Participants will take away the knowledge to save heirloom seeds as well as favorite seeds of the staff at the botanical garden. BBG members $25, nonmembers $30. Register on line at www.berkshirebotanical.org, or call 413-298-3926.

Randel Agrella is general manager of Comstock-Ferre in Wethersfield, CT and manager of rare seed grow-outs for Baker Creek Seeds in Mansfield, Missouri. He has been a heirloom grower and seed saver since 1982 and has written articles for Heirloom Gardener magazine, Natural Awakenings of SW Virginia, and Small Farm Today magazine. He runs his own website business Abundant Acres, www.abundantacres.net , which sells tomato, eggplant, pepper and herb plants throughout most of the US. Image from www.extension.oregonstate.edu.