Hands-On Seed Processing with Farmer Sama

Reyhan Herb Farm is a small-scale farm in the SF Bay Area that focuses on growing and sharing seed for heritage crops from the SWANA region. For Farmer Sama, farming these seeds is a healing experience that fosters connection to their ancestral foodways and the stories of their homeland. At the end of the growing season, it’s time to harvest the seed crops and clean them for storage and for sharing. Seed cleaning is the beautiful process of taking a seed harvest from the field (borne within the plant) to a dry, shelf-stable seed lot that is free from non-seed plant material (aka, chaff). We will be using assorting techniques of threshing and winnowing to hand-clean the seeds, which have been practiced by humans since the advent of agriculture. These techniques of threshing and winnowing are, as Sama says, “the closest thing I get to magic on a regular basis.” In addition to being a wondrous activity, processing seeds also creates the perfect conditions for relaxation and connection between humans. Once you get into it, you might find yourself in a flow state, or you might find that working with your hands is deeply relaxing. This event will take place in the backyard of Local Economy's generous neighbor, Layla, who lives on Armanino Court. Location details will be provided to attendees.