Diane Ott Whealy Diane Ott Whealy is the co-founder of Seed Savers Exchange and presently serves as
Vice President of Education. For more than 35 years, Diane has been a national leader in the heirloom seed movement and a strong advocate for the protection of the earth’s rare genetic
food stocks.Founded in 1975 as a non-profit organization, Seed Savers Exchange has more than 9,000 members, made up of gardeners, orchardist, chefs and plant collectors, all dedicated to the preservation and distribution of heirloom varieties of vegetables, fruits, grains, flowers and herbs. With thousands of varieties in its collection, Seed Savers is one of the largest non-governmental seed banks in the United States. In 1986 Diane helped develop Heritage Farm, Seed Saver’s scenic 890-acre headquarters near Decorah, Iowa. Heritage Farm is a unique educational center designed to maintain and display collections of endangered food crops. Diane also founded the Flower and Herb Exchange where members offer over 2000 heirloom flowers and herbs for exchange each year. Diane’s memoir Gathering: Memoir of a Seed Saver will be published this June by Seed Savers.org and will be distributed by Chelsea Green. |
Diane Ott's Books GatheringMemoir of a Seed SaverDaughter 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. |
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