That was the Seed Circle 3.0
Swapping seeds for more biodiversity. Sounds logical at first, but also a little boring. Climate change and environmental protection are almost a bit overused terms, and admittedly, they can sometimes get on your nerves. Above all: What can I, as a small hobby gardener, really do on a large scale? More than you think. But because we also know the misery of feeling like you can never do anything right, we simply threw the moral cudgel over the garden fence and looked for a way to have fun while saving our planet. So, in October 2019, our seed circle rotated for the first time. What happened now, in round 3, is something we never would have dreamed of back then.
First of all, what is the seed circle?
A seed exchange by mail is the guiding principle of our seed circle. You send us your self-collected, variety-stable seeds, we collect the letters, swap them randomly, and send you back a colorful package of seed packets . For more variety and a whole new explosion of flavors!
And why do we do this?
We've already mentioned it: Because it's fun! But that's just a nice side effect, of course. With the seed circle, we want to make the world a little more colorful and increase diversity in hobby gardening too. Instead of always buying the same, highly bred vegetables at the hardware store or at the checkout at Aldi, we swap really special, really original, sometimes even really old varieties and bring them back to life. We want to have back the things that grew in Grandma's garden back then: the crooked cucumbers , the giant beefsteak tomatoes, the colorful carrots. Not just for us, but for the environment and the animals that live in it.
So how was this round?
When we first launched the Seed Circle, in October 2019, the response was huge. We received 74 shipments. The second time, the response was even greater, with 86 shipments reaching us. But what's happened now is simply incredible. Over 300 shipments have arrived, making our mailboxes explode! Are you crazy, or what? We are so touched, so proud, and so happy that the third round of the Seed Circle was such a success. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to everyone who participated! Here are a few impressions: 
Is Corona “to blame”?
It is possible that the situation since March has contributed a lot to the fact that the seed circle has received so much positive feedback this year. We've certainly noticed it elsewhere, too: Our business has shifted, and significantly more end customers have shopped in our store. Although we can't see anything positive in the pandemic, we have to say one thing: We're delighted that so many people discovered their green thumbs in 2020! These green breaks were important for us, too, to unwind and focus on something enjoyable.
We wanted to say THANK YOU again
I, the one writing this post today, supervised the seed circle and was able to open each of your letters. You have no idea how much joy you brought me. When so much cheerful mail awaits you in the office after days of working from home, it's wonderful! I'm telling you, there was some incredibly creative craftwork among them: colorful bags, recycled bags, small bags, large bags, homemade bags , and so on... It felt like opening packages at Christmas ;-) 300 times! You are absolutely fantastic, I can't emphasize that enough. Together we have created a good cause and made the world a little more colorful. Stay tuned! Join us again! I'm looking forward to it!
Is there another round?
Oh yes, there will be, absolutely! You can find the latest information at www.diestadtgaertner.de/saatgutzirkel , and we'll keep you updated on all channels when it's time to let the seed circle spin! Until next time, your Lotta
