The Urban Farm Podcast with Greg Peterson · Episode 1016 · November 13, 2026 · 32 min

1016 - Regional Seeds, Genetic Diversity & the Future of Seed Saving with Nate Kleinman

A Seed Chat with Bill McDorman and Greg Peterson Join our monthly Seed Chat at SeedChat.org In This Podcast: Greg Peterson and Bill McDorman welcome Nate Kleinman, farmer, plant breeder, seedsman, and co-founder of the Experimental Farm Network (EFN), for a conversation about why the world needs thousands more regional seed companies. Nate explains how locally adapted seeds develop through selection over generations, shares examples of diverse crop breeding projects, and discusses the importance of preserving genetic diversity. The conversation explores the risks facing the USDA National Plant Germplasm System, the cultural responsibility of returning seeds to their communities of origin, and how small seed companies can help fund collaborative agricultural research. The episode makes a compelling case for growing, saving, sharing, and stewarding seeds for future generations. Our Guest: Nate Kleiman is a farmer, plant breeder, seedsman, and co-founder, co-director of the Experimental Farm Network Cooperative, a Philadelphia-based non-profit organization founded in 2013. He is also a founding member of Ujamaa Cooperative Farm Alliance, and serves on the board of the Philadelphia Orchard Project. Key Topics & Entities Regional seed companies and locally adapted seeds Experimental Farm Network (EFN) and community-based plant breeding Seed adaptation through natural selection and saving seeds USDA National Plant Germplasm System and GRIN Genetic diversity, breeding mixes, grexes, and landraces Seed rematriation and returning cultural seed heritage Public seed collections and the risks of privatization Citizen science and collaborative agricultural research Perennial wheat and perennial grain development Utopian Seed Project and the Heirloom Collard Project Ultra-Cross okra and collaborative crop breeding Naked barley blends and dryland rice diversity Seed companies as funding models for agricultural research Climate change, food security, and preserving crop diversity Key Questions Answered Why does the world need more regional seed companies? Most gardeners purchase seeds from a relatively small number of large companies, many of which source seeds from the same growing regions. Regional seed companies can grow and offer varieties adapted to local climates, soils, and growing conditions. Nate believes there is room for thousands more small seed companies. What makes a seed company truly regional? A regional seed company grows seeds in the region it serves and ideally works with varieties that originated there. Seed descriptions should identify where seeds were grown so customers can make informed choices about regional adaptation. How quickly can seeds adapt to a new growing environment? Adaptation can happen surprisingly quickly. Nate shares his experience growing nigella (black seed) in New Jersey. Initially, only one plant in a 30-foot row performed well. He saved seeds from that plant and replanted them separately. The next generation had approximately 50% successful plants, and after further selection, nearly 80% performed well. This demonstrates how selecting the strongest plants can accelerate adaptation over just a few generations. Where can seed growers obtain unusual or underutilized crop varieties? The USDA's National Plant Germplasm System maintains more than 600,000 crop accessions from around the world. Through its Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), growers, researchers, educators, and plant breeders can request seeds for legitimate research, education, or breeding purposes. What threats are facing the National Plant Germplasm System? Nate describes staffing shortages, hiring freezes, increased shipping costs, and research station closures. Some varieties have become unavailable because they have not been regenerated. He warns that defunding or privatizing the collection could put important genetic resources at risk. What does seed rematriation mean? Seed rematriation is the process of returning seeds to the communities and cultures from which they originated. Nate explains that seeds represent the cultural heritage of communities around the world, particularly the women who have traditionally served as seed keepers. EFN works with Iraqi, Iranian, Palestinian, Indigenous, and other seed-keeping communities to help return these resources. Why are genetic diversity mixes important for gardeners and farmers? Diversity mixes combine multiple varieties into a population that can be grown together and selected for local conditions. Rather than depending on a single named variety, growers can identify which plants perform best in their own environments and save those seeds for future generations. What is the Ultra-Cross okra project? Developed through the Utopian Seed Project, the original Ultra-Cross combined approximately 100 okra varieties. A more carefully selected version, Ultra-Cross 2.0, narrowed the population to approximately 40 plants with better culinary characteristics while retaining substantial genetic diversity. The goal is to create okra that can perform across a wide range of climates. What is the Experimental Farm Network, and how does it work? Founded in 2013, EFN facilitates collaborative agricultural research, especially plant breeding and the development of perennial crops. Through its citizen science platform, people can participate in breeding projects and agricultural research by growing plants, collecting observations, and identifying promising varieties. How does EFN fund its agricultural research? EFN launched its online seed catalog in 2018. Seed sales help finance its research and cultural work. The pandemic significantly increased demand, with sales tripling between 2019 and 2020 and doubling again the following year. Why are perennial grains important to the future of agriculture? Perennial grains can produce harvests year after year without annual replanting and tillage. They can reduce erosion, improve water quality, create habitat for s