The Plowboy Interview Kent Whealy

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But just how does such an organization work? How successful has it been in salvaging endangered species and in making people aware of the dangerous trend of our narrowing genetic diversity? And most important, what else can be done—in the wakeof recent plant-patenting legislation—to prevent the situation from slipping further out of control?

To find the answers to those questions, MOTHER sent staffers Larry Hollar and Jeanne Malmgren to the Midwest . . . where they bounced over several miles ofnarrow dirt roads on the way to spending two days with Whealy at his hand-built home in the rolling hills of northwestern Missouri. The following edited transcript of their conversations will be of interest to novice gardeners and expert seed-savers alike. In fact, Kent's remarks contain a warning—and a hint of hope—that should be heeded by anyone who expects to grow someof his or her own food this year.

PLOWBOY: Kent, you're at the forefront of a rapidly growing "underground" movement which will undoubtedly come into the mainstream as more and more people realize the hazards presented by our diminishing genetic resources . . . and come to understand the need to preserve what agricultural variety we have left. Has your training and background helped you to cope with the demands of your important position?

WHEALY: Ever since I was a small child, I've really loved gardening, and my involvement with seed saving just grew naturally from that, I suppose. As far as the organization of the Seed Savers Exchange goes, I think my university education prepared me well for the task. I have a degree from the William Allen White School of Journalism at the University of Kansas, so—when the opportunity to start this whole program presented itself—I was able to draw upon my training in writing, and my understanding of media techniques, to reach people and "sell" them on my concept.

PLOWBOY: But how were you originally sold on the idea of seed saving?

WHEALY: Back in 1973 my wife and I were living way up in the northeastern corner of Iowa and cultivating our first garden together. At that time Diane's grandfather—who was teaching us some "old country" horticultural techniques—gave me three varieties of seeds that his family had brought with them from Bavaria five generations before. When he didn't make it through that winter, I realized what precious heirlooms I'd been entrusted with . . . and I felt it was up to me to carry on his tradition by keeping his vegetable varieties alive.

About the same time, I happened to read articles by several scientists, including Dr. Jack Harlan and Dr. Garrison Wilkes, warning about the increasing loss of genetic diversity . . . or "genetic wipe-out", as some called it. One of the most convincing articles I encountered was an interview with Dr. Paul Ehrlich, in MOTHER NO. 28, in which he explained how risky it was for us to be moving toward monoculture plantings and limiting the available varieties of each of our vegetables . . . especially since we seem to be entering a period of rapid climate change, and since vegetable-damaging insects are continually developing resistance to pesticides.

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