Collard green USDA seed bank

Hello, I’m Amanda McNulty with Clemson Extension and Making It Grow. Two vegetable scientists Powell Smith and Mark Fortnum traveled through South Carolina and Georgia on a search for old timey collard plants, especially ones in flower. When they saw collards growing in gardens they stopped and tried to find the property owner. These mostly older people had gotten the seeds they planted from their parents or grandparents. After chatting and learning family stories, Smith and Fortnum asked if the grower would share seeds. The seeds from this road trip became the basis of the collard green USDA seed bank where seeds are stored, replanted when necessary, and kept available as a source of diverse genetic material. Most of the growers of these collected seed have passed on and their generosity in sharing will be valuable in the future.