A couple of weeks ago, I went to visit the Irish Seed Savers Association in Co Clare. As my journey progressed, the mode of transport became more dated - and much more acceptable. Streamlined, electric DART engorged with hot commuters redolent of hair spray, aftershave and irritation; mainline train and a bit more room to breathe; chugging local train with a mere handful of affable passengers. Finally, an early Opel, driven by a thoughtful, friendly woman, Sinead, delivered me safely to the door of the new Seed Savers HQ - a long, blue shed - and a pair of communal Wellingtons.
The Wellingtons were essential, as the day was wet, very wet. Again and again I was told: "You should have been here yesterday, the weather was beautiful!"
But I was glad to have been there on such a dreadful day, with the grey clouds obscuring the surrounding hills and the brown, mucilaginous mud threatening to claim my borrowed boots with every sucking step. It brought home to me the uncomplaining heroism of the Seed Savers team, working hard to safeguard our future food crops by preserving the rich genetic diversity of the past - often in sticky, strenuous conditions.
The Seed Savers work force is composed of 14 FAS employees, their supervisor Bridget Carlin, a number of volunteers and founder Anita Hayes and her husband, Tommy. They labour zealously to locate, grow and preserve traditional varieties of food crops. Their work in saving native Irish apples is well-known (with 140 different kinds thriving in the wet and windy orchards here). Their painstaking trials of Irish brassicas (turnip, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and kale, including "cutand-come" kale) have made forgotten varieties newly available.
Work continues with endangered onions, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, aubergines and other vegetables, many grown from seed from the Garterslabeen Gene Bank in Germany. Thin-necked onions (less prone to rot) are being tested: old-timers such as `Rijnsburger Augusta', `Lafort', `Laskala' and the Irish `Baun'. Tomatoes such as the plum-shaped, golden `Polen' from East Germany and the long-fruiting, long-keeping `Storage' have ripened outdoors in the short Clare summer. Even watermelon plants have borne small, succulent footballs in the glasshouse here.
Anita set up the Irish Seed Savers Association in 1991 in her kitchen and back garden. Her pioneering, crucial efforts were recognised last autumn when she was awarded Irish "Rural Woman of the Year" by the World Women's Summit Foundation at the United Nations in Geneva.
The Seed Savers are engaged in urgent work: since the beginning of the 20th century an alarming 75 per cent of agricultural crop varieties have been lost. Their demise has been spurred on by intensive farming and the near-monopolisation of seed production by large companies. Legislation banning the sale of unregistered seed varieties has expedited the disappearance of unique, local varieties (registering seed is prohibitively expensive).
Losing these regional fruits and vegetables is a tragedy, not just on an emotional level, but also because of their innate resistance to pests and diseases, and their tolerance of local conditions. Kill off these vernacular vegetables and we rub out, forever, the distinctive genes that are tailormade for our Irish growing conditions.
Many are varieties that date from a time before chemicals and pesticides were used in agriculture, making them ideally suited to organic growing today - and in the future. "The research into organic varieties is not just for us, it is for farmers in 20 years time," says Anita, always planning ahead, while studying the valuable plants of the past for solutions.
As a result of an EU directive, the future is looming very close: by 2004 all certified organic growers must use organically-produced seed (ironically, the instruction comes from the same body that outlawed unregistered, local varieties in the 1970s). The Seed Savers are researching the production of Irish-grown organic seed, "varieties that are proven to work in our climate and conditions", according to Bridget Carlin. "As far as we know, we are the only people working in this field, so keeping us viable is essential."
The Seed Savers operation moved out of Anita Hayes's kitchen last May and into the blue shed, built with Leader funding. (Interestingly, during my visit, an apple-grafting trio had commandeered the kitchen again, but "it's only for three weeks".)
They have also bought nine acres for a new seed garden, a native broadleaf wood and a new orchard. Around 1,500 trees were planted this winter in the wood and orchard. Money is needed urgently to pay off the £25,000 loan for the land.
You can help by becoming a member of the Irish Seed Savers Association (there are already 750 of us), or by sponsoring a tree for £20 - or two trees, or more. Or, as Bridget Carlin comments: "a donation of a quarter of a million pounds wouldn't go amiss!"
Even if you can only do a little, do it. We need to nurture this trailblazing, industrious organisation that labours heroically on its knees, come rain or shine, or rain, or rain.
The Irish Seed Savers Association, Capparoe, Scariff, Co Clare. Tel: 061921866.
Website: www.catalese.com/issa.htm
Membership: £5 (concession), £10 (ordinary), £20 (sponsoring), includes a biannual newsletter and the opportunity to grow five seed varieties.