From cross-pollination to regenerative systems design, MASA is committed to mobilizing our community – both residential and commercial – around “backyard breeding” and on-farm, traditional seed breeding that’s rooted in a shared understanding of the importance of local seed stewardship to reduce our dependence on outside food sources.
“MASA is the evolution of my life’s work,” says Richard Pecoraro, 62, founder of the Boulder-based MASA Seed Foundation, a new grantee of the foundation’s Community Trust.
“I’ve been a seed saver working in organic agriculture for 40 years. MASA [Mutual Admiration Seed Association] is the culmination of my experience working with different organizations and farms to create awareness around so-called alternative agriculture models.”
Continues the master seedsman and farmer, “We believe in a blended approach to agriculture that’s both scientific and social.
“Historically, agriculture was a social norm, but that’s no longer the case. For better or worse, the science of agriculture has contributed to that, to where we’ve become dependent on the agricultural-industrial complex for food manufacturing. Along the way, we’ve forgotten about our food system.”
In response, MASA’s holistic and wide-reaching mission is to build a bioregional seed bank; form a multi-demographic seed growers cooperative; distribute organic seeds and produce; facilitate educational programs in agriculture, horticulture, and permaculture; and assist local growers with their residential and farm landscapes.
“Seeds that we grow locally are bred for adaptation to native climatic and soil conditions,” adds Richard. “There’s no shortcut to adaptation, however. It can take several years, even decades, to breed seeds for local conditions.”
Indeed, in 1990, Richard helped launch Seeds of Change, the nation’s first 100% organic non-hybrid seed company. He served as co-director of seed production, harvest, and post-harvest handling (i.e., seed cleaning and processing); and he co-authored detailed crop information over several years.
Today, from cross-pollination to regenerative systems design, MASA is committed to mobilizing our community – both residential and commercial – around “backyard breeding” and on-farm, traditional seed breeding that’s rooted in a shared understanding of the importance of local seed stewardship to reduce our dependence on outside food sources.
Concludes Richard, “We’ve always been very interested in organically grown produce from regionally adapted seeds, and bringing such bio-regional concepts to the community realm – to the backyards and homes of America.”
Learn more about local environmental challenges – and reasons for hope and action – in our new TRENDS Report; and learn more about the foundation’s efforts around regenerative agriculture, an emerging component of our environmental work.
