How This Organic Farm Conserves Over 200 Heirloom Varieties Every Year

Foodthink Says

As the commercial seed industry grows ever more dominant, traditional farmer varieties and heritage seeds are increasingly pushed to the margins. Their loss represents more than just a decline in biodiversity; it signals the gradual erosion of diverse local food traditions and cultural heritage. Today, however, a growing number of seed keepers are recognising the vital importance of these farmer varieties. Guided by scientific methods, they do not merely collect and preserve these seeds; they actively cultivate, expand their cultivation, and keep them in active use.

At the end of 2022, during the ‘Rebirth of the Seed: Where Farmers and Foodies Collide’ sharing session at the Beijing Abundant Harvest Festival, Tang Yaozhong—known affectionately as ‘Brother Tang’, technical director at Yuefengdao Organic Farm—shared the farm’s experiences in conserving traditional farmer varieties. Over the past few years, adhering to the principle of ‘sowing every grain and storing seeds on the land’, Yuefengdao Farm has successfully conserved over two hundred local varieties.

This article will address the following questions:

How is seed conservation work carried out?
Amid the increasing frequency of extreme weather, what challenges does the conservation process face, and what unexpected discoveries have emerged?
Is it truly worthwhile for a farm to save seeds year after year? How can traditional varieties move from conservation to expanded cultivation, and how can seed-saving efforts generate more sustainable value?

This article is adapted and expanded from Brother Tang’s presentation. Click to watch the full replay of the sharing session. Foodthink has also maintained a long-standing focus on seed-related issues. Since 2021, we have partnered with the Farmers’ Seed Network to fund 12 colleagues across the country to establish their own community seed banks.

I. Why We Must Conserve Farmer Varieties

I’m Tang Yaozhong, responsible for field operations at Kunshan’s Yuefeng Island Organic Farm. Many people also know me as “Brother Tang”.

● Brother Tang and the farm workers harvesting saved bean seeds in the field.

People often ask: why put in so much effort to save our own seeds and conserve these traditional farmer varieties?

Setting aside broader concerns like biodiversity conservation, on a purely practical level, running an organic farm means we simply need a reliable supply of seeds.

It’s hard to find organic seeds on the market these days, and when you do, they’re often pricey. For various reasons—whether it’s purity, quality, or poor adaptation to local conditions—commercial seeds can’t always meet our production needs. We’ve bought spinach and amaranth seeds before that failed to germinate for two consecutive sowings, only finally sprouting on the third attempt. Unpredictable seeds like that disrupt procurement budgets, labour hours, and planting schedules.

Yuefeng Island Farm has been saving its own seeds since it opened in 2010. Initially, we focused on varieties that were already accepted locally, easy to grow, and straightforward to save. Our methods were rather crude back then, and the quality of the saved seeds varied.

In 2017, with guidance from the Farmer Seed Network, we deliberately structured our seed-saving and conservation efforts and set up a small, basic seed bank. By 2020, as our collection of varieties grew, we began systematically managing the entire active lifecycle of our on-site seed bank—from conservation and saving to practical reuse.

● Local taro varieties preserved on the farm.

Kunshan’s economy is relatively developed. As industry has expanded, arable land has dwindled, making heirloom varieties—particularly old seed stocks—increasingly difficult to locate. As stewards of seeds, our work to seek out and preserve them also involves unearthing and documenting the culinary traditions and local stories that surround these older crops. Through our on-site nature education programmes, we weave these elements together, enabling visiting residents to engage directly with the region’s traditional agricultural heritage and history via the seeds themselves.

Understanding where our food comes from is what fuels the drive to pass it on.

II. How the Over Two Hundred Heirloom Varieties Are Saved

Yuefeng Island Organic Farm is situated in the buffer zone between the water catchment areas of Yangcheng Lake and Kuilei Lake. It was established with the primary aim of safeguarding these water sources from contamination by chemical inputs. The farm’s core area spans approximately 230 mu (roughly 15 hectares); when combined with the organic rice paddies cultivated in partnership with the local community, the total operational area reaches nearly 600 mu (around 40 hectares). Since 2020, the farm has deliberately set aside two dedicated zones for heirloom seed conservation, split between an aquatic crops site and an upland crops site.

● The blue area is the experimental plot for upland crops, and the red area is for aquatic crops.

The first step in seed conservation is gathering seeds. Alongside those saved on-farm, we also source them from the surrounding community: through farm workers, local villagers, neighbouring farms, and exchanges with fellow growers. Some are collected with the help of the local Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau’s seed station, and others are drawn from the provincial Academy of Agricultural Sciences seed bank.

Next, we allocate plots and draw up planting schedules based on the specific traits of each crop. We list and categorise every variety for the year: which require direct sowing, which need raising from seedlings, and which require pre-chilling to stimulate germination. Before sowing, seeds are carefully sorted and aired in the sun. This selection process ensures higher quality and a better germination rate.

● Left: Farm interns Zhang Qian and Chen Zhao sorting Brassicaceae seeds and removing off-types. Right: Rice seedlings being raised in a flooded paddy.

After sowing, the main work involves comparative trials and tracking observations, monitoring changes in crop traits at each key growth stage.

● Field observations during the rice growing season.

Once the seeds have matured, they are harvested, recorded, sorted, and placed in the seed store. Upon storage, they are photographed, measured, and weighed to create more detailed records.

● Once the rice matures, the panicles are cut, seeds selected, dried in the sun, and stored. Seed conservation and saving is highly intricate work. Interns Zhang Qian and Chen Zhao, introduced through Foodthink’s “Ecological Agriculture Intern Programme”, have helped me with much of the meticulous work on the farm. From left to right: Tang, Zhang Qian, and Chen Zhao.

Some stored seeds go into seed preservation cabinets, while others are placed on the “Multi-functional Seed Display Wall” for public science education and outreach.

● The farm’s two dedicated seed preservation cabinets: one serves as the primary conservation store, and the other as a backup, providing double insurance. The cabinets maintain a cool, consistently humid environment to ensure high germination rates and preserve seed quality.

● The “Multi-functional Seed Display Wall” also serves as the farm’s science education hub. Why “multi-functional”? Because alongside the seeds, it features whole-plant specimens, such as complete rice stalks and wheat ears. Combined with guided tours of the seed plots, this hands-on, detailed display allows visitors to immerse themselves in a journey tracing the seeds’ past and present.

By 2022, over two hundred traditional landraces had taken root on the farm. In our paddy fields, we conserve 101 rice varieties and one wild rice shoot cultivar, while the dryland area hosts 113 crop varieties, including wheat, legumes, and a range of vegetables.

III. Dryland Plots: Legumes, Wheat, and Vegetables

In 2022, we cultivated 113 traditional landrace crops in the dryland area: 33 legume varieties, 22 wheat strains, and a combined 61 vegetable varieties drawn from the Apiaceae, Brassicaceae, Cucurbitaceae, and Solanaceae families. Growing such a high number of varieties within a single field area is, for me, quite a formidable challenge.

● Watering beans after sowing in the dryland plots.

Since 2021, Yuefeng Island Farm has embarked on a systematic seed conservation programme for beans. Initially, we trial-grew numerous varieties, including six that the farm had consistently saved, alongside others sourced from elsewhere. Ultimately, however, only a handful proved sufficiently adapted to local conditions for reliable on-farm seed saving.

In 2022, we plotted the beans retained from the previous year according to their colour, characteristics, and intended use, adding buffer rows around each to minimise external interference.

● Layout plan for seed saving of selected bean varieties.

Following local farming traditions in Kunshan, beans are sown every May.

While sorting through the farm’s own saved broad bean seed before planting, we noticed they appeared to fall into two distinct varieties. Judging by colour, one type is pale green-white, while the other is greenish-brown. On some of the darker beans, the hilum marks a distinct white line.

Beyond appearance, each variety brings its own textural and flavour profile: the paler beans tend to be starchier and cook through more easily, while the smaller green types are less waxy but carry a stronger aroma and a more robust flavour.

● A comparison of farm-saved broad bean seeds.

Among the local bean varieties we save seed from, the most distinctive is ‘Niu Ta Bian’. Traditionally cultivated in the Suzhou and Shanghai regions, its seeds are oblong and flattened, shaped much like a cow’s hoof. The beans boast a fragrant, glutinous, soft, and sweet flavour. Qing dynasty poet Qin Rongguang wrote of them in his *Bamboo Branch Lyrics*: “Beans of purple fragrance and green jade bear many a name, / Black shells and green skins fill the storage jars. / June Yellow and Niu Ta Bian, / Tender pods cooked simply as a vegetable.” Evidently, this variety is not only delicious and nutritious but also steeped in a long cultural history.

● Last year, the farm harvested 80 kg of ‘Xiang Jing’ broad beans. We commissioned Xiucai Bean Curd Workshop to trial-produce a small batch of bean curd sheets in two flavours, and consumer feedback has been positive.

Wheat cultivation was once a long-standing tradition around Suzhou, though it is now increasingly rare. In 2021, we finally gathered some local heirloom wheat varieties, but when they arrived, we had only around 20 seeds per variety. Given the scarcity, every seed was exceptionally precious. I remember one variety that ultimately yielded just a single surviving plant, known as ‘Zhang Si Huang’. Fortunately, this plant proved resilient and produced viable seed, enabling us to continue growing it this year.

● Through our work with the Farmers’ Seed Network, we revised our planting strategy. Of the 22 varieties, we grew 21 separately within the main plot. We allocated two varieties to individual ‘hill row’ plots, and 18 to ‘ear row’ plots, in an effort to restore varietal purity and revitalise the seed stock.

In 2022, we also expanded our seed-saving efforts to include tomatoes, melons, radishes, maize, pak choi, Chinese cabbage, and various other vegetable crops.

● For the tomatoes and carrots saved for seed, we also record their distinctive shapes and flavours after harvest.

● A locally distinctive variety, the ‘Yellow Wolf’ pumpkin. Remarkably, pumpkins of the same cultivar grow into varying shapes—some elongated, some round—with each one unique. For next year’s planting, we intend to apply seed purification and revitalisation to ensure the traits within the same variety remain more consistent.

● Cross-pollinating brassicas (such as leafy greens and pak choi) are prone to cross-breeding and genetic variation. In 2022, we deliberately chose five varieties of leafy vegetables and planted them in separate areas across the farm. This spatial isolation helps preserve the purity of the seeds we save.

When it comes to saving seeds in dryland fields, the most challenging aspect is accurately tracking each crop’s growth stages. The table below documents our observation records for soybeans, detailing characteristics such as the germination period, seedling emergence rate, leaf shape and colour, flower size and colour, pod shape, and pod colour.

These milestones were identified through observation and discussion alongside our interns. While our relative inexperience means the growth stages for each crop may not be entirely precise, establishing these markers at least gives us a clear starting point. It helps build a timeline that will make future tracking and record-keeping much more straightforward.

IV. Paddy Fields: A Spectrum of Colours in Rice Cultivation

For many, the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of rice is simply “polished grain”. It looks much the same whether lush green in its youth or golden at maturity. A visit to our aquatic crops base will change that perception entirely. Row upon row of different rice varieties display a vibrant palette: greens, reds, purples, and blacks, each with its own distinct texture and characteristics. In fact, statistics suggest there are as many as 140,000 species within the rice genus worldwide.

● The aquatic crops base: the white markers denote 101 rice seed-conservation plots, each representing a different rice variety.

Following preliminary data analysis and crop planning, we trialled 101 rice varieties in 2022.

In recent years, the farm has frequently endured bouts of high heat and humidity driven by extreme weather. Coupled with frequent typhoons and heavy rainfall, taller rice plants are highly prone to lodging. In 2021, we lost two varieties entirely before harvest, highlighting the considerable challenge of successful seed conservation.

As a result, we established selection criteria for rice breeding in 2022. We prioritised the multiplication of varieties showing strong characteristics, while maintaining others only in small conservation plots. We selected 17 existing varieties and added 10 new introductions, bringing the total to 27 varieties for expanded cultivation. These will be closely observed and evaluated to determine their suitability for large-scale commercial production in the future.

● Tang and an intern inspecting the multiplied rice stock.

In reality, heritage varieties such as ‘Suyu Glutinous’ and ‘Duck Blood Glutinous’ are already in commercial cultivation, and the farm is marketing related products. This year, we also conducted three mixed-cropping trials with these field varieties, each with a specific objective: pairing ‘Xiao Hei Mi’ (black rice) with ‘Nanjing 46’, and ‘Duck Blood Glutinous’ with ‘Suyu Glutinous’, were both aimed at improving lodging resistance; meanwhile, intercropping ‘White Glutinous’ with ‘Xiangxue Glutinous’ was designed to combat sheath blight.

● Rice trait recording sheet, documenting tillering capacity, plant height, panicle shape, heading date, and final yield, to guide next year’s planting and seed conservation tracking.

As the old saying goes, the land and water shape the people. Those of us raised in this land of fish and rice have a responsibility to safeguard more local rice varieties. Every extra seed saved adds to our food security and expands the palate’s possibilities.

V. Difficulties and Challenges

Seed conservation is far from straightforward. Of the 113 varieties planted in the upland plots, only 88 successfully yielded seeds for conservation, while 25 were lost before harvest. Upon reviewing the causes, we found most failures were linked to poor seed quality. Some seeds were stored for a year, or even two to three. Certain introduced varieties, particularly those from northern regions, struggled to adapt to the local climate due to the geographical divide; even when they germinated, they proved highly susceptible to disease later on. Additionally, the heavy rainfall affected some bean varieties poorly suited to damp conditions, causing them to mould before the pods could fully mature.

In response, we plan to adjust our legume cultivation strategy: staggering sowing dates to avoid extreme weather; widening plant spacing to improve air circulation and reduce disease pressure; and experimenting with reduced fertiliser application to see if it improves pod set rates.

The 101 rice varieties cultivated at the farm in 2022 were all successfully brought to harvest, yet this achievement has presented us with a new dilemma. Given that we already maintain over a hundred varieties, with the number likely to grow, replanting each one annually while carrying out meticulous line purification, revitalisation, and record-keeping would place an unmanageable burden on our team.

We have considered whether these varieties could instead be rotated, with different batches planted across two- or three-year cycles. Before we can adopt such a system, however, we must first take a thorough inventory of the seed stock and test its germination rates. Otherwise, dividing the batches prematurely risks leaving some seeds unviable, meaning the stewardship of these heritage lines could be broken on our watch.

● Following the rice harvest in January, we hosted a premium rice tasting event in collaboration with the local agricultural extension centre. We invited 40 fellow farmers, consumers, and partners to sample the new crop and conduct blind tastings. Participants evaluated the rice on appearance, texture, and colour across a range of preparations, including non-glutinous rice from both new and heritage varieties, glutinous rice (including naturally pigmented strains), fermented rice, and steamed rice cakes. This comprehensive scoring process allowed us to crown the ‘star varieties’ in each category.

This year, we intend to further streamline the collection established in 2022, reducing our propagation efforts to just 19 varieties. From this core group, we will select two to transition into broader field cultivation, with the aim of eventually placing them on consumers’ plates. We will also designate three bean varieties for expanded cultivation, developing them into bean-based products. Ultimately, it is only by turning these traditional seeds into market-ready products and earning public favour that seed conservation can be sustained for the long term.

Photographs courtesy of Shen Ye, Kunshan Yuefengdao Organic Farm, and the Farmers Seed Network

Compiled and written by: Shen Ye

Edited by: Wang Hao