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The Long Island History Project


It’s a long island with a long history. Want to hear it? Interviews with historians, scholars, authors and anyone with a story to tell and a passion for this unique region of New York.

Apr 19, 2017

Can vegetables go extinct? Not if the Long Island Regional Seed Consortium (LIRSC) has anything to say about it. They are dedicated to preserving and propagating those crops that few have even heard about, the types of things that have fallen out of favor or been crowded out of today's agricultural landscape.

Today we interview Steph Gaylor and Cheryl Frey Richards, two of the founders of LIRSC (along with Ken Ettlinger) about their work. It takes dedication, hard work, meticulous historical research and a devotion to craft beer. You'll hear about the success they've had bringing back the Long Island Cheese Pumpkin, the challenges of finding and propagating long lost seeds, and the important role of seed swaps and seed libraries in places like Patchogue and Bayport.

 

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