Seed Collecting and The Green Grape Report
Hands, Seeds, and Stories: Community Gathers to Clean Native Seeds at Inniswood
At Inniswoods Metro Park on Saturday morning, the tables inside the Innis House were filled with seeds, sieves, bowls, and laughter as members of the Wild Ones local chapter and newcomers worked side by side to clean native plant seeds for future planting and sharing.
Volunteers Mary May and Marty Freado led the hands-on workshop. They demonstrated how to process seed heads collected from local prairies, trees, and gardens. The morning event was free and open to the public. It drew a crowd ranging from seasoned native plant enthusiasts to first-timers curious about seed-saving techniques.
Participants brought their own seeds to learn how to clean and store them. Others worked on batches supplied by organizers. Some brought garden gloves and sieves from home. Others sat elbow to elbow with strangers, gently separating seeds from dried flower heads like purple coneflower, blue wild indigo, and sweet Joe-Pye weed.
Glassine envelopes, labeled and ready, waited to carry home cleaned seeds. Large trays caught the plant chaff. Paper bags filled with dried stalks surrounded the workspaces. The mood was relaxed yet focused, and the conversations ranged from botany tips to planting stories to friendly encouragement.
The event served as a preparation day for the group’s annual seed swap. That event is scheduled for January 10 at the same location. By then, these cleaned seeds, collected, sorted, and shared, will find new soil and new stewards.
The Green Grape Report
Food Review by Gary Gardiner
Everywhere
Brand – Autumn Crisp
Price – About the same
PLU Code – NA
The Review
Autumn Crisp grapes are still everywhere at great prices that really don’t match the cost to grow, pick, and transport them to the grocery stores.
As noted in the original Green Grape Report, I grew up on Thompson Seedless Grapes, available only at limited times in grocery stores and farm markets. Today, Thompson, originally imported from what is modern-day Turkey, is now the dominant grape for raisins. It is also used for wines.
During the winter months, it is the most grown grape in Chile and Peru, from where we get most of our winter grapes.
Fortunately for all of us, the industry found a way to grow, market, and distribute grapes year-round. Autumn Crisp is the dominant green grape in central Ohio grocery stores. It is the product of selective breeding. But this popular fruit isn’t just another table grape. It’s intellectual property.
Autumn Crisp is a patented variety developed by International Fruit Genetics (IFG), and like a prescription drug or copyrighted song, it can’t be grown without permission. Farmers must pay licensing fees, sign contracts, and follow strict production guidelines. IFG controls who grows the grape, where it’s planted, and how it’s marketed.
That model, called “variety licensing”, has upended the traditional economics of grape farming. Where once any grower could plant generic varieties like Thompson Seedless or Red Globe, proprietary grapes like Autumn Crisp are tightly regulated. Only approved growers, often with deep pockets and large acreage, can gain access.
California’s Central Valley has become the epicenter of this shift. In regions surrounding Delano, Fresno, and Bakersfield, industrial-scale vineyards now dominate the landscape, many of them devoted to licensed grapes.
The appeal is clear. Autumn Crisp delivers what consumers want: reliable sweetness, firm texture, and visual appeal. For growers, the math works too.
Its success reflects a broader trend: the rise of “designer” fruit engineered not just for flavor, but for performance across the supply chain. For IFG and its licensed growers, it’s a winning formula. In agriculture, it signals a shift toward a future in which even fruit is branded, regulated, and owned.
There are hints that such “designer” grapes are being grown by plant breeders in South America for the American market.
And for consumers reaching for a bag of grapes, it’s a reminder that even something as simple as a snack now comes with a licensing agreement, just not one they see.
The Westerville News is a reader-supported publication by Gary Gardiner, a lifelong journalist who believes hyper-local reporting is the future of news. This publication focuses exclusively on Westerville—its local news, influence on Central Ohio, and how surrounding areas shape the community.
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