Conserve a Crop

As we face ever increasing drought and higher temperatures, protecting arid-adapted seeds is more urgent than ever. These resilient, heirloom seeds produce nutritious food and thrive in our dry, desert climate.

Your gift of $35, or more, will ensure these seeds are preserved in our seed bank and shared with gardeners and communities of the Southwest.

Conserve these threatened crop seeds so they are available in our gardens -- on our plates, and for future generations.

Protect one of these arid-adapted crops today!

Hermosillo Select Chiltepin

NS/S has been conserving wild chiltepins for decades. This particular chile is one of 32 varieties of chiltepin in our seedbank, and part of a larger project to increase chiltepin populations throughout Tucson.

Selected for its robustness, and spicy smoky flavor, this variety boasts larger fruit than most chiltepins and is from Hermosillo, Sonora.

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Rarámuri Tekomari Runner Bean

Originally grown at 7,000 feet in the Sierra Madre mountain range of Chihuahua, this variety produces bright red flowers followed by speckled lavender beans.

A staple of the Rarámuri diet, this large runner bean was added to the collection in 1984
by an NS/S founder.

Partner farmer Horton Nash is growing this bean in the small mountain town of Paonia, CO.

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Chemehuevi Sweet Corn

Chemehuevi partner farmer Daniel Leivas and his father, Matthew Leivas Sr., are excited to bring this corn home to the Chemehuevi Tribal Farm, where it hasn’t been grown since their lands were flooded by the creation of Parker Dam in the 1930s.

Donated to NS/S in 1986, this fast-growing sweet corn features beautiful pink, yellow and sometimes striped kernels.

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Yerba Anis

Native to Mexico, this wild perennial is a medicinal plant and tarragon substitute. It is used as a healing tea for common colds and upset stomachs. The flowers can also be used for dyeing.

Collected from Nabogame, Chihuahua in 1986, this hardy plant survived winter frost and is now blooming in the NS/S gardens.

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Nichols Heirloom Tomato

Discovered as a “volunteer” in a Tucson garden, these tomatoes have been carefully selected by the Nichols family in Tucson for 60 years.

They are among the fastest-growing tomatoes in our collection and can withstand winter frost in the desert. This desert tomato is low maintenance but highly productive with a rich, sweet flavor.

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Conserve All 5 Crops

Saving a seed is a small act with a huge reward.

These arid-adapted varieties are essential for farms and gardens in our desert climate.

Conserve all five of these threatened crop seeds so they are available in our gardens -- on our plates, and for future generations.

Conserve all 5 crops>>