Have you ever eaten a meal rich with juices, flavors, and fragrances that have taken centuries to develop? A delicate, dark red strawberry that was the backbone of the U.S. berry industry, an oily fish that built trade routes in the Northwest, a hot pepper that tells the story of Minorcan immigration to Florida—these are the stories of North American traditions that lie hidden within our foods. Yet many of these foods have been rapidly disappearing from our tables. In the United States alone, 63% of native American crop varieties have disappeared from cultivation since European arrival on this continent.

With these losses has come a decline in traditional ecological and culinary knowledge, and declines in the food rituals that link communities to place and cultural heritage. If these culinary delights persist only in our history books we will have lost an important cultural legacy and future generations will be deprived of the nutrition and exquisite flavors found in these heritage foods. 

To document, restore, and celebrate the incredible diversity of America's edible plants, animals, and food traditions, seven of the most prominent food, agriculture, education and conservation organizations in the United States came together under Slow Food USA to launch RAFT, the country's first eco-gastronomic conservation project.

The founding partners of RAFT are: American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, Center for Sustainable Environments at Northern Arizona University, Chefs Collaborative, Cultural Conservancy, Native Seed/SEARCH, Seed Savers Exchange, and Slow Food USA.

In the past, participants have been sent vegetables seeds or transplants including: Amish Paste tomatoes, German Pink tomatoes, Beaver Dam Hot Peppers, Aztec Scarlet Runner Beans, Sibley Squash, Amish Deer Tongue Lettuce, Moon & Stars Watermelon, and many more.

Vendors, if you are interested in helping with the RAFT project by growing foods from Seed Savers Exchange this year, please contact Susan Boldt as soon as possible: