On this cold day in February, I know many of you gardeners are like me, dreaming of gardens and ogling the gorgeous pictures in the seed catalogs filling our mail boxes.

But my real gardening season begins with our own Vashon Seed Share. That’s where I begin to really think about starting my garden. The many offerings at the seed share both inspire me to try a new plant and remind me of what I really want to grow in my garden.

This year we will be gathering on Sunday, February 9, in the big greenhouse at Dig Deep. I can hardly wait.

The Vashon Seed Share has been an annual event for at least 10 years. It was originally conceived by Lotus, an avid gardener whose passion for seed saving and seed sharing was huge. She believed that seed should be shared generously and widely so that everyone could grow their own food and flowers. To that end she mentored many island growers and gardeners.

While Lotus is no longer with us, her passionate commitment to seed sharing is carried on by her many friends.

Saving seeds and sharing them connects us with farmers and gardeners around the world. Together, we are engaged in the effort to preserve biodiversity and food culture in a world in which both are threatened. According to National Geographic magazine, 75% of seed varieties have disappeared since the dawn of the 20th century, and the vast majority of what remains is owned by corporations such as Monsanto and Syngenta, who prize commodity crops over locally adapted varieties.

A carrot that can grow anywhere is unlikely to be as delicious or nutritious as the one grown here, with seed saved locally and shared in our own community. It’s a privilege to be able to save seeds and share them with my neighbors, continuing an ancient practice that grows biodiversity and community at the same time.

Here on Vashon, the Seed Share is fundamentally an opportunity to hang out with neighbors and friends who love to grow food and flowers. The long table in the greenhouse will be filled with a wide variety of seed offerings from which you can choose. You’ll find packets and jars of seeds for vegetables, flowers and herbs. You can bring seed that you have saved as well as seed packets you won’t be using to add to the table. You do not have to bring seed to participate — there will be plenty to share.

The day will begin at 10:30 a.m. with what we call Seed Stories — opportunities to share your seed starting or seed saving experience, to ask questions, or perhaps just to soak up the stories shared by other gardeners.

The actual Seed Share begins at 11 a.m. and will end at 2 p.m.. It may be chilly in the big greenhouse, so be sure to dress warmly. If you have seeds to bring, we will have envelopes for them, and they can join their seed friends on the table. You can also bring plant starts (someone brought Marshall Strawberries last year) or garden books you have finished with.

Just remember, you don’t have to bring anything but yourself and your curiosity. All are welcome!

Merrilee Runyan is a longtime Vashon Island organic grower.