In Ames, Iowa, on Thursday, August 4, 2022, an industry icon was presented with the prestigious Breeder’s Cup Award during the Summer Summit, hosted collaboratively this year by All-America Selections, National Garden Bureau, and the Home Garden Seed Association.
AAS Breeders Cup
The AAS Breeders Cup Award was established by All-America Selections in 2004 to recognize a plant breeder who dramatically influenced horticulture by breeding new cultivars that brought significant improvements to those classes.
All-America Selections is very proud to announce that the 2022 Breeder’s Cup Award recipient is Patty Buskirk of Seeds By Design and Terra Organics.
Patty and her business partners/staff (left to right): Robb Bauman, Lance Heaton, Arianna Lopez, Patty, Susan Birdseye, and Mao Moua
Patty Buskirk is the managing partner for Seeds by Design, Terra Organics, and Aurora Seed. She oversees the day-to-day administration, research, development, marketing, and production activities. Patty started in the seed industry in 1981 as a squash breeder assistant with Steenseed in Chico, CA. After college, she accepted a job with Northrup King in Gilroy, CA, as an assistant brassica breeder. In 1987, she moved back home to Northern California to work for NPI/Western Hybrid Seed. With her partners, she started Seeds by Design in 1994. Terra Organics was established in 1999 with the goal of offering a variety of organic seeds. Patty loves the everyday challenges and ever-changing world of seed. Just a few of the AAS Winners that have come from Patty are the Chef’s Choice series of tomatoes, Blue Prince pumpkin, Mama Mia Giallo pepper, Black Hawk ornamental pepper, Pepitas pumpkin, Warrior onion, Super Moon pumpkin, Mexican Sunrise, and Mexican Sunset peppers and more.
All-America Selections, the breeders, judges, board of directors, and all the companies they represent, proudly salute this industry achiever who humbly and quietly has done so much for the industry, including the promotion of All-America Selections Winners. Congratulations Patty.
“I was surprised, honored, and humbled to be presented with the 2022 AAS Breeders Cup award. Receiving this award for my plant breeding efforts from my peers just validates that I work in the most wonderful industry filled with esteemed colleagues and lifelong friends that feel like family. I encourage all plant breeders to follow their hearts and create new varieties in any species/group they choose. Creativity has no limit.” stated Patty.
Home Garden Seed Association Presents Honor at 2022 Summer Summit
In Ames, Iowa, on Thursday, August 4, 2022, an industry icon was presented an award posthumously during the Summer Summit, hosted collaboratively this year by All-America Selections, National Garden Bureau, and the Home Garden Seed Association.
HGSA’s Lifetime Achievement Award
The Home Garden Seed Association established their Lifetime Achievement Award to honor key people in the industry, those who have devoted their lives to making quality seeds available to home gardeners, with awards.
The Home Garden Seed Association is very proud to announce that the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient is posthumously given to Dave Salman of High Country Gardens.
David Salman, a pioneer of waterwise gardening, passionate plant explorer, and charismatic storyteller, passed away Sunday, June 5, 2022. His commitment to cultivating a palette of beautiful waterwise plants transformed gardening in the American West. David founded Santa Fe Greenhouses, High Country Gardens, and Waterwise Gardening. For decades, he encouraged environmentally conscious gardening practices long before “organic” became a household word. He was also an enthusiastic, highly sought-after speaker on these subjects.
David began his career with a degree in Horticulture Science from Colorado State University. Then in 1984, with a single greenhouse, he brought his revolutionary vision for the future of gardening to the community of Santa Fe, NM, by focusing on plants that thrive in the Great Plains and Intermountain states. Over time, through a commitment to waterside, native, and habitat-friendly plants, his business grew into a brand that inspired millions of Americans to consider sustainability in their own yards.
Successful summer summit
Finally, All-America Selections, National Garden Bureau, and the Home Garden Seed Association hosted a successful and educational 2022 Summer Summit.
On Wednesday, August 3, 2022, the group learned about and saw:
- An update from all three organizations was launched by a video from the Lee College Horticulture Program that outlined how AAS and NGB has helped and supported their horticulture classes for their inmates.
- The Robert D. Ray Asian Garden Walk
- The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, where various AAS Winners were planted along the walled Koehn Garden.
- The Justice League of Food and The Hall, where disadvantaged youth are taught hospitality career skills and prepared lunch for the group.
- The home of the World Food Prize, a platinum LEED Certified building that is also on the National Register of Historic Buildings and serves as the headquarters for the international World Food Prize Award, the brainchild of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Norman Borlaug.
- A bus tour of the Iowa State Fairgrounds led by fairgrounds’ CEO Gary Slater, the Discovery Garden (an AAS Display Garden at the fairgrounds, planted and tended by the Polk Country Master Gardeners), and the famous Butter Cow.
- The Better Homes & Gardens Test Garden®, on the Dotdash Meredith Corporation campus.
- The Pappajohn Sculpture Garden
That day wrapped up with the AAS Judge’s Meeting and then Dinner With Peers at local restaurants in downtown and East Des Moines giving the attendees additional camaraderie and networking opportunities.
Thursday, August 4, was spent in Ames, Iowa, home of Iowa State University, which hosted the following tours:
- The ISU Seed Lab, where many of the seeds bought and sold by the group, are tested for a wide variety of diseases and pathogens to ensure safe seeds for the industry.
- The private home garden of Ed Lyons, the Director of Reiman Gardens.
- The HGSA Trials at Roots2Rise, a CSA grower just north of Ames.
- A tour of Roots2Rise and presentation by the owner.
- Lunch and a tour at the Brewery.
- A tour and presentation of the ISU Cyclone Stadium where attendees were allowed on the field to view the turfgrass used there.
- The AAS Trials at Reiman Gardens.
- The Lewis & Art Exhibition at Reiman Gardens.
- A live Consumer Focus Group by NGB where questions centered around the whys and why-nots consumers have when buying garden plants.
For more information:
All-America Selections
all-americaselections.org