Support a Seed
DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTE TO DIGGERS SEED PRESERVATION WORK
Our seed trial, production and preservation team maintain our four-acre seed farm in Dromana, Victoria. It is an intensive and technical operation that requires specialist skill and knowledge to ensure varieties are maintained with optimal diversity whilst maintaining stability and are ‘true-to-type’, and each year we welcome the generous donations of heirloom seeds from gardeners across the country, adding to our seed vault.
Each accession that we add to our seed bank goes through a process of growing, assessment and recording to establish that the variety is unique and stable and that it is as described by the donor. This process involves all the obvious elements of cultivation, including germination, transplanting, crop management, harvesting and tasting.
Then there are the ‘back room’ aspects of seed saving, including digital record keeping, dry-conditioned storage and the specialist equipment required, including seed germination incubators and seed cleaning tools. We have calculated that it costs an average of $1,000 to keep a variety safe.
Select and Support a Precious Heirloom Seed
With countless varieties in our heirloom seed vault, we work meticulously to grow out each seed variety to ensure viability for the future. We have calculated that it cost $1000 to maintain a seed variety for 3 years. As a seed supporter, you can play a direct part in the preservation of a particular seed variety, ensuring viability for generations to come.
Seed Supporter Benefits
Help Diggers preserve heirloom seeds for gardeners of the future. As a Seed Supporter you'll receive:
- A certificate of your support
- A tax deductable receipt
- Updates on grow-outs and seed collection
- Opportunities to join seed harvesting days
- Free seed samples of your chosen variety
- Invitation to Diggers Foundation donor events
- Recognition on the Diggers website of your supported variety
Select a seed
There are 18 unique opportunities available, which have been chosen as they are exclusive to Diggers and require support to help fund the ongoing cost of preservation.
To support a seed, simply browse the available varieties below and email foundation@diggers.com.au with your chosen variety.
We will then be in touch with you to confirm your support, answer any questions you may have and provide details on how to receive your tax-deductible donation.
Tomato 'Black Plum' (Organic)
Grown in our Heronswood trials in 1998 and preserved in our Seed Vault, this unique truss tomato made it onto the production list because of its flavour, form and yield, and proudly became available to members in spring 2022.
Support for $1,000
Tomato 'Rocco's'
Smuggled into Australia on a boat from Italy, this tomato has a wonderful background and was shared with Diggers to maintain the Legacy of Rocco who loved to share his tomatoes with friends and family.Rocco "Roy" Violi was born in Calabria and migrated to Griffith before eventually settling at Canberra. He worked as the head cook in the Royal Canberra Hospital while his wife Maria catered the nurses dining room. He had a productive backyard and enjoyed family get togethers under the grapevines and amid his garden beds. The seeds gifted to Diggers were from his last crop and we are proud to preserve this tasty saucing variety.
Support for $1,000
Tomato 'Mini Amish' (Organic)
Donated to us by Judy Cameron and trialled by The Diggers Club at the inaugural tomato taste test back in 1993, this Australian heirloom, bite-sized version of Tomato 'Amish Paste' received great acclaim then and has remained on our list ever since.
Support for $1,000
Bean 'Turkey Craw' (Organic)
A unique heirloom variety originating from the regions of Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, its' name is truly indicative of its history. Said to have been discovered in the craw(crop) of a wild turkey in the mid-1800s, this dual-purpose pole bean produces a large crop of versatile beans which are delicious when young, green, and snappy, and can also be used in cooking when allowed to mature and dry on the vine where they develop a sweet, rich, buttery and meaty taste and texture. The seeds are known for their beautiful, frosted brown and tan appearance.
Support for $1,000
TAX DEDUCTIBLE
SUPPORT A SEED
Through our partnership with The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal, make a tax-deductible donation of $1000 to support a seed. We are sincerely grateful for your contribution to saving precious heirlooms in Australia.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How does it work?
When you become a Seed Supporter, you will be funding the cost of labour and equipment needed for the seed preservation cycle.
Heirloom seed preservation is an involved process starting with cultivation, germination tests, transplanting, crop management, harvesting and taste tests, digital record keeping, dry-conditioned storage, incubators and seed cleaning, and then back through the cycle starting with cultivation once more.
By becoming a Seed Supporter, you are helping to secure the future of your chosen variety, and ensure that the seed preservation cycle can continue.
Contact usGenerously supported and preserved
Tomato 'Nonna Peppina's'
Making it's way to Australia from Calabria in Italy in Nonna Peppina's bra, this Australian-Italian heirloom tomato wowed the judges at its first ever tomato taste test in 2024. Donated to Diggers through our seed preservation program, Ken Carr shared his Nonna's seed and this unique variety we are so proud to be able to share this precious family heirloom with Diggers Members across Australia.
Supported by Irene
to 2027
Bean 'Jembo Polish Pole'
An incredibly rare heirloom bean from our seed vault, this unique heirloom is known for its opulent growth and flavourful pods. A vigorous climber which produces long, straight pods that are tender and stringless when harvested young. Prized for their productivity and adaptability to different climates, 'Jembo Polish Pole' bean also has excellent disease resistance and is a truly remarkable heirloom variety.
Supported until 2027
TBC
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Awaiting support
TBC
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Awaiting support
Tomato 'Leicester Jones'
Lindy Campbell, from Island Herbs in Snug Tasmania, generously shared the seed of this variety with us, as she was closing her business and wanted to ensure the perpetuity of this variety for all Australian gardeners (especially those in Tassie).
Supported by David to 2027
Tomato
'Nonna's Italian Passata'
Donated to The Diggers Club's Seed Preservation Program by Peter Alchin, the original seed was shared with him by a co-worker in Sydney from seed saved by his Nonna and brought to Australia when she immigrated. Peter and his wife grew this same variety for over 10 years, growing whopping fruits up to 1.4kg.
Supported by Sam to 2027
Bean 'Kahnawake Mohawk'
Exclusive to Diggers through our Seed Donation program, the original seed was brought to Australia by John, an Italian Gardener, who shared this seed over a decade ago with Kel York (Diggers member and Seed Donor). A standout in our trials, this was one of the first beans to crop, bearing pods in just 8-9 weeks! Most commonly used as a dried bean because of its rich sweet beans, when young they can be enjoyed fresh from the vine. This is a rare heirloom bean cultivated by the Iroquois First Nations of Kahnawake, in Québec. We are proud to be able to share this precious heirloom with Diggers Members across Australia.
Supported by Kel York
to 2027
Tomato 'Pink Queen '
This remarkable variety, kindly donated by Diggers member Fred Wylie, has a rich history and was originally grown in the lower Hunter-Williams River catchment by Fred's grandfather, a 3rd generation dairy farmer. This Australian heirloom produces lush large, soft pink fruit with deeply creased tops that is juicy and sweet when fully ripe.
Supported by Botanica World Discoveries to 2027
.
Tomato 'Valentine'
Discovered through our trials as a variation of 'Cupid' which was then trialed for several years and stabilised as its own unique open-pollinated variety. Born and bred at The Diggers Club in Dromana.
Supported by Michael
to 2026.
Pea 'Franks'
(c. 1853)
An 1853 Australian heirloom made available to Diggers members via May Barnes, who generously shared her family’s heirloom which we found to be a delectable snap pea while young, maturing to an equally delicious shelling pea.
Supported by Gabrielle
to 2026
Pumpkin 'Iron Bark'
Brought back into circulation by The Digger Club from a handful of seeds donated by a farmer from central Victoria, and first trailed by us in 1995, the iconic Australian heirloom pumpkin has been grown by us every year since. In true Aussie style, the name ironbark related to the touch skin which was to said to require an axe to cut it open.
Supported by Ian
to 2026
Tomato'Nonno's Italian Pear' (Organic)
Brought to Australia from Calabria in 1928 when his family emigrated to Australia, Mike Tedesco shared this variety with the Diggers Club. This unique pear-shaped tomato is suited to slicing, drying or using as a base for delicious Italian passata.
Supported by Jenni
to 2026
Tomato 'Soldaki'
(Organic)
From our seed archive, we uncovered this Polish heirloom which was noted as exceptional in a trial at Heronswood in 2002 but has only recently been released to Diggers Members thanks to the efforts of our seed production program.
Supported by Julie
to 2026
Runner Bean 'White Lady'
Originally donated to The Diggers Club's seed saving program by Mrs June Ling from seed grown at Edgells in Tasmania 1975. When runner beans lost favour with gardeners, The Diggers Club put the seed in our seed bank, and Clive and Penny kept some seeds for themselves to grow in their own garden. It is from their personal collection and seed saved in our seed vault that we have been fortunate to re-release this world-renowned heirloom runner bean.
Supported by Frances
to 2026
Pumpkin 'Australian Butter' (Organic)
A unique Aussie heirloom pumpkin that combines the qualities of large Aussie pumpkins with the flavour of butternuts. The Diggers Club worked with Seed Savers Exchange in the US to share this Aussie variety with the world and preserv it for generations of gardeners to come.
Supported by Rachel
to 2026
Broad Bean 'Crimson Flowered' (Organic)
A precious heirloom recovered by The Diggers Club from pure seeds sourced from Norfolk Island, where it was originally planted by convicts in 1778. A beautiful, edible broad bean, rich in history and preserved for future generations through our seed preservation program.
Supported by Robert
to 2026
Tomato 'Uncle Tony's La Stupenda'
Donated to The Diggers Club by renown Australian photographer Bill Henson, who not only generously shared the seed of his Uncle Tony's enormous beefsteak tomato, but also grew the original seedlings which were trialed in our gardens.
Supported by Kingsley
to 2026
Bean 'Cherokee Trail Of Tears' (Organic)
Gifted to The Diggers Club by Seed Savers Exchange in the US, through our trial and preservation program we are now able to share this important heirloom bean and piece of American history with Australian gardeners.
Supported by Seed Savers Exchange
Bean 'Northeaster'
(Organic)
A gardeners gift, this rare heirloom was made available to Diggers members through the generosity of gardeners and the legacy of an elderly Italian gardener who had brought this special heirloom to Australia in the early 1950's.
Supported by Fran
to 2026
Broad Bean 'Aprovecho'
A gardeners gift, this rare heirloom was made available to Diggers members through the generosity of gardeners and the legacy of an elderly Italian gardener who had brought this special heirloom to Australia in the early 1950's.
Supported by Elizabeth
to 2026
Bean 'Tiger's Eye'
(Organic)
From just a handful of seeds preserved in our Seed Vault, The Diggers Club has reintroduce this heirloom bush bean to share its culinary qualities with gardeners, chefs and home gourmets. A beautiful dried bean of exceptional flavour and consistency.
Supported by Bronwyn
to 2026
Bean 'Painted Lady'
An English heirloom from the 17th Century kept in circulation through the seed preservation efforts of a few dedicated gardeners. From our seed vault we have been able to preserve 'Painted Lady' for generations of gardeners to come.
Supported by Ryan & Christina
to 2026
Cucumber 'Richmond Green Apple'
An Australian Heirloom shared with The Diggers Club by Barry West, and now available to gardeners around the world through the efforts of the Diggers seed preservation and production team, this is the encouraging story of sharing our seed legacy with gardeners worldwide to produce an iconic Aussie Heirloom.
Supported by Lauren
to 2026
Pumpkin 'Bohemian'
A highly variable open-pollinated American heirloom pumpkin shared with The Diggers Club by Seed Savers in the 1990's for our pumpkin grow out. Working together to help stabilise this unique pumpkins variability, we both decided its beauty is in its variability.
Supported by Amy
to 2026
WHY IT MATTERS
Why do we need to save heirloom seeds?
To save seeds is to preserve the very essence of culture.
Heirloom crops wouldn’t exist if not for the gardeners and farmers who meticulously grew and saved seeds and passed them down from generation to generation.
At Diggers, we have helped preserve and revitalise many varieties of heirlooms over the years, bringing many heirlooms from other parts of the world to Australia to ensure their continued success, including popular varieties available today such as Tuscan Black kale, ‘Moon & Stars’ watermelon and Australia's favourite tomato - 'Tommy Toe' tomato.
Diggers has also been pivotal in preserving important Australian family heirloom varieties too, including ‘Uncle Tony’s La Stupenda’ tomato, 'Nonno's Italian Pear' tomato and ‘Franks’ pea, holding them all in our seed bank and passing them on to future generations and heirloom gardeners around the world.
This unbroken chain of observation, selection and cultivation is under constant threat with the increasing power and influence of agricultural and chemical companies who operate the world seed trade.
Frighteningly, just four companies control over 60% of global proprietary seed sales and these mega-businesses are not interested in preserving cultural and biological diversity.
Here in Australia, there is no government or institutional body that supports the preservation of heirloom vegetable and flower seeds. It is now and always has been, the community of gardeners and small-scale farmers who are the stewards of this valuable and precarious diversity. This has created a situation where it is left to individuals and not-for-profit organisations like Diggers to undertake this vital task, but it comes at a cost.
Tomato 'Uncle Tony's La Stupenda'
Pea 'Franks'
Watermelon 'Moon And Stars Red' (Organic)