Seed Jazz and a Chorus Line of Vegetables

If you're curious about where vegetables come from, particularly those that are sold at your neighborhood farmers' market, Slow Food Portland is presenting their First Annual Breeders Cup and Variety Show. Playing the seed world's version of Bob Barker will be Frank Morton (left) of Wild Garden Seed, who will open the evening with a discussion of vegetable breeding. And if that sounds about as much fun as a long afternoon in the dentist's chair, then you've never spent any time around this guy.

A true Oregon character, I met Frank at a workshop a couple of weeks ago and I guarantee you'll be in for a treat. But don't believe me. The invitation to the event says that he and his wife, Karen, are "to the seed world what jazz is to music: improvisational, rhythmic and robust. Virtually all of the catalogs carrying seeds for market growers, including High Mowing, Johnny’s, Seeds of Change, Fedco, Nichols, Territorial [and] Chef’s Garden carry the Mortons’ seeds. In the seed catalogues, Morton’s an icon, one of the few plant breeders consistently identified by name."

Plus, after the presentation, there will be a "Variety Show of scantily clad" organic vegetables prepared by some of the top organic farmers in the area. It should be well worth the price of the ticket.

Details: Slow Food Portland's First Annual Breeders Cup and Variety Show. Wed., Nov. 7, 6:30-8:30 pm; $10 farmers and members, $15 non-members, reservations by e-mail. Event at Ecotrust, 721 NW 9th Ave., # 200.