Joe and Holly have a virtual hangout with Lia Babitch, co-manager of the Turtle Tree Seed Initiative at Camphill Village Copake, New York and discuss the ways in which seeds can nurture both plants and human potential .

The Turtle Tree Seed Initiative, a non-profit operating within the Camphill community, grows and sells nearly 400 varieties of open-pollinated seeds using biodynamic practices. What makes them unique is their integration with Camphill's mission of creating meaningful work opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities, who work alongside volunteers and long-term community members in the seed production process.

Through their Safe Seed Pledge and commitment to "social agriculture" - working collaboratively rather than in isolation - Turtle Tree demonstrates how sustainable agriculture can simultaneously preserve plant diversity and foster human dignity. The initiative exemplifies Camphill's philosophy that everyone, regardless of ability, has valuable contributions to make.

• Turtle Tree Seed Inititative (and store)
• Camphill Village Copake

Lia Babitch is co-manager of Turtle Tree Seed Initiative in Copake, New York, which has a mission "...to improve the quality, variety and availability of biodynamic seeds and to promote and provide a seed supply from diversified biodynamic farms and gardens."

The seed company has an online e-commerce site offering a truly astonishingly wide variety (385+) of 100% open-pollinated vegetable, herb, and flower seeds. Every single seed available for sale is grown using Demeter-certified Biodynamic and organic practices, is non-GMO, non-hybrid, never treated, and grown without the use of chemical inputs..

Turtle Tree is part of Camphill Village Copake, which is in turn part of the global Camphill Movement. Camphill Village is an integrated life-sharing community located on 750 acres of wooded hills, gardens and pastures in Copake, NY.

Turtle Tree Seed’s 30-person team operates workspace directly on the Camphill Village site, and 20 members of that team have some sort of developmental difference. These individuals are involved in every aspect of helping to grow, select, and clean each seed with great care. Early adopters of so-called "seed transparency", the Turtle Tree Seed Initiative grows most varieties in thier own gardens. The remainder of the inventory is sourced from other committed biodynamic farmers.

In addition to direct sales, Turtle Tree actively encourages and educates people who want to grow and save open-pollinated vegetable, herb, and flower seeds.

GrowAbility is hosted by Joe Gansevles and Holly Pugsley. Special thanks to this week's guest, Lia Babitch.

Our show is produced by Adam Caplan, Joe Gansevles, and Holly Pugsley.

Production support from Oliver Gansevles, Evan Gansevles, Scott Hohn, Kevin Labonte, Paul Rogers, Dorentina Ucke and Alan Williamson.

Holly Pugsley of Just Keep Growing art directed this episode and made sure the plants looked great.

Audience strategy by Dorentina Ucke and Tess Alcock.

Our theme music is Wandering William by Adrienne Walther and can be found on Soundstripe.

Adam Caplan is web.iso.des executive producer and Sammy...