Giant pumpkins can grow to be bigger than humans. Forget jack-o’-lanterns—one could carve a nice little reading nook out of a giant pumpkin. But these and other amazing plants might not be around forever. Seed preservation is becoming more and more important in the world of monoculture and bioengineering of our food, a fact that led Dr. Vandana Shiva to create Navdanya almost 20 years ago. She and over a hundred other food experts speak at the National Heirloom Exposition, a three-day festival featuring over 3,000 heirloom varieties and 300 food vendors (and, yes, a giant pumpkin contest), on Sept. 10—12, at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. 1350 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa. 11am. $10. 707.545.4200
