Last fall, our staff installed a new CoolBot walk-in refrigerator at the Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants (CHP). Previously, all seeds grown, harvested, cleaned, and packaged at Monticello were stored in one of two places: an ordinary household fridge, or an unglamorous shed with a window mounted A/C unit. The upgrade to a commercial, walk-in cooler affords us more space for seed storage and allows for better seed control under a constant temperature and humidity threshold (cold and dry conditions are preferred for most of the CHP and Monticello seed lines). The unit also allows us to maintain a neat and orderly system for fulfilling orders! Coupled with improved germination testing protocols and enhanced record-keeping efforts, we continue to offer top-quality products for our many customers and fans.
The CoolBot is a farmer-invented device that promises enhanced system performance for years to come. More information on the CoolBot at: https://www.storeitcold.com/.
Don’t own this ‘cool’ system at home? Stay chill – here are some easy-to-follow tips for seed storage, using your kitchen or secondary fridge:
Special thanks to John and Anita O’Connell for their generous gift of support for the Center for Historic Plants.
ADDRESS:
931 Thomas Jefferson Parkway
Charlottesville, VA 22902
GENERAL INFORMATION:
(434) 984-9800