For thousands of years, farmers and gardeners selected the cream of their crops from which to save seed for future sowing. Then starting in the 18th century, picking up speed in the 19th and by the 20th, the seed trade industry very nearly replaced this age-old, common sense practice.
Thankfully, in the later part of the 20th century, advocates for saving one's own garden seed began raising awareness. Really good books were written to make up for the knowledge that was no longer being handed down from the previous generation, and whole organizations were established to promote seed saving.
I suspect that many folks here at All Things Plants save seeds from their gardens (as well as from friends, neighbors, strangers and public gardens :)) and would love to "wear" a seed saver's badge.
