To increase the availability of locally adapted seed we install gardens using source identified plants with the objective of harvesting seed once the plants have matured.

Seeds have memory. They remember the conditions where they were grown, and the “hands” (human or other) that tended to them. These memories are expressed through the plant’s traits such as; drought/flood tolerance, flowering time, preference for a certain soil type, flavor, fruit size, and many others.

The Community Seed Initiative works with source identified seed because it allows us to place the right seed in the right place. Knowing the plant’s lineage helps us honor the growers that have stewarded that seed and the territories from which it came.

By initiatives we mean for a purpose beyond your own personal needs. The Community Seed Initiative supports groups that are working on food security and biodiversity initiatives in their community.

If you have some land and would like to host a seed garden send an email to society.homegrown@gmail.com to get in touch.