Seed Stories

When sharing the story of seeds, it’s important to approach the process thoughtfully and with cultural sensitivity. Seeds carry history, tradition, and the wisdom of those who have tended them. Here are some guidelines to consider:

Start Local: Focus on seeds that have roots in your region. These seeds often have stories deeply tied to the land and the people.
Celebrate Uniqueness: Begin with seeds or plants that are special to your community. Highlight their distinct role in local culture, history, or ecology.
Define Your Intention: Consider why you want to share this story. Is it to preserve heritage, educate, inspire, or build connections?
Know Your Audience: Tailor the story to the people you hope to reach, whether it’s gardeners, students, cultural organizations, or the broader community.
Choose Your Format: Decide how best to tell the story—through photos, videos, artwork, written narratives, or audio recordings.
Plan for Sharing: Think creatively about how to present the story. Options could include community events, QR codes linked to digital content, notes on seed packets, special displays, or oral storytelling sessions.

Throughout the process, respect the origins of the seeds and the people who have stewarded them. Be mindful of the cultural significance and seek permission when sharing traditions or practices tied to specific communities. By documenting with care, you help preserve the stories of seeds in a way that honors their legacy and nurtures future generations.

Panel Discussion on Seed Stories - 10th Annual Seed Library Summit 2021
A panel discussion about Seed Stories hosted by SeedBroadcast and sponsored by UNM Center for Environmental Arts and Humanities. Panelists:

Sunny Dooley, Diné Wisdom Keeper and Storyteller. Eats and shares seeds in Canyonwell, New Mexico, USA
Jade Leyva; Jade Levya Art, Founder of SEEDS: A Collective Voice, Placitas, NM , USA
Emily Arasim; Northern New Mexico young farmer and seed caregiver, Coordinator and Youth Organizer for Española Healing Foods Seed Library, Alcalde, NM, USA
Chasity Salvador; Acoma Farmer and Seed Steward
Jeanette Hart-Mann; Co-Founder and Co-Director of SeedBroadcast, Anton Chico, NM, USA
Chrissie Orr; Co-Founder, SeedBroadcast, Creative Practice Fellow, Academy for the Love of Learning

Hopi Yellow Meated Watermelon

Some inspiring ways to share seed stories ...
1. Seed Zine
Katie Gournie, a Harvard Graduate student, wrote her thesis focused on San Francisco Bay Area seed libraries. Her thesis , "It starts with a seed", won the Harvard Graduate School of Design Thesis Prize. She created an amazing seed zine sharing seed stories!

2. Podcasts
North Circle Seeds is a Minnesota-based seed company founded by Zach Paige, who also played a key role in establishing the Anishinaabe Seed Library at the White Earth Nation. One of the highlights of their website is the Seed Stories blog, where you can find a post about the Hopi Yellow Meated Watermelon. This post includes an interview with Travis Brascoupe, a Mohawk and Anishinaabe seed keeper, offering insights into the history and significance of this particular variety.

North Circle Seeds shares their knowledge through public seed-saving events and a podcast that delves into the origin stories of the seeds they offer. Zach Paige explains that North Circle Seeds is “a tight circle of Minnesota growers,” committed to promoting resiliency by sharing resources and expanding the collective knowledge of seed saving.

3. SeedBroadcast Station
The Mobile Seed Story Broadcasting Station is an old bread truck that has been retrofitted into a solar-powered, grassroots roving, seed story shout-out vehicle committed to examining the inter-connections between people and agri-culture through performance, listening, and sharing of stories, resources, and seeds. Get inspired by their collection of stories.