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Seed Stories

When considering documenting the story of seeds, here are some things to consider:
1.  start with seeds that are local
2.  begin with something that is unique to your community
3.  think about what is your intention for sharing the story of the seed
4.  who is the audience for the story
5.  what format will the story take: photos, video, artwork, written, audio
6.  how will you share the story: community meeting, a QR code, note on a seed packet, special display, orally

Some inspiring ways to share seed stories ...

PictureHopi Yellow Meated Watermelon
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 Scho
ol of Design Thesis Prize.  Here is a link to her thesis. She created an amazing seed zine sharing seed stories!

2. Podcasts
North Circle Seeds, a new Minnesota-grown seed company, founded by Zach Paige who helped create the the Anishinaabe Seed Library in the White Earth Nation, has a seed stories blog. Check out his post on the Hopi Yellow Meated Watermelon. It features an interview with a Mohawk and Anishinaabe seed keeper Travis Brascoupe. 

What makes North Circle Seeds unique from other seed companies is the business’ commitment to creating an ecologically diverse, equitable, and inclusive food system. Not only are they working with growers to develop seed that may be culturally significant in their home country, such as eggplant varieties from Africa and blue corn from Mexico, but they are sharing this knowledge with others through public seed saving events and a podcast focusing on the origin stories of their seeds. Paige explains that “North Circle Seeds is a tight circle of Minnesota growers, and we showcase the praxis of resiliency by sharing resources and expanding our collective seed saving knowledge."


3.  Seed Broadcast 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. 

Picture
4.   QR Codes to share stories​
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