There is a Future in Our Seeds
Hi Dear Ones!
The future is stored in our seeds. To have a relationship with our seeds is an intimate process. To have clarity to maintain balance between giving seeds back to the land, back to the insets, the birds and the people is a practice of deep gratitude. Our plant relatives are such generous beings.
As the season is coming to a close we at Ancestral Acres Farm and Garden have been harvesting an abundance of seeds from many different types of plants. Since July of this year we have gathered over 5 different varieties of heirloom Beans, a Rainbow Maiz (Corn) variety from the Santo Domingo Pueblo, Sorghum from San Felipe Pueblo, heirloom Amaranth, Isleta Chile seeds, Cayenne Pepper seeds, Barley, Vetch, 3 different varieties of Sunflower Seeds, Melons from Isleta Pueblo, as well as Calendula, Dill, native species of Clover, Cota and I:Hug (Devil’s Claw).
In addition, we have also harvested and shared wondrous vegetables with individual community members, Albuquerque Mutual Aid, All African People's Revolutionary Party-New Mexico, and Pueblo farmers we call neighbors and new friends. Since July of this year over 100lbs of produce has come out of ¼ acre of space we have been managing. Produce such as Okra, Turnips, Carrots, Beets, Kale, Swiss Chard, Potatoes and Onions. In August we hosted a harvest party where members who attended the farm took home Kale, Collard Greens, Green Onions, Flowers and Parsley.
In September in collaboration with Queering the Farm there were educational teach-ins highlighting the work a Two Spirit relative has been doing at Stop Line 3, workshops on Seed Saving, Intentional and Gentle Movement, Chicken 101 and Herbal Remedies for Cold and Flu Season. Moving into the end of October we are intending to put together a closing ceremony where folks can gather and offer gifts to the farm as we transition to the fall.
As the year is coming to a close, fields are being covered with crops, put to rest despite the consistently warm weather and little rain. Questions come to mind like “what is the growing season going to look like in the next five years?” “Will there be a growing season in the next five years?” Seed saving and seed sharing is a part of envisioning the future. A future that is habitable, viable, different- and yet still alive. Rolling into winter we plan to finish processing the seeds mentioned above, weigh them and share them with community members across the country, prioritizing Pueblo and QTBIPOC growers. If you are feeling called please share with your networks, friends, family and those you call dear about the work that is being done. As we are shifting into the winter months there will be continuous infrastructure projects such as the building of a mobile cold storage trailer and a mobile water catchment system.
Until next time! May you all find rest, belonging and a sense of ease!
-mayam - Land Steward - Ancestral Acres Farm and Garden
