Seeds of Hope

Sacred Seed — a powerful anthology from the Global Peace Initiative of Women, with a forward by Vandana Shiva, exploring the deep spiritual and ecological significance of seeds as the foundation of life. Discover its wisdom and add it to your library today → [Buy Sacred Seed here]

Workmates and I hit the road to Asheville this week for the "Seeds of Hope, Seeds of Resilience: How Biodiversity and Agroecology Address Hunger and Climate Change" seed exchange and lecture.


In honor of Dr. Vandana Shiva’s visit to Asheville, a remarkable coalition of organizations — Bountiful Cities, Sow True Seed, Slow Food Asheville, Organic Growers School, Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, Appalachian Institute for Mountain Studies, Southern Seed Legacy, UNCA, and the ABFPC Resilience Cluster — joined forces to host a regional seed exchange symposium. The gathering was especially meaningful for my colleague David, who has poured his heart into managing our learning garden and, in the process, has become a passionate seed collector. For me, it was nothing short of exhilarating: the chance to meet Dr. Vandana Shiva, a scholar I have long admired within the sustainability movement, and to deepen my understanding of the practices that have nurtured both our environment and our food systems across generations.

Farmer Dave sharing his seed wisdom with the community—my mission as Communications Manager is to make sure these voices are heard.

Our display table drew curiosity and conversation—crafted with care and communicated with passion to highlight our mission.

Beyond the event itself, we took time to explore Asheville’s vibrant character — wandering through the trendy pockets of West Asheville and downtown, browsing vintage shops, and hiking the breathtaking Craggy Garden Trail along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The combination of meaningful exchange and local adventure made the day both enriching and memorable.