About The Seed Sanctuary

Kenhtè:ke Seed Sanctuary & Learning Centre (KSSLC) is an Indigenous-led organization on Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory dedicated to seed sovereignty, land stewardship, cultural revitalization, and community education. Our work is guided by Haudenosaunee cosmology, teachings, and our responsibilities to the natural world and one another.

Through a Haudenosaunee worldview, we understand that people are part of an interconnected web of life, with responsibilities to the land, waters, plants, animals, and future generations. Seeds are more than the beginning of a plant; they carry history, knowledge, relationships, and the potential to sustain life. Caring for seeds is an act of cultural continuity, responsibility, and respect for those who came before us.

The Seven Generations teaching guides our commitment to making decisions with consideration for the generations before us and those yet to come. We recognize that the choices we make today affect the health of our land, the diversity of our seeds, and the well-being of future generations. Our work reflects a responsibility to protect, regenerate, and pass on these gifts so they may continue to nourish our communities.

The Seed Sanctuary is a place for growing, learning, sharing, and strengthening our relationships with the land. Through seed stewardship, land-based education, and community connections, we work to support the continuation of Indigenous seeds, knowledge, and food systems.

Our vision is rooted in reciprocity: caring for the land that cares for us, honouring the teachings that guide us, and ensuring that the seeds and knowledge entrusted to us continue to thrive for the next seven generations and beyond.

Our Responsibility

Growing, Saving, Sharing, and Learning

At Kenhtè:ke Seed Sanctuary & Learning Centre, our work brings together seed stewardship, sustainable gardening, and community-based learning.

Seed Growing & Preservation
We grow, harvest, clean, catalogue, package, and store seeds from our living collection. By regenerating Indigenous and heirloom varieties, we help maintain seed diversity and ensure these important plants remain available for future generations.

Land Stewardship & Gardening
We care for our gardens using land-conscious growing practices that aim to minimize soil disturbance and avoid chemical sprays and synthetic pesticides. We work to support healthy soil, protect biodiversity, and create a thriving environment for our plants, pollinators, and surrounding ecosystems.

Education & Youth Engagement
We provide opportunities for youth, families, volunteers, and community members to learn through hands-on gardening, seed saving, harvesting, and other land-based activities. These experiences help build practical skills while strengthening relationships with the land and our food systems.

Cultural Revitalization & Knowledge Sharing
We create opportunities to share Indigenous knowledge, reconnect with traditional growing practices, and strengthen relationships between generations. Through community gatherings, workshops, and partnerships, we support the continuation of cultural teachings and land-based knowledge.

Community Connections & Seed Sovereignty
We work with community members, schools, educational facilities, and partner organizations to expand access to seed knowledge and strengthen local food systems. Our goal is to support communities in reclaiming and maintaining relationships with their seeds, food, and land.

Through all of this work, we aim to nurture healthy seeds, healthy land, and strong communities — carrying knowledge forward for the next seven generations.