The Library is open to all NYC land stewards who are interested in cultivating their seed keeping practice and connection with African and Indigenous diaspora seeds.

That said, our physical seed library location will be in Brooklyn and our programming will primarily occur in the borough of Brooklyn (if we have members from other boroughs that will certainly inform where programming occurs).

The Soulful Seed Library is an extension of Deep Routes’ mission to be a learning resource to African + Indigenous diasporic people who are interested in deepening their relationships to foodways and ecology. The Library is also an extension of our flagship series The Soul of Food.

Additionally we’re establishing the library to further contribute to Brooklyn and NYC’s seed keeping community.

The Library is to be a resource for local land stewards to:

• access and exchange locally grown, adapted, and tested seeds;

• access seed keeping supplies they can borrow;

• have a space to process seeds;

• find literature to guide and support their practice.

The Library will be located in East New York Brooklyn at ENY Youth Farm and is open to active library members.

If you’re a land steward (e.g. farmer, gardener, or seed keeper) interested in accessing the library, exchanging seeds, and building community with other seed keepers you can complete our Member Interest Form Here.

We’re in the early stages of establishing the library this year and are excited to connect with community members to inform how the library operates and pilot seed keeping programming (e.g. seed exchanges, skill and knowledge shares, etc.).

We’re planning to at some point add links that can redirect non-NYC individuals to other seed keeping groups that we’re aware of.

If you want to connect remotely or are planning to visit the city and want to connect with us over seeds IRL, feel free to reach out by using the form below!