Kingston and Tyendinaga Seed Stewards Renew their Commitment to Caring for the Seeds

In 2019, the Sisters of Providence closed their Heirloom Seeds Sanctuary in Kingston, and gifted the seeds to KASSI (Kingston Area Seed System Initiative) and Ratinenhayėnthos, an Indigenous seed stewardship organization at Tyendinaga.

A Rematriation Ceremony was held at the time, with the two recipient organizations and the Sisters committing to caring for the seeds and sharing them.

Saturday, April 23, the three organizations will renew their commitment to the seeds, in an online anniversary celebration.

“The Sisters of Providence are very pleased to have been part of the important work of the Heirloom Seed Sanctuary,” said Sr. Diane Brennen, “and we are happy to continue to connect with the two community groups that received our seed collection,” .

“Members and friends of our seed stewardship work are invited to join us, to recognize the central position of seeds in our culture and our food system,” said Janice Brant, chair of Ratinenhayen:thos.

“We are excited to have this opportunity to celebrate seeds and to reaffirm our commitment to keeping the seed collections, and the knowledge of how to save seeds, vibrant and distributed in the community,” said Cathy Christie, chair of KASSI (Kingston Area Seed System Initiative).

“We want every household to have a cupboard with a few jars of locally- adapted, open-pollinated seeds that will make our regional food system more self-reliant and climate resilient.”

In 1999, the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul established the Heirloom Seed Sanctuary at the Providence Motherhouse, Kingston, beginning with a living collection of heirloom seed owned by Robert and Carol Mouck.  The Moucks grew out the seeds each year, saved seeds and held workshops and other public events to spread knowledge and to distribute the seeds in the community.  After their retirement in 2008, this work was continued by gardener, Cate Henderson, until the closure of the Heirloom Seed Sanctuary in 2019.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/seed-rematriation-anniversary-tickets-315438153007