{"id":13564,"date":"2024-09-10T16:28:53","date_gmt":"2024-09-10T20:28:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/?page_id=13564"},"modified":"2026-04-01T20:28:41","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T00:28:41","slug":"seedstewards","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/seedstewards\/","title":{"rendered":"Youth Seed Stewardship"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.84″ background_image=”https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Website-Stock-Banners-3.png” parallax=”on” custom_padding=”100px||100px|”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.84″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_blurb title=”YOUTH SEED STEWARDSHIP” content_max_width=”1100px” _builder_version=”3.0.84″ header_level=”h2″ header_font=”almelo||||||||” header_text_align=”center” header_font_size=”85px” header_text_color=”#ffffff” header_line_height=”1.1em” body_font=”almelo||||||||” body_text_align=”center” body_font_size=”55px” body_text_color=”#ffffff” body_line_height=”1.8em”][\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.84″ custom_padding=”0px||0px|”][et_pb_row custom_padding=”10px||10px|” _builder_version=”3.0.84″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.84″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”3.0.84″][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.84″ background_image=”https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/YFS-colours-2.png” custom_padding=”15px||20px|”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.84″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.84″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_blurb content_max_width=”1100px” _builder_version=”3.0.84″ body_font=”||||||||” body_text_align=”center” body_font_size=”16px” body_letter_spacing=”0.5px” body_line_height=”1.75em” custom_padding=”0px|||” inline_fonts=”Abril Fatface,ABeeZee”]<\/p>\n

The Youth Seed Stewards (YSS) are\u00a0the co-creators and carers of the Inter-School Seed Library (more on that below!) that allows schools and youth\/community groups across Waterloo Region to access free seeds and support. Seed Stewards connect with each other and adult allies around seeds and local food. They are leaders in school-based food production efforts in the Region by enabling these very important inputs – seeds! – to be collected, nurtured, and distributed each year.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The next cohort of the project has just wrapped up! Here’s a snapshot of the 2025\/2026 team – and stay tuned for news of the next round of Seed Stewardship starting fall 2026<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Follow Us On Instagram To Stay In The Loop\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

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SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2025:
Seedy Workshops<\/h4>\n

\u00a0On September 18th and October 9th, Seed Stewards gathered for workshops that enabled them to first explore the science behind seeds, followed by a session of hands-on seed harvesting at a partner school site. These two get togethers were the perfect opportunity to lay the foundation of knowledge & teamwork for the project ahead. Big thanks to Bob Wildfong and Nancy Hainsworth for the expertise and fun!\u00a0<\/p>\n

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OCTOBER – NOVEMBER 2025:
Steward Gatherings<\/h4>\n

The team of Seed Stewards gathered every two weeks to co-lead the preparation Seed Library for the upcoming year. From seed cleaning and sorting, to germination testing and inventory database development, to research and selection of new varieties to add to the Library. Plus, they had a chance to embark on a field trip to Galt C.I. to see seeds in action at a school, inspiring ideas of what’s to come.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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DECEMBER 2025:
Seed Packing Gatherings<\/h4>\n

Over the course of two evenings, several Seed Stewards and dozens of community members joined us to pack, label, sort, and celebrate the many new seed additions to the Library! In all, more than 4000 seed packets were completed across the two gatherings. And, most importantly, they offered a space for reflecting on and appreciating the fall stewardship season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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JANUARY – MARCH 2026:
More Steward Gatherings\u00a0\u00a0<\/h4>\n

Over the course of six gatherings, the team of new and returning Seed Stewards finalized the Seed Library inventory, co-designed promotional materials, brainstormed community groups in need of seed access, performed germination tests and seed stratification, and spent plenty of time reflecting on what seeds, food, and community mean to them.\u00a0Plus, this group took part in a field trip to KCI to explore indoor and outdoor school-based food production, and created mini Seed Libraries to place at key community locations.<\/p>\n

In all, the team packed up and delivered about 800 seed packets to 29 school and community groups across the Region during February and March. An additional 150 packets from the Seed Library were shared with community members at Seedy Saturdays,<\/a>\u00a0for a total of about 950 seed packets distributed this season! The rest are tucked away for use in school gardens over the summer, and for next year’s Library.<\/p>\n

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<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Want to stay in the loop for next year’s cohort?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Follow us on Instagram<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.84″ background_image=”https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/YFS-colours-2.png” custom_padding=”10px|||”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.84″][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”3.0.84″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_blurb _builder_version=”3.0.84″ body_font=”||||||||” body_font_size=”16px” body_line_height=”1.75em” inline_fonts=”ABeeZee”]<\/p>\n

What is the Inter-School Seed Library?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Inter-School Seed Library is a collection of seeds available to school communities and youth in Waterloo Region. It aims to increase access to open-pollinated, heirloom, and regionally adapted seeds for school-based food production and for youth gardeners – all while engaging young people as leaders and changemakers in our local food systems.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Library, in operation since February 2025, is currently hosted at the Seeds of Diversity office in Uptown Waterloo, where it sits alongside our main seed collection (the <\/span>Canadian Seed Library<\/span><\/a>). Many of the seeds will be sent out to our youth garden teams as they care for six school garden spaces in Kitchener and Cambridge during July and August. Some other seeds will be sent to schools as requests continue to trickle in. The rest are being organized and jarred up (<\/span>they\u2019ll stay viable longer that way<\/span><\/a>), to be kept safe and sound for next year.<\/span><\/p>\n

Are you part of a school community in Waterloo Region and looking for seeds for food production? Be in touch with schoolgardens@youthinfoodsystems.ca<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>for access to the Request Form!<\/span><\/p>\n

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<\/span>Looking Back: How did the 2024-2025 pilot project go?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

The Youth Seed Stewardship pilot started in October of 2024 with a set of learning workshops designed to provide participants with foundational knowledge in seed stewardship. <\/span>From these workshops about half a dozen youth joined the project from November through to April, participating in monthly sessions, where they explored such things as:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.84″][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.84″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Seed-Steward-RECAP-Instagram-posts-3.png” _builder_version=”3.0.84″ max_width=”74%” module_alignment=”center” custom_padding=”||0px|”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_blurb title=”What seeds should be in the newly created inter-school seed library?” _builder_version=”3.0.84″ header_font=”Cabin||||||||” header_text_align=”center” body_font=”||||||||” body_line_height=”1.75em” custom_padding=”0px|||”][\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.84″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Seed-Steward-RECAP-Instagram-posts-3.png” _builder_version=”3.0.84″ max_width=”74%” module_alignment=”center” custom_padding=”||0px|”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_blurb title=”How do we go about establishing a community-focused seed distribution model?” _builder_version=”3.0.84″ header_font=”Cabin||||||||” header_text_align=”center” body_font=”||||||||” body_line_height=”1.75em”][\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.84″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Seed-Steward-RECAP-Instagram-posts-3.png” _builder_version=”3.0.84″ max_width=”74%” module_alignment=”center” custom_padding=”||0px|”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_blurb title=”What information should be available to recipients of seeds about each variety?” _builder_version=”3.0.84″ header_font=”Cabin||||||||” header_text_align=”center” body_font=”||||||||” body_line_height=”1.75em” custom_padding=”|||”][\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.84″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Seed-Steward-RECAP-Instagram-posts-3.png” _builder_version=”3.0.84″ max_width=”74%” module_alignment=”center” custom_padding=”||0px|”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_blurb title=”How can we encourage and motivate schools to share seeds back with the Library? ” _builder_version=”3.0.84″ header_font=”Cabin||||||||” header_text_align=”center” body_font=”||||||||” body_line_height=”1.75em”][\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row custom_padding=”0px|||” _builder_version=”3.0.84″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.84″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_blurb content_max_width=”1100px” _builder_version=”3.0.84″ body_font=”||||||||” body_text_align=”center” body_font_size=”16px” body_letter_spacing=”0.5px” body_line_height=”1.75em” custom_padding=”0px|||” inline_fonts=”ABeeZee”]<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What were the results?\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Through the efforts of the youth Seed Stewards, the Inter-School Seed Library has distributed over 900 packets of seeds to 42 schools and roughly 30 local youth!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.84″][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.84″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/For-ebulletin-4.png” _builder_version=”3.0.84″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.84″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Seed-Steward-RECAP-Instagram-posts.png” _builder_version=”3.0.84″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.84″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Seed-Steward-RECAP-Instagram-posts-1.png” _builder_version=”3.0.84″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.84″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Seed-Steward-RECAP-Instagram-posts-2.png” _builder_version=”3.0.84″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.84″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.84″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_blurb content_max_width=”1100px” _builder_version=”3.0.84″ body_font=”||||||||” body_text_align=”center” body_font_size=”16px” body_letter_spacing=”0.5px” body_line_height=”1.75em” custom_padding=”0px|||” inline_fonts=”ABeeZee”]<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Numbers are not the only (or most important) results we care about. This project has given the Seed Stewards unique opportunities to: learn more about how local food systems in Waterloo Region work; gain hands-on experience in seed saving and stewardship; have a voice in decision making (this boosts confidence and leadership skills!); and collaborate and socialize with each other and the adult allies invited to join the project. In short: it\u2019s been educational and loads of fun!<\/span><\/p>\n

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[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.84″ background_image=”https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Screenshot-2022-03-21-200626.png” custom_padding=”15px|||”][et_pb_row make_fullwidth=”on” custom_padding=”|50px||50px” _builder_version=”3.0.84″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.84″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_blurb title=”OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION” content_max_width=”1100px” _builder_version=”3.0.84″ header_font=”||||||||” body_font=”||||||||” body_font_size=”15px” body_letter_spacing=”0.5px” use_border_color=”on” custom_padding=”20px|20px|20px|20px”]<\/p>\n

Our goal is for the Youth Seed Stewardship project to include youth from various cultural & socioeconomic groups in Waterloo Region.<\/span><\/p>\n

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There are many reasons to join the YSS project, including but not limited to:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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