Planting the Seed
An urban farmer, seed keeper, and member of the Tlingit Nation, Kirsten Kirby-Shoote is uplifting Indigenous food sovereignty
By Brenna Houck
Eater
May 4, 2021
Photography by Rosa María Zamarrón
Excerpt:
Five years ago, Kirsten Kirby-Shoote booked a one-way ticket to Detroit and never looked back. An urban gardener, seed keeper, and member of the Tlingit Nation, Kirby-Shoote grew up near Portland, Oregon, and moved to Michigan to join WWOOF, Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms, a program where workers trade farm labor for room and board. Now 28, Kirby-Shoote has woven herself into the fabric of the local food scene, establishing a network of growers and laying the foundation for a system that uplifts the Indigenous food sovereignty movement while supporting and protecting the health and spirit of their community with nutritious, culturally relevant foods.
While working with Michigan farms and groups like the Indigenous food organization I-Collective, Kirby-Shoote has developed a vision for the legacy they want to leave behind — one that’s rooted in the past, the present, and the future of Indigenous people. That work has manifested in the establishment of a seed keepers network across the country and the preservation of traditional and medicinal foods outside of capitalist profit systems. Kirby-Shoote has also made their home into a local gathering space and hosted pop-ups that raise awareness about native culture and cooking. Lately, Kirby-Shoote has spent their time cultivating land in Highland Park, including tending to a cornfield. But they have no plans to sell corn to local bakeries. To them, that food is sacred and belongs in the hands of their community.
