Born from a dream among Victoria Persinger Ferguson, Dwayne Painter, and Desirée Shelley Flores of the Monacan Nation, Beth Roach of the @nottowayindiantribeva, and Fix of the Skarù·ręʔ, the Alliance of Native Seedkeepers (AoNSK) started in a modest apartment teeming with the promise of life. Today, it operates from a 3-acre micro-farm in Bertie County, NC, which serves as both their home and the epicenter of their mission.

AoNSK launched in 2019 to reconnect Indigenous communities with their ancestral foodways in the hope of restoring the sacred relationship between the people and their seeds. Their work in collecting seeds is rooted in regeneration, nourishment, reciprocity, and celebration of the rich tapestry of Indigenous seedkeeping traditions. A portion of their seeds are sold through their online store, and the others are stored and protected. AoNSK’s sales prevent the extinction of these ancestral seeds and the history they carry.

Foodshed Capital proudly partnered with AoNSK for roughly six months in 2023 through 1:1 business support to help them organize their books, identify strategic business needs, and ultimately become ready to finance expansion. Through a 0% interest loan from FoodCap, AoNSK will upgrade and pay off their workshop, streamline operations with new inventory management software, and engage with new distribution channels.