FREE SEEDs
Helena Urban Gardens is preparing our free seed packets for 2027 to encourage utilizing the ancient wisdom of ancestral heirloom varieties to promote health, wellness and food security.
Supplies are limited. Seeds are first come, first served and we expect to run out quickly so request your free seeds early to avoid missing out.
We aim to build a new food ecosystem for our community — yard by yard, plot by plot, neighborhood by neighborhood. Access to fresh, healthy food is a basic human right. We promote food sovereignty and elevate the role of ancestral foods in the Arkansas Mississippi River Delta.
By regenerating urban green spaces, we strengthen community connection, reduce loneliness, and create welcoming places to belong. Our green work improves soil quality, cools summer heat, and boosts biodiversity across our yards, lots, and neighborhoods.
What seeds we offer
Heirloom Ancestral Food
We believe that our relationship with food is sacred and spans thousands of generations. Our focus is on producing crops that have no need for chemicals, pesticides, herbacides or other harmful substances or genetic modifications.
Our Heirloom Ancestral Seed collection includes things like TigerNuts (Cyperus esculentus - good for making gluten free flour, tiger milk aka Horchata or raw as a sweet crunchy snack) SunChokes (Helianthus tuberosus - the underground tuber is delicious roasted, boiled, mashed or eaten raw) and SunFlowers (Helianthus annuus - the seeds of the sunflower are easily recognizable and have been a documented human food source for over 5000 years.)
Feral Food
We seek out, plant and encourage growing of native local varieties of food that already grow wild without fostering or human intervention of any sort.
Healthy Food
We prioritize local compost hubs and offer free public demonstrations online and in person. We help insure successful harvests by offering established plant specific instructions for our specific seeds.
Programs
Get Involved
Ready to help build a thriving Delta food ecosystem? Volunteer with garden builds, maintenance, compost hubs, workshops, or community outreach. Tell us how you’d like to help below, and we’ll get in touch!