Growing Hope
Shares seeds and informational resources with tribal members and non-tribal members to aid them in producing healthy, sustainable cultural food.
Eligibility
- Must reside within the United States
How to Apply
Applications are accepted January to April of every year. Seeds will be mailed to applicants on a first come, first served basis while supplies last.
Growing Hope Program
163665 N 4355 Rd
Tushkahoma, OK 74574
Additional Information
Growing Our Future
By revitalizing our traditional crops and sharing related knowledge, this program helps make it possible to revitalize traditional Choctaw foods. These foods are an important part of Choctaw heritage. Both tasty and healthy, they offer an opportunity to draw on our Choctaw culture to live healthier lives today.
Sharing Our Culture
The Choctaw people were widely recognized as among the most effective food producers in the Southeastern United States, thanks to thousands of years of experience. After 400 years of colonization, our communities, much of that knowledge lay sleeping, waiting for the next generation to awaken our ancestors’ wisdom. Though some of our native seeds were lost, others survived the Trail of Tears, Death and gave us a new beginning.
By partnering with community members, the program has identified varieties of plants grown by our ancestors. These plants are grown from seed at the main garden within the Choctaw Nation Reservation. When seed stores get large enough, we share seeds along with the knowledge of how to plant, harvest and cook them into traditional foods. While supplies last, the following seeds are currently offered:
- Tanchi Tobi (Choctaw flour corn)
- Isito (Choctaw Sweet Potato Squash)
- Tobi (Smith Peas)
- Chukfi (Rabbit Peas)
- Hakchuma (Perique Tobacco)
- Tvnishi (Lambsquarter)
- Hvshi Pakanli (Seneca Sunflower)
Seeds from several additional Choctaw varieties are currently being grown to one day have enough to share.