Mission Statement

Seed2Table2Seed strengthens local food resilience by teaching practical skills, supporting community growers, and creating a full-circle food cycle that honors the land and the people who care for it

Our story and goals

This project begins with a simple question. What would happen if Billings had a community-driven food cycle that anyone can join?

From seed-starting workshops to harvest swaps and composting education, the community garden network is growing.

Garden Clubs were once a staple of community and culture in Montana. As people moved away from the land, our attention turned to other diversions and activities. More recently, attention is returning to gardening and to communities that garden together.

My own involvement starts with the Amend Park Community Garden about ten years ago. This was started and nurtured by a series of VISTAs that the Parks and Recreation Department of City of Billings were granted in those early days. The initial concept was rooted in something called a food desert. Neighborhoods where groceries were not available within a short walking distance. That group helped the Songbird Community Garden get rolling. A later vista helped to create a coalition of community gardens. St Andrews Community Garden was the first established community garden to join. This became the Magic City Community Gardens.

This only begins to touch the stories that led to the Seed Library at the Billings Public Library. Also, a major shout out to the constant and growing presence in this effort of the MSU Extension service and the Master Gardeners in the area. The list goes on and includes contributions from local businesses from expertise to gardening materials.

We believe it is time to take the next step. From growing food to growing the community that grows food.

Our belief is that with a shared digital home with events, calendars, stories, and resources, we can help the community of growers and eaters in our watershed become more rooted in the natural world and cycles we live within and more connected to the food we eat.

So begins the Seed to Table to Seed project. The reason we are focused on digital content is to break through on the screen you are looking at and motivate you to seek some sunshine.

The Food and Nature Cycle

There are a number of different ideas that are converging into this space. We will be discussing all of this here.

Values

Dignity — Everyone has something to offer.

Local Knowledge — Montana seasons teach us resilience.

Community Power — Real change grows from the ground up.

Stewardship — We care for the soil that feeds us.