Plant One More Teams Up with Utopian Seed Project to Improve Food Security

As of this month, Kelly’s Kitchen has put over 350 seed packets into people’s hands through our newly established seed libraries and community garden partners in eight states. Every packet comes with growing information, access to our Virtual Community Garden on Patreon, and a simple ask: grow something for yourself, and plant one more for someone else. Donate what you don’t need back to the food pantry where you picked up your seeds.

We partnered with the Utopian Seed Project out of Asheville, North Carolina, because they honor the stories behind the plants. Executive Director Chris Smith hand-selected every variety in this year’s library.

The Blue Goose Southern Pea came out of a 30-variety cowpea trial run by Swannanoa legume expert Mark Dempsey — this one stood out for yield, flavor, and its striking blue-gray color.

The Puerto Rico Everblush Okra was first collected in 1953 and grown for this library by Delia Jovel Dubón at Tierra Fértil Coop, a Henderson County, North Carolina, cooperative run by Hispanic food justice leaders working to honor the legacy of farm workers and build the next generation of Latinx leaders in food, health, and agriculture.

There are 12 varieties total, including a Cherokee Purple Cherry Tomato, a Blue Ridge Butternut Squash that will keep through winter if you store it right, and a celery that will ruin you for grocery store celery. You can read about all of them in the 2026 Seed Guide.

Food Security Network members have told us this approach is landing. Pantry leaders say their communities need fresh produce, and that a project built around growing and giving feels like something people actually want to be part of.

To get involved, head to our Patreon page — the free tier gets you into the Virtual Community Garden, where you can ask questions, share what’s coming up in your garden, and find your people. The Earthworm tier is $3/month and includes The Greenhouse Bookshelf, our disability and food justice book club. Next month we’re reading and discussing work about community care and the strengths the disability community brings to mutual aid. If cost is a barrier, reach out to ruby@kellys-kitchen.org.

For more on the seed varieties and the farmers behind them, visit utopianseed.org. If you want to Plant One More, check the Food Security Network map for a local, accessible pantry to support or email eva@kellys-kitchen.org for more information.