
By Jennifer Jewell
Timber Press, 2023
392 pages, hardcover, $30
“What We Sow” is a compassionate and insightful look at the human relationship to seeds throughout history. Jewell makes a compelling argument for the inextricable connection between colonialism, cultural erasure, and the loss of seed saving traditions due to the pressures of modern agriculture that will resonate with those already saving seeds, and may convince others to start.
The book is structured into five main parts, with chapters tied to each month of the year, starting and ending with October. Throughout, Jewell includes dated excerpts from her journal, detailing what she does in her California garden. This structure almost makes it feel like a farmer’s almanac. However, the chapters are thematic, not chronological, which can be confusing.
Jewell, who has a long career as a writer and radio host about gardening, has more vivid and unique descriptors for seeds and plants than perhaps any other writer working today. When she goes through the walks in the canyon by her property, it feels like you’re there with her. Her words are a reminder for all readers to slow down and take in the ecological bounty around them.
The pages are chock-full of details and historical tidbits from around the world that even the most involved seed keepers may not have encountered. Jewell focuses on the colonialist history of big agribusiness and takes great care to highlight the work of Indigenous and people of color seed savers, bringing their narratives to the forefront.
Jewell also has a knack for exploring the nuance in the human history of seeds. She recognizes the potential benefits of seed patents and genetic engineering for encouraging innovation and protecting breeders’ rights, while also admitting her own strong personal feelings against them. Highlighting another point of tension, she discusses both the devastation of wildfires in her home of California, and the importance these fires have for seeds in the environment.
Even if some of the history that Jewell highlights is bleak, the book ends on a hopeful note: The final chapter covers the powerful and intentional seed saving work being done by organizations, many led by Indigenous people and people of color, across the country, and the interconnectedness of all life to seed.
“What We Sow” finds a way to connect to the heart of a gardener through personal narrative, while also telling the tragic and triumphant history of seed saving. Despite some muddled organization, it is a worthwhile read for anyone interested in the past, present, and future of seed saving.
– Sam Schipani, Bangor, Maine
This review was originally published in the winter 2024 issue of The Maine Organic Farmer & Gardener. Browse the archives for free content on organic agriculture and sustainable living practices.